We should start a gradual withdrawal from Iraq now.

[joemurphy]

We now supposedly have an Iraqi government in place. What are we hanging around for?

If it is to defeat the insurgency, we can't do it. How can an insufficient number of American troops defeat a localized phenomenon that feeds off popular discontent with our presence? The insurgency couldn't survive a day without popular Iraqi support. If anything, our continued presence in Iraq is unpopular and, moreover, is probably sabotaging the only chance that a democratically elected Iraqi government has to ever win popularity. The longer we stay there the more it looks like a puppet.

If we're waiting until a viable Iraqi defense is put in place, we'll be there until hell freezes over. By all reports the present defense force that we're trying to build is full of militia and insurgency members and sympathizers. Purging them would mean starting all over again. We can't build a viable Iraqi defense force because our doing so makes that very institution suspect in the eyes of most Iraqis.

Our being in Iraq makes less and less sense. Let's start withdrawing, maintain an offshore presence for a while as Murtha suggests, do what we can financially to support the democratic and secular factions as long as they have a possibility of succeeding, and otherwise just hope for the best.

What do you think?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. Not cold... er.... Turkey???

So sorry- some bad puns just write themselves... :shrug:

[spindrifter]

2. That is the

only rational plan. I'm all for it. Bring our brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, neighbors, co-workers home.

[Sticky]

3. Question

If bush begins a pull-out now will all be forgiven (and forgotten) by the American people when elections roll around?

[joemurphy]

4. No way. n/t

[MadMaddie]

5. No because every community in the US will be dealing with

the broken soldiers from this debacle of a war.....

[LiberalPartisan]

6. They can withdraw the troops to Afghanistan

To fight the resurgent Taliban.


It's not a war on terror - it's whack a mole.