“A year ago, the mere thought of forces withdrawing from Iraq was considered a dream,” Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told reporters January 1, 2009. “The dream that no one had the right to think about became true.”  al-Maliki made these statements because this historic day – a day Iraq may make a holiday – will go down in history as the day the U.S. formally transferred control of the Green Zone to Iraqi authorities.  From what I can gather, this would be similar to another nation policing the Washington DC area around the capital and White House – a thought really hard to imagine.

The transfer of control, and the official ceremony, comes after a dramatic fall in violence over the past year.  Before you pop the champagne, let’s not forget the 314 U.S. soldiers who lost their lives in 2008 and 4,221 U.S. soldiers who have died since the war began in 2003.  We must also realize that insurgents still stage daily attacks and could try to expand the fight now that U.S. troops can’t take action without permission.

Speaking of permission, the transfer of power also means the Iraqi government must approve American troops’ actions; they also control the country’s airspace.  This is where this whole situation begins, or maybe I should say continues, to rub me the wrong way.  We should look at this with some common sense.

If I come to your neighborhood, to provide protection tha you cannot provide for yourself, I’m not taking orders from you.  If you are so good at giving orders and being in control, you should protect your own neighborhood.  Once my agreement to provide protection expires and you are in control again, guess what I’m going to do?  You got it, I’m going to pack up and leave.  Again, if you are in a position to take control, you should be in a position where you don’t need me.  Just my opinion and I think it makes sense.

Iraq, you are welcome for your possible holiday.  Most of us don’t necessarily want to be kicked out of  a store, restaurant, school, etc., but this is one time where I think the U.S. would be most appreciative of being told, “You don’t have to go home, but you have to get the hell out of here!”