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2006-10-17 Iraq

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2006-10-17 03:16|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 We can't 'win' this war anyway, so the idea is to cut our losses and run away in such a fashion that no one notices.

The newest version of 'cut-and-run'.

Posted by Bobby 2006-10-17 09:26|| 2006-10-17 09:26|| Front Page Top

#2 Bobby, think long run. Here we are 30 years on. Who really won the Vietnam war? Sure the communist clique is still in power but does anyone doubt that it will ultimately be replaced by a capitalist one and that the people who will have suffered are Vietnamese? I bet few Vietnam vets have any doubts about the righteousness of their noble efforts.

We will win this war in the long run. The Iraqis and Islamists had the choice of losing the nice way or the ugly way. Looks like they're choosing ugly. Sure, it'll be a problem for us but that won't be nearly the problem it will for them.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-10-17 10:11|| 2006-10-17 10:11|| Front Page Top

#3 ...Something I'm not understanding, and I apologize if I'm missing the obvious somewhere. Was pre-invasion Iraq really THIS out of control beneath the surface, or were these guys just standing by if Saddam went down, or did they all come in after the invasion?

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2006-10-17 12:16|| 2006-10-17 12:16|| Front Page Top

#4 Mike, not to this extent. Saddam adeptly & ruthlessly pitted tribes against each other and those that supported him ultimately received much prestige and more access to the state coffers. He also waged a war of terror on the kurds and the southern shia.

Other then that, I heard he did offer universal health care.

Posted by Broadhead6 2006-10-17 15:04|| 2006-10-17 15:04|| Front Page Top

#5 Mike, there has always been some sort of inter/intra-religious warefare, smuggling, Blood-feuds, kidnappings, extortion, black markets, thievery, etc. going on in this region. Sadaam just either emptied or leveled the towns when a particular area got out of hand (sort of like the Romans did). The Marine in our family tells of the locals saying things like "there used to be a town there, but Sadaam took it away".

Posted by Mullah Richard 2006-10-17 15:04|| 2006-10-17 15:04|| Front Page Top

#6 Re NS #2 - Yes I know we won the Viet Nam war, because General Giap (is reported to have) said so. You know. Fred and Sea and Doc White prolly know. Giving credit to all the other intelligent Rantburg Regulars, and we are still in a definite minority.

How long before the history books will give an accurate picture of that war?

How long before the public will understand the Iraq war, or the war on terror, or the war on Islamic Crusaders?

Yeah, so - as I admitted elsewhere today - I feel a bit gloomy, even after posting some positive articles from the Centcom site...

While waiting with a co-worker today, I explained to him how the war was over, since the media had resorted to tallying multiple days to get the death toll high enough to be 'interesting'. I mighta madea point.

Posted by Bobby 2006-10-17 15:21|| 2006-10-17 15:21|| Front Page Top

#7 Two items:

1. Just prior to the invasion Saddam released 100,000 hardened criminals. Just imagine if we released the equivalent amount based on our population: 1.2 million. What would be happening in our streets if we were rebuilding our Police and Army at the same time?

2. Killing each other is a way of life in the Middle East. Could it have anything to do with the "Religion of Peace"? At least the Kurds are not Arabs, they have that going for them!

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2006-10-17 15:29|| 2006-10-17 15:29|| Front Page Top

#8 There wuz criminals in the pre-war Saddamist paradise? Does Murtha know?

Posted by Bobby 2006-10-17 15:32|| 2006-10-17 15:32|| Front Page Top

#9 The Iraqis are unlikely to risk their lives if they know the US is willing to risk theirs. So the US needs to step aside to force them into the breach.

I would build a series of bases to seal the borders and do phased withdrawals into those bases. Infiltration will drop. US casualties will drop. And if the Sunni don't stop the terrorists in their midst the Sunni will soon drop. Then the problem is solved.

Posted by rjschwarz 2006-10-17 16:38|| 2006-10-17 16:38|| Front Page Top

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