Staying the Course in Iraq

[dreissig]

I oppose "staying the course" in Iraq. We had no right to invade in the first place, and no right to occupy the country. We've created a mess!

Instead of discussing how best to stay the course, we should be discussing how to get the hell out. We don't belong there, and we're not doing those people any good. The longer we stay there, the more unnecessary violence.

BTW ... Dean seems to get this wrong. How come?

[RichardRay]

1. OK, so you're the Commander in Chief

all of a sudden.

What's the first thing you do? How does your decision make life in Iraq better for Iraqis that it is now?

[Paxton_Free]

2. Not getting it wrong.

"Cut and Run." As much as I hate the phrase, at this point in the game I really don't think it's an option. It wouldn't be fair to the people of Iraq for us to come in, fuck up their country, and then leave.

Staying the course is something that we've got to do.

The thing that infuriates me is that people have stopped asking "What are we doing their in the first place?"

Of course, the answer to that is WMD, err.. I mean freeing the Iraqi people, err... or.... I mean whatever is next on the list. That seems to be the only thing they had a strategy for. Changing reasons.

[KensPen]

3. we shouldn't have gone in....

but we did,

and now we have to ensure we hand over the reigns of authority in a proper fashion,

if we cut and run, we will create a power vaccum and it will be a truly frightening atmosphere.

[dreissig]

6. Power Vacuum

There won't be a power vacuum. Saddam's still alive. Why is it unthinkable that he regain power? We had no right to take it from him. There are no WMD's - that was a lie.

[RPG-7]

4. "the course" is a circular roadway through hell

It's never going to end and despite all the blather you are going to here about how the Iraqi's would just die if they didn't have us around, they didn't have us around for a few thousand years and they got along just fine and they will be just fine when we pull up stakes and move also.

The best outcome for the Iraqi people would come by us immediately appointing a governing council and running like hell before it is inevitably collapsed by a popular revolt.

The worst possible outcome is some sham election who we rig in every way possible to turn up someone like the Shah of Iran to brutalize them with while the new American trained and funded version of SAVAK rises up to make sure that the new regime will have nothing but dead internal enemies and THAT is probably the only thing we could do that would count as an American "win".

[ACK]

5. shrub already has CUT and RUN policy in place

By July there will be an Iraqi government of some type and a few troops will be sent home.

This will be enough for him to declare total victory on top of the ruins of the WTC with a fat banner besides him chimpy head.

Of course much like we left the Afghans the country will be a frickin' mess and the general public will forget everything except the glorious victory.

[mike_c]

7. I agree with you 100 percent....

We CANNOT make a bad deal better by trying to "stay the course." That's a sucker's game. We need to go to the U.N. with hat (and wallet) in hand and ask for help fixing out mess. The last thing we need to do is continue to make it worse. I've marched against Bush's war, and I'll march against it no matter who's in office. The invasion of Iraq was illegal, by definition a criminal enterprise. Whoever touches it is a war criminal.

[dreissig]

8. Stolen Property

The only correct disposition of stolen property is to give it back to the owner. You don't sit around and discuss the optimal way to do this, either. Do it right away! No hesitation. No ifs, ands or buts.

U.S. out of Iraq

[RichardRay]

10. OK, who's the owner?

You've got a key that confers power over Iraq to its holder. Who do you give it to?

[RPG-7]

11. pick someone out of the Baghdad phone book

Iraq would probably actually get a better leader than the usual politicothugs this nation produces that way.l

[dreissig]

14. Abdul al-Mahmoud

I think it should be democratic. Pick FIVE candidates out of the phone book, inlcuding one guy from Mosul that we'll call a "dark horse". It will be more democratic than what they've got planned: We'll have an election so long as we like the guy you vote for.

U.S. out of Iraq

[dreissig]

12. Inept Analogy

There's no "key" to power in Iraq. How about just getting out? Yes, there may be turmoil, but it will end eventually. We're not doing those people any favors with our illegitimate occupation.

On edit: spelling

[el_gato]

9. we should leave now

the invasion was amoral and based on a resource grap just like almost all wars

we don't own iraq and we have no right to try to "reconstruct" it
and the reconstruction is a fraud as well anyway

the best thing we could possibly do is leave

[dreissig]

13. Our Best Alternative

Our best alternative is to get out, and the sooner the better. Iraq belongs to the Iraqis.

U.S. out of Iraq