The Iraq war is being fought for Republican domestic political objectives.

Larry Johnson (Bio) discusses the way Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, head of the Joint Special Operations Command’s operations in Iraq is being pilloried by the Republican Party because he has said that al Qaeda in Iraq has been destroyed, so we should declare "Mission Accomplished" and finish our involvement in Iraq. Larry says:

I was in Iraq in May of 2006. I saw firsthand what units under General McChrystal’s command were doing–they were killing and capturing on a daily basis suspected Al Qaeda in Iraq operatives. Despite the success of their operations, the violence in Iraq continued to escalate (a trend that continued thru May of this year). Why? Very simple. Most of the violence was not being initiated nor carried out by Al Qaeda elements. The violence then (and now) stems from sectarian strife–i.e., sunnis versus shias.

But the Bush Administration does not want to accept nor hear this kind of report. To admit that most of the violence in Iraq has nothing to do with Al Qaeda, and even less to do with foreign fighters, completely obliterates the Bush Administration’s rationale for keeping troops in Iraq. Once again we are witnessing a General being silenced for telling an uncomfortable truth to the American people. This is a new “General Shinseki” moment in my view.

There is no remaining useful function for the American troops to perform in Iraq. The Republicans don't want to admit that until they can blame the Democrats, after the 2008 elections. So Gen. McChrystal's revelations are not appreciated.