I support Bush and I understand what we're doing over there, but I still wish the whole mess was over. Why can't we let them be in charge of themselves for a change. It seems like close to 4,000 casualties - American casualties - is just too high a price.
Steff, you are the perfect example of what is wrong with the debate. Sure everyone would prefer that we were not over there, but we are.
Just wanting to leave because it is hard is a really bad idea. What if a doctor quit on a surgery just because it was getting difficult? Stopping something necessary just because it is hard is idiotic. Great things are only chieved through trial, pain, and sacrifice.
We are trying to undue the damage 1300 years of Islam has done to the Middle East. It will not be over soon. This is a task that our children will have to take on as well.
Not to sound callous, but 4,000 dead is a paltry few compared to other wars in American history. At the Battle of Okinawa, the Americans lost 12,000 dead in only a few months of fighting. On one day 23,000 Americans were killed at Antietam.
What you said illustrates why we will lose this war. The enemy can not mount large offensives and drive out American troops, but they can blow up an IED once a week, kill and wound three or four Americans, and know that CNN will run it. Then the average American will think "Hey this just is not worth it."
The enemy thinks we have no resolve, and listening to you, I would think that he is right.
Help me understand...why are we in this war? Is the war in Iraq still related to fighting terrorism? It seems like a losing battle. Tell about the strides we're making over there, show me progress toward the end goal.
The end goal is the protection of the US.
Strides, everyday Iraqis are coming over to the Americans. The tribal eleders have fianlly realized that we are the only ones who can be trusted. Fewer Americans are being killed and there is more stability everyday.
Is it related to the fight against terrorism. Well Al Qaeda thinks it is. They are terrorists after all.
We are in this was for many different reasons. First of all, Iraq was chosen because the policy of the US already called for the overthrow of Saddam, and there were existing UN mandates to work off of.
Secondly, the war on terror is not just about catching or killing terrorists. It is about changing the conditions in the Middle East that breed the phenomenon. For a very long time, the Us policy has been to support madmen, thugs, and dictators because we feared worse people might take over. That has not helped protect America. It was useful in the short run, but in the end it proved to be destructive.
The mindset of the Middle East needs to be changed. Will we be able to change it oer night, or even in 4 years? No. It will take a long time to get this vital strategic and economic region into modernity.
Democracies tend not to fight each other. We are trying to promote a civil society that will provide economic and social opportunities and cut off the appeal of extremism.
Is this going to be easy? No. Does it have to be done? Yes. What will the Middle East be like when oil is finally abandoned? It will sink into even deeper and deeper stangnation. It msut change and now is as good a time as any to effect that.
In addition to those fantastic reasons "wordbearer" gave, we must not forget also the location of Iraq. The nation is in the heart of where terrorism breeds and strikes from, and is also in close proximity to our valued ally, Israel. I don't like war, and I don't like our fine men and women having to fight in this mess, but as a veteran I can tell you that sometimes what you wish for does not jive with reality. Reality dictates that we be in the region - and even if you are against us going into the region in the first place, it is reasonable to assume that a complete, sudden pull-out would create nothing less than an all-out blood bath orchestrated by al Qaeda (who has much interest in the region), Iran (remember, Ahmadinejad is convinced that this is the approach of an Armaggedon type scenario which will free their messiah, the 12th Imam) and Syria (who has a history of terror in the region as well as Lebanon and links to Palestinian groups).
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