Article

2009-10-21 Iraq

War is Hell: Troops in Iraq take salsa lessons, start book clubs.

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Posted by Frozen Al 2009-10-21 12:21|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 Buried deep withing the talk of boredom and depression is the message that we won the war and can go home now.

Posted by Jumbo Slinerong5015 2009-10-21 14:44|| 2009-10-21 14:44|| Front Page Top

#2 Actually, there is only a rough cease fire in the 1400 year Sunni-Shiite civil war, after the Shiites ended Sunni power in Baghdad. In any case, the US built one of the largest military airports in the world, 50 miles north of Baghdad. I believe that a majority of both Sunnis and Shiites want it to remain, as a resource to assist Iraqis, should there be civil disorder. The Go-Home rhetoric refers to the visible presence of US troops. It is unlikely that US forces will ever have either much of a ground troop presence. Meanwhile the air bases serve US global security interests. Nothing is going to change.

Posted by Bugs Slath3086 2009-10-21 15:47|| 2009-10-21 15:47|| Front Page Top

#3 Spot on Bugs. Great to hear your assessments.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-10-21 15:51|| 2009-10-21 15:51|| Front Page Top

#4 my son's outpost is lightly manned, irregular supply and minimal facilities in teh province west of Mosul (see here). This is "withdrawal is already a given" propaganda which doesn't account for O's encouragement of Baathists, Syrians, AQI (such as they are), and Iranian stooges

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-10-21 19:13|| 2009-10-21 19:13|| Front Page Top

#5 The bottom line is that Iraq is a golden opportunity to be in the middle of the Middle East, which serious strategic analysts will tell you is where the dangerous action is in the world today. Our bases there are like having two or three aircraft carriers in permanent station--just a hell of a lot cheaper.

Posted by Anonymoose 2009-10-21 21:43|| 2009-10-21 21:43|| Front Page Top

#6 Iraq and Afghanistan:

- bracket Iran
- break up the crescent of Islamicism that sweeps from Algeria through Egypt, the middle East, Iran, Pakistan and down to Indonesia

Posted by lotp 2009-10-21 22:07|| 2009-10-21 22:07|| Front Page Top

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