U.S. commander warns against Iraq cutoff

Being a top US commander, does his perspective have more or less relevence than others?

I tend to think his perspective is a bit more important.

I'm not sure what his exact thoughts are, but I liken to his thoughts on exact times.

A US commander says he believes a phased withdrawal within a certain amount of time will cause more violence. Does that change anyones opinion on doing so?

Sounds like a good idea. Better training and more unification.

Mccain, stop being an asshole. Boy, I'll never vote for that cat.

Sound fairly reasonable.

Absolutely.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061115/ap_on_go_co/congress_iraq_12

 

Anyone with half a brain knows that if we put a sticker on a day on the calendar for withdrawal that we are screwing ourselves. Heard something really interesting today. If you are against the war, and want the US to leave, why wait 4-6 months. Leave now.

If you are reasonable and know that the US MUST stabalize this country in some way before exiting you know what every Democrat knows but won't say. We will stay the course until the job is done.

 

What a friggin' mess!

 

why?

do you think everyone will just lay down their arms and wait till we leave?

 

Well if the US pull out today a load of young American people will live a lot longer.

The whole area is an absolute disaster, if it wasn't for the perfect strategic location, the oil and the permanent US bases being built there the US would have pulled out by now.

The Average American is not a single bit safer due to the illegal invasion of Iraq.

The US will never pull out of Iraq.

Please remember that the bases, instead of being called permanent bases are called enduring bases.

Same thing.

 

Let me give you a little history lesson. In 1991 Saddam signed a cease-fire agreement after getting his butt kicked out of Kuwait. (This was the illegal invasion) Typically, the terms of a cease-fire must abided by, or resumption of war can occur.

As part of the agreement (Security Council Resolution 687) Saddam was to give "full, final, and complete disclosure" of WMD activities within 15 days Inspections found numerous violations from the start. The UN Security council issued 17 more resolutions demanding that he come into compliance with the agreement he signed.

So 12 years of ignoring a cease-fire agreement, and 17 UN resolutions the US went back in to remove Saddam from power. It was long over due.

12 years of diplomacy was a waste of time as long as members of the UN Security council were breaking the sanctions and dealing with Iraq under the table. Sanctions wont work if they are being ignored by many. This is the real failure in this whole situation. The UN has proven that it is useless.

Do you feel that when an invading nation agrees to a cease-fire they should not be expected to honor that agreement?

 

Do you beleive that invading Iraq has served any real purpose? or has made us safer?

 

The short answer is yes.

A cease-fire must be enforced.

Regardless of if you believe Iraq supported terrorism or not, before the invasion, the terrorists are there now. I prefer that our trained military fight them there instead of civilian and local police in the US.

I think part of the problem now is we are fighting a war on their terms, its a guerilla war. I think part of that is caused by the TV cameras, we are not allowed to hit targets with overwhelming force, we allow terrorist to hide out in "holy" areas because we wont destroy the area. This is no way to fight a war. I think the Powell Doctrine was not applied from the start as it should have been. Part of this was due to Turkey blocking us from sending in troops from the north, I think that allowed many fighters to escape.

 

Correct.

And no matter how many thousands of soldiers sent over and billions of dollars spent the "war" is unwinnable. That's a fact.

The US will not get their arses kicked as badly as they did in Vietnam but the signs are not looking good.

Bring them home. It's not going to get any better out there.

 

But what happens if the US just picks up and leaves right now? Iran will take over.

 

But it is their country right?

Playing the worlds policeman is never easy.

 

I believe what AGS is saying is, he doesn't care much for the military and he especially doesn't care about Iraqi's freedom. He has his freedom. Someone was willing to fight for it. But he doesn't want Iraqis to have their freedom. I have no idea why he doesn't like Iraqis and wishes them ill fate, but I'm sure there is *some* sort of bulletin on prison planet that gives him guidance on it.

 

Oh, I see. So what we should be doing is ignoring the rest of world, just stick our head in the sand and enjoy the good life.

Neville Chamberlain would be proud!

 

who cares, they are all shiites that is probably what they want

Do actually believe those iraqis over there that we are fighting would some how , just fly across the ocean and attack us in the United States.?

 

The mainstream media with their "terror" mantra has already convinced them of that ferret.

The amount of nonsense the media is sprouting has got the sheeple running for cover.

 

What qualifies you to make this statement?

This above general has been fairly honest with his opinions (in my view), and he even mentioned that Iraq could have very well dissolved into civil war. But since then he's suggested that it's not as likely, and that he's optimistic that 'we' can stabilize Iraq. I just don't see how a person like yourself has an opinion that trumps a US commander.

I'm not saying you don't know anything, but when it comes down to it,...I'll trust my high-end military officials over almost anyone. They have a closer sense of what's going-on.

 

No, they're not. And they all wouldn't want it.

 

It is complete chaos out there, it is not like a conventional war, there are many factions fighting against each other.

To win a war you need to be able to identify your enemy, that is impossible to do so in Iraq, and that is why the "war" will never be won.

You don't need to be a top US Commander to work that one out buddy.

 

Maybe a 'win' is different in my eyes. Even the status-quo, with a more dissolved presence of America would be a victory in my eyes. You don't see that being plausible?

 

I would like to see a complete withdrawal of all coalition troops within 1 year as being a "win" Rick, and letting the democratically elected government take charge, that would be a win in my eyes.

But as I said in my earlier post:

It is sad but true.

That is why the troops will never pull out mate, it is sad but true, it seems that approximately 800 US deaths a year is a worthy price to pay for control of a major country in the Middle East.

I am not anti-American mate in the slightest, it is just that I can see where this disaster is heading.

As another example when they (Bush, his bum chum Blair and the rest of his buddys) were after going into Iraq the government were shouting loud and hard for an invasion, it was all over the media and we were hearing nothing else but "Tyrant, Weapons of mass destruction, Axis of Evil etc.) but when Israel was killing hundreds of innocent women and children in Lebanon we did not hear a word from the White House, they should have been crying out for a cease fire but they didn't.

And why did they not try and broker a cease fire?

Because they didn't want a cease fire. The US gives Israel billions of dollars a year, way more than any other country, that's why.
"The Israeli government is the largest recipient of US financial aid in the world, receiving over one-third of total US aid to foreign countries"
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/factsheet/US_Aid_to_Israel.htm#4
The Americans over time sure have looked after them Israelis.
"The total cost of this financial aid to US tax payers per Israeli is $23,240."


Anyway getting back on topic, the whole area is a disaster and if they (the US) try and bomb Iran then the whole area is going to get a whole lot worse.

Get ready for the draft. If the US stretches any more it will be inevitable, you'll have no troops left in your own country.