Comments on: Iraq: Get Back in the Streets (Updated)

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:04:17 +0000

I doubt there are any WMD’s over there in Iraq. Bush just lied about them so he could blame a CIA attack on an innocent nation. Then he sent troops there to cover the oil thieves that work for Bush. Iraq is a scapegoat for those greedy bums in DC.
I refused to deploy there as I knew we were used for a money making mission.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:57:20 +0000

Jay R. Smith, why is it you and the 1/3 of the American public who think (more or less) like you, can’t accept the FACT that Bush and Company have CREATED the hot bed of terrorism that they said Iraq was back in ’03?
Screw Rummy, the Mcnamara of our age. My dad (chief Navy MAAG) was fired for telling Mac and Maxwell Taylor that we were losing the Vietnam war back in 1961… History repeats itself for the neocons — after all, they believe in the idiotic “End of History” crap, and have this foolish messianic “vision.” Blindness is more like it. I was against the war, but if I was for it, I’d still hate the way Bushco has done it. Fire Shinseki, White, and all the brass they advanced: BRILLIANT!

By: Marcos Olivari

Marcos Olivari — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 22:02:07 +0000

This nation took 12 years to come up w/ a viable Constitution even though it was practically 100% European (mostly English speaking) and Christian. Through our Reformation, Protestants and Catholics could live together peacefully. All came from a tradition of nation states, not waring tribes. And still, we didn’t get it right. 70+ plus years later we had a full blown civil war w/ 600,000+ casualties.
Iraq is tribal — different languages, religion, etc. The only time they have had “peace” has been when one faction has had its foot firmly on the necks of the others. Unlike Christianity, Islam has not yet had its Reformation. Sunnis and Shia must, Must, hate the other. To accept the other is be a heretic.
Yet, in 5 years they have gone fom being ruled by an utter despot on the order of Caligula to a democratically elected, constitutional government. The numbers that voted give the lie to those who say the Iraqi people don’t really want democracy.
Our problem with the insugency cannot be explained by simply saying the President and/or Rumsfeld is an idiot. Dammit, why can’t we give the Devil his due — the insurgency is a problem because a relitively very few men who are willing to murder civilians in whole sale lots can shed an incredible amount of blood for a lot less effort than it takes to stop them. They can cow numbers of non violent persons all out of proportion to thier numbers.
The Iraqis will have to find a way for Sunni to live w/ Shia as co-equal members of society. They will if we help buy them time to sort out a problem they have never faced since the day after Mohammed kicked.
Can anyone truely doubt that we have the ability to win? Wars have always cost blood and treasure. They have always required tenacity and a long view — this war is no different. The surest way we can lose is to fail to view this as a war at all. After that it’s easy to give in to the short-sighted moral cowards who populate the far left of our political spectrum and the A.D.D. aflicted “aren’t we there yet?” ignoramuses (or is it ignorami) whose only use for a history book is to level a wobbly kitchen table.
If we were such a nation, we would be two instead of one — Union and Confederacy, and be speaking German on the east coast and Japanese on the west!

By: S. Wilkinson

S. Wilkinson — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:31:39 +0000

As a moderate republican with over 18 year working in the middle-east I know that the Bush Administration Blew It. We should never have went into Iraq. Yes, I wrote the White House and my representitives and told them the same thing. The Bush Administration does not listen it reacts. Now we are in Iraq and everything that I and others with experience in the region told the White House is happening. Its a no win situation. No that we have committed, Americas enemies (there are many) are betting on our quiting before Iraq is secure. We are faced with economic issues and security issures. Both have to be recognized and accepted if we can obtain a lasting solution in Iraq. We also have to recognize the Iraq Peoples divers culture. If the Bush Administration can not admits its mistakes and seek real support from the region. As long as America is in Iraq our forces as a lighting rod for attacks and we swell the ranks of the “terrorist” organizations.
We are going to need a statesmen with the wisdom of Solomen to get us out of the mess Bush has placed us.

By: ROBIN

ROBIN — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:17:04 +0000

I CAME FROM A MILITARY FAMILY AND BACKGROUND. I MARRIED A ARMY MAN AND DIVORCED ONE TOO. I BELIEVE OUR PRESIDENT IS A COWARD AND ONLY IN IT FOR THE MONEY THAT IS WHY HE LET OSAMA BIN LADAN FREE RIGHT AFTER THE 911. WE, AS AMERICANS JUST NEED TO GO IN THERE AND KICK BUTT UNTILL THE JOB IS DONE.WE AMERICANS ARE NOT THE GREEDY COWARDS AS OUR GOVT,SEEMS TO BE.WE AMERICANS WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD AND WHEN SOMEONE CHEATS OR STEPS ON TOES WE TAKE ACTION. LOOK AT WW1,WW2, OUR PRESIDENT NEEDS TO RE-READ HISTORY AND PLAY BY THE RULES SO WE WILL HAVE VICTORY.I AM PROUD OF ALL WHO ARE NOW SERVING OUR COUNTRY AND THEM MEN AND WOMEN NED BE APPRECIATED.

By: Michael James

Michael James — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 17:03:53 +0000

The 'left' are not re-working Iraqi strategy - the Generals are, no doubt at Mr. Rumsfeld's insistance for political benefit (and all of those players hail from the RIGHT side of the isle, BTW). I believe the current handling of Iraq has an element of 'trial-and-error', due to the fact that the U.S. has not gone muzzle-to-muzzle with this kind of enemy (at least not for over 30 years) and walked away with a clear 'win'. The press is not to blame for what is happening - the truth is there for all to see, and you can put whatever 'spin' you want on it to make you feel better. That doesn't change the reality of the situation. I see parallels, though, with the new thinking in U.S. troop deployment and how the French handled the Vietnamese insurgency during the French Indochine conflict. The Viet-Cong feared the French more than U.S. troops because the French didn't fall-back to call in an airstrike or artillery when they encountered the enemy - they went in close, and stayed close, with their engagements and hounded the enemy relentlessly until they defeated them. This constant, close-in fighting seems to have waned in popularity, over concerns for U.S. Force protection. Will Iraq see a full return to this engagement tactic? As long as we're in-country, and still have the moral resolve to keep trying in Iraq, they just might...

By: Wembley

Wembley — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:14:24 +0000

“The best way to impress other threats coming from terrorist organizations, North Korea and Iran was/is to show them what happens when they engage with the US militarily.“
That’s why states like North Korea believe they need nukes: it’s seen as the only way of deterring a US attack.
The idea that you can ‘win’ in Iraq or Afghanistan by using more force is laughable.
As for “serious raghead death” — 300,000 not enough for you? Get real.

By: Richard Bigelow

Richard Bigelow — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:57:36 +0000

Rumsfeld and Bush have exceeded even the stupidity of Lyndon Johnson and Robert McNamara. The Pentagon is stuffed with middle level REMFs and political generals. We are basically screwed. Our troops are wearing down, the Army is dumbing down its recruiting. AARRGGH!
And we still haven’t found the WMDs. And the Pentagon won’t model the successful campaigns.

By: danfitz999

danfitz999 — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 12:51:52 +0000

Amen to Nick and Thorn11ACR. Overwhelming force, massive destruction and total victory is the formula to end this. The best way to impress other threats coming from terrorist organizations, North Korea and Iran was/is to show them what happens when they engage with the US militarily. Then, we reubuild the country and have allies, or at least peaceful countries.

By: playertwo

playertwo — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:06:43 +0000

what the f is all this whining about?!!
we arent losing anything and all this talk about sending more troops is hilarious.
there’s an election on in congress ya’ll!!!
do you really think that W’s going to unleash the dogs with CNN filming BEFORE the vote?!!!
a little thought please.
the comsymps are already calling this the new tet!!
a week after the new congress gets elected youre going to see some serious raghead death come down, but it wont be the remfs in the forts doing it, they have to follow rules, it will be the IA with air support, hence the new lighter jdams.
dont even think of trying to paint optimists as
sycophants…