Posted on 09/22/2013 8:36:02 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
On December 18, 2011, the last convoy of US soldiers pulled out of Iraq, ending nearly nine years of war that left almost 4,500 American troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis dead.
Marking the end of the combat mission in a speech at Fort Bragg (the same location where George W. Bush had declared war in 2003), President Barack Obama emphasized repeatedly that he was fulfilling his 2008 campaign pledge of an Iraq pull-out, while praising the courage of American soldiers and vowing that Iraqi forces were prepared to assume responsibility for their country’s security.
“Of course,” he noted, “violence will not end.... Extremists will continue to set off bombs, attack Iraqi civilians and try to spark sectarian strife.”
...
Yet Obama failed miserably in his attempt (if ever it was sincere) to forge a deal with the newly elected, fragile Iraqi government to maintain a residual US troop presence in Iraq. The agreement fell apart over the technicality of providing legal immunity to American soldiers, hardly an insurmountable impasse, one might have thought.
Since then, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has filled the power vacuum by consolidating his rule. He has eliminated his leading Sunni rivals and tightened his control over Iraq’s security services. Maliki has repeatedly violated the terms of the so-called Erbil agreement, which was meant to preserve the rights of Sunni and Kurdish communities.
In parallel, Iraq has descended progressively into chaos. This year alone, approximately 5,000 Iraqis have died in principally Sunni-on-Shi’ite terror attacks, with a recent surge in violence killing upwards of 1,000 Iraqis each month. Hardly a day goes by without multiple attacks being perpetrated throughout the country, as the domestic carnage there proceeds unabatedly.
(Excerpt) Read more at jpost.com ...
But let’s not forget that the order to withdraw the troops was signed by Bush long before Obama was even elected.
Ya can't take the JP seriously.
If we lost, why did all those admirals and generals get promoted?
Aftganiscrap made sense, but they are also reverting to their hateful sectarian barbarism.
I say we stay out of those countries and let them kill each other. If nothing else, it keeps them busy for the most part. The next time they attack America in mass - nuke them out of existence. Harsh? - yes. Practical - yes.
Long live Isreal, and I'm not jewish.
I'll never understand why anyone would trust the @ssholes in Washington who send our military personnel all over the world to fight wars like that.
The only good thing I see in Iraq these days is the fact that the Kurds are unified and strong in a fractured nation.
If we don't plan to use our military that way, then we should not use our military at all -- send the freakin' Peace Corp.
Any Middle eastern Country with Sunni’s and Shiites in the same country will eventually be dragged into fighting and killing. It’s hat they like to do.
Vietnam was a losing effort.
Iraq was a losing effort.
Afghanistan is, and will be, a losing effort.
Stay out of foreign wars.
Simple. They are mostly political suck-ups. I don't believe there is a Patton or Bradley among them anymore. Hell, I don't even believe there is an 06 or E7 who gives a shit other then their next advancement, except for possibly the Marines. I am so ashamed of my Navy nowadays, but proud I served when it was a fighting force and not a social experiment.
It was STUPID for 0bama to announce departure dates and to leave Iraq since things weren't going all that badly in Iraq WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE. We are IDIOTS for surrendering there. We invested heavily there with over 4,500 troops lost we should have STAYED in Iraq, kept a couple of LARGE, WELL SUPPLIED bases permanently there because the war on terror will NEVER end and it would be a GREAT staging area for a future action against Iran.
We bust our azz invading Iraq, establishing some sense of calm, then LEAVE? WTF is THAT all about? 0bama giving in to his terrorist friends, maybe? We are IDIOTS for withdrawing from such a militarily strategically priceless location.
Apparently, you are vindicated. And "wars"? Hardly, they were nation building exercises. The idiots in the WH and Pentagon thought we could change hundreds of years of Islamic barbarism if only we built schools and gave candy to the kids. Now their back to their 7th century savagery, and the USA keeps inviting them in and placing them in positions of power. Talk about a suicide pact.
Iraq was lost before before it was occupied and the situation warranted a punitive raid, not nation building.
To create something positive there one would have to go in with ubiquitous surveillance, close the borders, and execute all violent parties including Muslims attempting to kill apostates leaving Islam. When we went in not willing to do that we had already lost. Much of the military sector of society pointed this out at the beginning. So did a host of historians.
It saddens me greatly but after the first 90-120 days we should have left. We lost so many fine young men and women...just doing their jobs...so western leaders can pretend “we are making a difference”
Anyone with time and experience in the ME KNOWS they will never change and mussies will be mussies!
If we had done so, the World would have seen how serious we were about liberty, especially after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No, I don't believe the Soviets would have done more than complain. They, unlike others, understand MAD, that's why they backed down during the Cuban Missle Crisis. They actually care about their children.
Nuclear war is coming. Hope I die before it happens, but it is coming. Too many countries are building or buying bombs. It will start in the Middle East or Pakistan/India or here at home with a dirty bomb. China depends too much on our trade to attack us. Again, Russia understands MAD. Still, it's coming. The assholes of the World can't get along. Think local gangster territorial control and influence.
HEY!!!!!
GWB!!!!!
how did that “nation building” thingie work out for you????
we are not the world’s policemen...
I wonder who will be the first to cross the Rubicon. All the fine men and women killed, maimed, and wounded and in the end for what? For our masters in the beltway? I have no respect for the masters in the beltway at all. They have squandered all trust. They have earned no respect.
I don’t think Bush was into nation building. I think he got talked into it.
I remember him specifically being against it during the 2000 debates.
Absolutely...BTW, how many troops did Israel have in the coalition?
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