Pelosi on Iraq: This isn't a war to win...

(Barbarian on how competent leadership could have produced a victory in Iraq)

The Baathist party was holding the society together. When we disbanded the army and the Baathist party, we destroyed any trace of order in Iraq. It's easier to break things than to put them back together.

I'm pessimistic about that. Bush and his idiot neocons really messed this one up. But we can't just cut and run, now. I hope someone figures out how to end this without another disasterous bloodbath.

 

I agree that this war is now off the correct path. I believe we must increase our presence in Iraq, reaffirm our commitment, and kill as many of those nut jobs as possible. If we can continue to kill as many or more of the jihadists as they produce, they will probably not be able to come back here, and kill our citizens. And Iraqi citizens will be able to commit to a new regime based on trust that America will not desert them. But this new Congress, the Pelosi Congress will abandon Iraq.

 

That's what got us in this mess in the first place. Doing the same thing, and expecting a different outcome, that's not a reasonable idea.

Ironically, they didn't want to kill Americans until we got there. At least the Iraqis didn't. A substantial number of real terrorists moved in from other places at the beginning of the occupation, but they are largely gone now. Mostly, they are Baathists, former Iraqi soldiers, or Shiites who just want us gone.

That was true once. But we lost the hearts and minds of most Iraqis some time ago, when we were unable to give them a safe and stable society.

Not if history is any guide. The hardest thing for any politician to do, is to cut one's losses in a stupid and unwinnable war. My prediction is that thousands more good young troops will have to die before politicians get the backbone to solve the problem.

BTW, I don't know how to do that. It's much, much easier to get into disasters like this, than it is to extricate one's self from them. I pray that someone figures it out.

 

Hey,

There is some good news here.... AT least the Right Wingers will have someone else to blame for the next two years other than Bill Clinton.

I mean he hasn't been in office now for 6 years, and his name is still mud. Now they can target other Democrats will friendily, loving, Christian love...

Jamie

 

I wonder if the same people here who constantly berated us "Bush-bashers" will not themselves become "Democrat-bashers" now that the Democrats have won a majority in both Houses, or will they come up with some rational for attacking Congresswoman Pelosi or Senator Reid at every turn. Unfortunately, I fear the latter.

 

I'm trying to find where anyone in our government has suggest we surrender.

Hysterical exaggeration isn't very useful. It makes people doubt your sanity, and it convinces no one.

Bush's notion of eventual withdrawal, even if the insurgency is still active, is not surrender. Neither is anyone else who proposes such a thing, advocating surrender.

 

I think you did a pretty good job of using the two together... :laugh: :wavey:

 

Surrender to who? We are fighting against an ideology more than a person or army.

We all know we can't leave until we can hand this mess over to someone else. Nixon called it Vietnamization and Bush is struggling to build an army, police force etc... in Iraq. I think we all agree we can't leave the area until this is done.

 

With good reason Jamie

 

That's the problem LeBuick, we don't all agree. I'm very afraid we'll cut and run. Of course it will be called something more politically palatible, but it'll still stink. I honestly believe that just the idea of troop reduction, will energize the gihadists, and fuel a firestorm of new terror recruits. We must stay the course,(have to change that slogan though) and I think the Democrats can't avoid that same conclusion. But they may

 

Nice job cuting and pasting..

So, in 8 years, when Bush has been out of office for 6 years, you won't mind people to continue to brate and beat up Bush for his "missed" policies and such?!?

Bring President is not small feat, and I don't care who you are. I don't knock Bush in every breathe, nor do I think he has done a perfect job. Just like Clinton, I don't think he was perfect nor was he all that bad.

Jamie
Walk a mile in someone shoes....