12-18-2011, 04:56 AM | #1 | |
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War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
If there can be such a thing as an "official end" to a war, it was apparently today, as the last US troops left Iraq to cross the border into Kuwait. Was it all worth it?
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12-18-2011, 05:30 AM | #2 | ||
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
At risk of being controversial, I offer the following thought points:
If there can be such a thing as an "official end" to a war, it was apparently today, as the last US troops left Iraq to cross the border into Kuwait. Was it all worth it? Barack Obama, who voted against the war, had this to say today: Quote:
Some useful source material, including the statistics I quoted: - http://www.boston.com/news/world/mid...?p1=News_links - http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/201...he-middle-east - http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...e-kicking-ass/ - http://articles.cnn.com/2002-09-27/p...PM:ALLPOLITICS So was there actually anything good that came out of the war? I'm sure there was, but I struggle to think of much right now. Hindsight is 20/20. Was it the right thing to do? Where to now for the Iraqi people? Here's what one of the last US soldiers leaving the country had to say: Quote:
Last edited by Memnoch; 12-18-2011 at 05:32 AM. |
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12-22-2011, 05:59 AM | #3 |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
End of the war for the US soldiers perhaps, but not for the Iraqi's, for them the war just started, with the two mainstream muslimreligeons trying to whipe eachother out. There will only be chaos and anarchy in that country for decades to come.
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12-22-2011, 10:16 AM | #4 |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
I can't help thinking that balance sheet came out negaitive because I don't think in the end that the US won any lasting influence or support in the area. AQfter they came in and helped Kuwait in the first gulf war they had a much more poistive image in Saudi / Egypt etc because they were supporting and stabilising teh region. The 2nd gulf war didn't have that local trigger - teh US looked more like outside aggressors and eroded that good level of influence. In that respect it seems like a heavy price to pay to be able to say to Saddam that no-one thumbs their nose at the US with impunity.
I rather think that getting the CIA to infect him with a disfiguring disease would have been a cheaper and better way to go.
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12-23-2011, 11:29 PM | #5 |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
You already see a power vacuum beginning with the Vice Pres in Iraq.. he's starting crap already... mark my words, it'll turn into a tribal war.. And Iran will win, and move in on the land.
Then what do we do? Go BACK??? I don't know.. We should have liberated Iraq and paid for it with Iraqi oil.. I thought that was the plan, right? Did we?? I personally think Obama wanted all the major assets out of Iraq so they wouldn't become targets in case we attack Iran. Israel is REALLY pushing that. I mean, they want to deal with Iran YESTERDAY... Well, for 16 Months, Iraqi airspace will be free for Israeli jets to fly through to get to Iran if they plan strikes.. after 16 Months are up, the jets they purchased will be airborne... small window.... If you start seeing loads of patriot missile platforms being set up in Israel and in Afghanistan soon, expect an attack on Iran to follow... But China and Russia will NOT be happy with that, and that's the one thing holding us/Israel back from doing it right now... such a precarious balancing act to play.
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12-24-2011, 02:45 AM | #6 |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
I think US should relaxe now and go on with the problems inland and stop bothering with all kinda wars only they look out for North Corea then i am happy
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12-28-2011, 05:30 PM | #7 | |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
Food for thought:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/28/opinio...ife/index.html Excerpt: Quote:
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12-29-2011, 10:36 AM | #8 |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
I agree with Mr. Ayoob--Iraq will tear itself into pieces due to the various factions all of whom hate each other. The only reason they haven't done so in the last 30 years already is because first they had Mr. Hussein lording it over all of them and for the last few years our miliary forces have been there. Now that both 500 kg gorillas are gone they can get back to infighting like that have been for the last couple of hundred years.
Many of these problem started when England arbitrarily drew national boundaries all those decades ago.
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02-25-2012, 12:37 PM | #9 | |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
A friend of mine from Pakistan has a different view. Here are his thoughts:
Quote:
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02-26-2012, 10:20 AM | #10 | |
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Re: War in Iraq "officially" over...where to now?
Quote:
Can't really argue with his logic or conclusions....they make a lot of sense. Getting rid of Saddam Hussein may have been the public rallying cry, but it was obviously only a minor objective overall and one that could have been achieved through much cheaper means (as mentioned earlier). The only "goal" I question at all is the deliberate destruction of the education infrastructure to deny Iraq future scientists and engineers. Then again, considering that some of their scientists and engineers were major targets as well due to their work on developing biological weapons, it is once again hard to deny the logic that destroying the ability for Iraq to educate future scientists and engineers was also one of the primary goals of the war. From a U.S. perspective, that would be a good strategy; capture or kill the existing scientists and engineers working on high-tech weapons and destroy the infrastructure to educate future scientists and engineers to replace them. It would be the modern technology equivalent of killing the rival tribal leader AND all of his children. Overall, I would say your friend is pretty accurate in his conclusions.
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