I haven't slandered you. I thank you for your service.
That being said, I do believe that there are bad reasons to yank Reservists away from their wives and children. I personally believe that providing Military and Financial support to the TERRORIST Government of Iraq is just such a "Bad Reason".
The Iraqi Al Dawa Party organized the Mass-Murder of over 240 US Marines in 1983. I REFUSE to call them the "Good Guys" NOW, just because they're in a Civil War against the Sunni Nationalists and Iraqi Al Queda.
There is NO such thing as a "GOOD" Terrorist. LEAVE, and let them KILL EACHOTHER! Forever and ever, amen.
In this campaign in Iraq there has been Zero occasion when our military has lost a military engagement with the enemy. In fact, our military is winning the battle for Baghdad....just the same way as they have won the battle for Samarra, Fallujah, etc., etc. When it comes to military capability, an American 2-man team is more capable than dozens of the insurgents/terrorists.
We will WIN the Battle for Baghdad.
But, then we’ll have to turn it over to the Iraqis. Their army is getting more and more capable according to our own generals, so there is no problem with the Iraqi military capability of the individual privates, sergeants, and officers.
But, then you get to the political side. These warring factions are determined to continue tribal/doctrinal fighting. They want their side to come out on top. (Understandable in that world, since the loser loses his head.)
It is incredibly obvious to me that this country should have been 3 countries instead of one. We have WWI (and the Brits of that time?) to thank for their incredible ignorance about the aspirations of various people groups, when after that war in dismembering the German ally Ottoman Empire, they drew these “iraqi” borders.
The route ahead:
1. Finish winnng the War for Baghdad. Hand it over to the Iraqi gov’t.
2. Reposition our troops into Kurdistan, Baqubah, and along the borders of Syria, Turkey & Iran to prevent outside interference.
3. Prevent any outside intrusion into the affairs of Iraq.
4. Allow the Sunni Triangle forces to fight it out.
5. Annoint whatever gov’t with a pax vobiscum.
6. Talk sense to the Kurds and tell them to leave the flippin’ Turks and Persians alone or they’re on their own. Tell the new gov’t of Iraq that if it messes with us in any way, that they’ll lose their heads, too.
7. Go home.