Journalist-author and former City College journalism lecturer Reese Erlich spent much time in the Middle East to gather information for his new book "The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis." PHOTO COURTESY OF REESE ERLICH

Reese Elrich, former City College instructor and journalism lecturer, published his hard-hitting book on Iraq well before the Bush administration decided to liberate the country from the clutches of Saddam Hussein. Erlich, a Peabody Award wimmer and regular National Public Radio reporter, co-wrote "Target Iraq: What the News Media Didn't Tell You" with Norman Solomon to dispel the Bush administration's claims that the invasion of Iraq was for national security.

The best seller is based on their research into the media's portrayal of the Iraq War. Prophetically, Erlich and Solomon wrote that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destructions and Saddam Hussein's regime had no ties to al-Qaeda.

Now, over five years into the war on terror, Bush and the media know the facts in  “Target Iraq” were accurate. Sadly, more than 3,000 Americans have died based on Bush’s “faulty intelligence.”

“The U.S. press failed to get the story,” Erlich said. Instead, they bought into Bush’s “manufactured reasons” for toppling Saddam over imaginary WMD. “Now we are living with the consequences of bad policy,” Erlich said.

Erlich will speak about his new book, “The Iran Agenda: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Middle East Crisis,” on Saturday, Sept. 22, at City College’s Mission campus. The two-hour forum, sponsored by the National Writers Union and the City College Journalism Department, will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Why is the U.S. interested in Iraq and Iran?  “The U.S. sees strategic importance in the region’s oil and their prime location for military bases,” said Elrich. Also, Erlich contends that Bush wanted “Iraq as a model of regime change for the region.”

“The results of Bush’s misguided policy have been disastrous,” Erlich said. When asked about the military successes Bush claims in Iraq, Erlich said they are simply a “temporary lull in the bloody civil war. The ‘successes’ are exaggerated.” Erlich also believes Bush wanted to install a pro-U.S. strongman to run Iraq.

Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has not been the “pro-U.S.” strongman Bush needed. Still, Al-Maliki has been lucky; he has, thus far, escaped assassination. Many of his fellow government officials have not been as fortunate.

How do we get out of Iraq? “Bush won’t voluntarily withdraw troops,” Erlich said. “He’ll have to be politically forced [to withdraw them.]”

Erlich pointed out that the Iraqi Parliament favors a timetable to withdraw U.S. troops. Of course, the parliament made this decision before it recessed for August.

Erlich sees more Middle East war in our future. He thinks Bush is readying for war with Iran. Erlich makes a convincing case that the U.S. is preparing for another misguided war in his new book.

“Bush needs to blame someone for the Iraq disaster,” Erlich said. “He blames Iran and his tough rhetoric is a clear indication he wants to bomb Iran.”

Although Iran is not responsible for Iraq’s civil war and though it poses no immediate threat to the U.S., Bush’s constant harsh rhetoric indicates he is intent on regime change in Iran. Elrich explains that Bush wants it for the same reasons in Iraq: Oil, a military presence and a pro-U.S. strongman to carry out Bush’s policies to the detriment of the Iranian people.

If Bush uses his executive power to bomb Iran, “it will only rally its people against us,” Erlich said. “It will be another disaster and lead to greater destabilization of the region.”

Erlich does not believe that the departures of presidential adviser Karl Rove and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will produce any meaningful change in Bush’s Middle East policy.

The author believes Rove, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Powell, Rice and Bush should stand trial for war crimes. He isn’t alone. Some politicians and anti-war activists are calling for a war crimes trial. “In any other country they would stand trial for a needless war,” Erlich said.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are Bush supporters. As such, they enable Bush to forge ahead with his misguided policies, according to Elrich.

“There is no military solution for the occupation of Iraq,” Erlich said. “Yes, if the U.S. withdraws forces, there will be violence. But there will be violence if the U.S. stays. The Iraqis have to resolve their own problems.”

e-mail: jpatterson@theguardsman.com