What Went Wrong in Iraq

[Ithaca 37]

"Summary: Although the early U.S. blunders in the occupation of Iraq are well known, their consequences are just now becoming clear. The Bush administration was never willing to commit the resources necessary to secure the country and did not make the most of the resources it had. U.S. officials did get a number of things right, but they never understood-or even listened to-the country they were seeking to rebuild. As a result, the democratic future of Iraq now hangs in the balance........"

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040901faessay83505/larry-diamond/what-went-wrong-in-iraq.html

 

[JoseCuervo]

It is amazing, 16 months after Dubya's landing on the carrier and claiming "Mission Accomplished" we have entire cities that US Troops aren't able to go near, as they are controlled by militants.

It is amazing how Dubya took a non-secular Battthist regime and created a country of Islamic terroists. My guess is that was part of his plan for "catastrophic success"...

 

[wyomingtim]

"It is amazing how Dubya took a non-secular Battthist regime and created a country of Islamic terroists"

Surely you jest.

 

[Michaelr]

the scary part tim is that he isn't jesting

 

[JoseCuervo]

Tim,

Do you not find it amazing what Dubya did???

 

[Nemont]

EG,

I don't want to totally disagree with you but you need to start visiting with some of the people who have been on the ground over there.

I have spoken personally to several and they contradict what you are implying. They say that there is a SMALL minority of people maybe 40,000 out of 27,000,000 who are causing the problems.

What major cities can we not go near? Would you rather we destroy the mosques and holy shrines completely.

Did Bush make mistakes, absolutely. I don't know what the plan was for the winning the peace but it appears that no provision was made for Iran supporting and instigating the insurgency.

The Iraqi people live in fear everyday that the U.S. will tire of the effort to bring freedom to them. They fear that we will cut and run like we did in Somalia.

You are correct that there are new terrorists in Iraq but many of them are not from Iraq. Many of them are from our good friends, Saudi Arabia. Iran, Yemen, Syria, Jordan etc, etc.

I will tell you what I cannot figure out after all the fighting and claims of WMD. Why did the NeoCons think the Iraqi people would welcome our troops as liberators? I would like to see who the genius that came up with that analysis was. They may welcome us as overthrowers of Saddam but not liberators.

Do I think the war was justified. Yes, In the sense that I believe the president went to war on what he believed to be accurate intel. Now the buck stops with him and the election will be basically a referendum on the last four years. I cannot imagine spending the next for years under a Kerry/Edwards administration.

I just cannot believe that the Democrats continue to use military service as the issue of this campaign. Why don't they attack the president where he can be most vulnerable? Who is advising the Kerry/Edwards campaign?

Record deficit spending, the economic cost of mobilizing and federalizing the Nat'l Guard and Reserve (what do you suppose it costs the economy to have those guys and gals deployed and taken away from their jobs?), Health care availablility and costs etc, etc. Why aren't they attacking his social agenda? That is supposed to be where the dems shine but it is like they want to give him a pass on those issues and instead worry about where he was in the Alabama Air Guard. I don't get it.

Nemont

[ 09-11-2004, 09:07: Message edited by: Nemont ]

 

[Ithaca 37]

Nemont, "the economic cost of mobilizing and federalizing the Nat'l Guard and Reserve (what do you suppose it costs the economy to have those guys and gals deployed and taken away from there jobs?)..........."

In "Kerry links war, US economic woes" this was explained to me: "Ithaca
I dont belive the war hurt the economy."

Taking tens of billions outta the US economy and blowing it on Iraq hasn't had any effect on our economy.
How could that be made into a campaign issue?

 

[Ten Bears]

 

[JoseCuervo]

Hey Nemont,

I don't have near the information you do, but what percent of the guys in the Guard have employers who make up the difference between what the Guard pay is and what their regular job is?

Have you seen that number???

That has to be a drain on the economy, if it keeps going, of companies paying people who aren't producing.

 

[Wapiti Slayer]

[ 09-11-2004, 01:09: Message edited by: Wapiti Slayer ]