Posted on 07/09/2007 5:21:51 PM PDT by don-o
Hehe, yes it is...That’s what makes us keyboard commandos!
It’s much easier to sit here and second guess, but I still think there were a few obvious warning signs. Don’t get me wrong, still think it was a war worth fighting. But a few things still make me wonder what might have been:
Going in with more troops up front
Having a post-war admin ready to go
The CPA and Paul Bremer.
Disbanding the Iraqi Army
De-Ba’athification
Energy distribution
The Transitional Government
The Iraqi leaders
Our responses to Outsiders (like Iran, Syria)
Allowing the Media/Libs to dominate the debate on Iraq
The lack of Iraqi leaders we can count on
Allowing Sadr to still breathe
The Falluja fiasco
The pinheads from Abu Ghraib
just a few might have beens
But you’re 100% right. Even if we had done something different, who is to say an alternative would have resulted in anything better than what we currently have? Altering any one of these few could have had even worse consequences than the situation we now have...
Which is.... totally gonna happen if we remove our military presence from Iraq?
Which... totally would've happened had we not invaded Iraq?
Just trying to understand precisely which fantasy world you're living in exactly....
Let's see. $12 billion a month right now, not to mention the billions that have been lost or overpaid in contractors' fees. Yes I would perceive that paying for this occupation is going to cost a burden to me personally.
How has it affected you thus far, tangibly? In what ways has it altered your lifestyle? Are you connecting to FR on a dialup instead of DSL? Did you have to go on the 3-disc-at-a-time Netflix plan instead of the 4-disc-at-a-time plan? What?
As money is borrowed or printed to pay for this fiasco (not to mention domestic programs), the purchasing power of the dollar decreases.
Which means exactly what? As a result, you have felt the cost because ____?
I understand whining about wars from a nation that is truly sacrificing and being affected by them. Rationing, nationalization of industries, forced labor and military service, etc.? Fine: whine away.
But I do not understand such whining when it comes from a nation that is generally pampered, spoiled, opulent, living in luxury, and entertained/distracted to death by a neverending parade of toys and spectacles, in the process feeling the effect of the "war" not on tangible bit.
You know damn well that the United States 2003-present, all throughout the oh so horribly costly and therefore supposedly whine-worthy "Iraq War" that supposedly we all need to pay so much attention to (and whine about, and agitate for ending), fits the latter and not the former description.
Now, you better type your response to me (explaining why the Iraq War IS TOO affecting our country oh so horribly) quickly; the Home Run Derby is on TV!!!!1111
I don't know. I probably picked it up during a seminar I took in grad school on this war. The phrase was probably used in a Foreign Affairs or some other journal we read.
I know. I'm one of those fools that still believes in a Constitutional Republic with a federal government that stays out of peoples lives. And it's been made quite clear to me just today we need some form of healthcare revision, government making our TVs safe from 'dirty words', and the responsibility of our federal government to protect Kurds from Turks (although I can't seem to find world policeman anywhere in the Constitution or the intent by the Framers). All views advocated by one Republican or another
Which means exactly what? As a result, you have felt the cost because ____?
I really don't have the time to explain inflation as it pertains to monetary supply to you. Basic economics. Take a class.
You know damn well that the United States 2003-present, all throughout the oh so horribly costly and therefore supposedly whine-worthy "Iraq War" that supposedly we all need to pay so much attention to (and whine about, and agitate for ending), fits the latter and not the former description.
Again my fault. I forget at times the 'conservative' view of history stops at 1918 (probably stumbles upon Wilson's attempt at 'spreading democracy' I suppose). I'm looking at the long term, life of nations. And it follows the same general course time after time. And we are not immune to it no matter how much you support the police action.
Please return to your cheering....troops will be home in time for the election, or a course for them to come home will be set in stone by that time. And the propped up Iraqi government can go rot for all I care (it's not like it was meant to last, it's going to fail sooner rather than later anyway). Makes you wonder what these Republican candidates whose one policy is whipping up the masses for war are going to run on afterwards though....
I understand the numerics. I don't understand what tangible effect you think you have felt. Nor do you, I dare say, since there is none.
Call me crazy but I would have thought that the whining should be in proportion to the inconvenience caused. Something's apparently changed between WW2 and now however, because nowadays, the way people are shrilly shrieking about "the Iraq War" and its oh so gigantically humongous effect on everybody's lives here, it's more like it's inversely proportional.
The biggest problem is this administrations adamant refusal to let the troops actually do their job, which is KILLING PEOPLE. They seem to just be sending more of them into the battle, apparently for show, and not easing any of the ridiculous restrictions they’re operating under.
Unfortunately, the failure of the Iraqi government to make progress can only be expected. Iraqis did absolutely nothing to fight for their own freedom, they let us do it. Even when it was clear we were going to win, they didn’t raise one hand to help. Following our victory, they’re sitting around letting us do the legwork clearing terrorists out of their cities.
Where would America be, if our forefathers hadn’t had the mettle and the courage to fight for themselves? Where would America be, if we’d just waited around for someone else to liberate us, then expected them to protect us forever after that?
I’ve come to doubt that success in Iraq is possible, if only because Iraqis themselves are unwilling to succeed. The old leading-the-horse-to-water-but-no-drinking cliche comes to mind.
You can only do so much for someone before they have to stand on their own. It kind of bothers me that so many are willing to babysit forever, when baby should be learning to take care of itself.
It seems to me that the Associated Press and the Demonrats in congress are working 24-7 in concert to screw over our military. Maybe it should be called the Asocialist Press or the Associated Left..........
A post-war plan, period.
I remember thinking, after the 'official' war was over, then starting to see the reports of the terrorist activity, surely they are moving on to the next phase by now?
Time passes and the reports kept coming. At some point, I realized that there was post-war plan, just that not a lot of thought and effort went into it. Pretty sad.
Here is some more hindsight for ya: what, nobody thought Iran or Syria would do anything? Hello? Seal the borders immediately.
I realize there were not enough troops in place to realistically do that. But we certainly posess enough technology to make life hard for most that try to cross.
At the very least we could have scared the allah out of 'em! We now have 3 carrier battle groups in proximity. We should have done that then and simply made an announcement: Iran, those two battle groups are dedicated to you and you alone. Syria, this one over here has your name all over it. Any detected movement across your border into Iraq and you will be hearing Miles Lane's voice from your nappy little minaret's - "Let's get it on!"
A direct threat at time would have had a lot of mileage, I think.
You are right, if only.......
Excellent point. And nobody is shooting at our "legislators".
It’s funny because today it has been reported that the report will actually show that the Iraqi Gov met 50% satisfactory in progress.
What does New Orleans have to do with Iraq?
That long-term blood and treasure's another matter, but hey, let the grandkids deal with it.
I'm sure Iran would make a good global cop if we'd just give it a chance. Oh, give TROP a chance...
So much of our culture is feminized now that in a decade or two -barring a massive attack on this country carried out in a way the press cannot deny or spin- our men will be giving birth and breastfeeding children.</dry>
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.