Is the Mission Complete?

[5stringJeff]

1. Post 6.
2. Our enemies are Syria and Iran. Iraq is smack dab between 'em.

Our mandate for being in Iraq was not to get position between two other unfriendly states. It was regime change. The regime is changed, and the mission is complete.

[5stringJeff]

In Bush's own words today in response to questions he is not satisfied with the level of progress of the Iraq gov't, but to say there has not been progress is wrong.

I would say based on that, HE doesn't think it's complete.

What does he want? The government is in place, the army is fighting terrorists within Iraq, and the police force is being reformed. I think we've done what we set out to do.

The situation in Iraq might not be as stable as Western democracies, but it's a start, and the Iraqis should be able to take it fro here. As Darin might say, "'Perfect' is the enemy of 'good.'"

[JohnDoe]

What does he want? The government is in place, the army is fighting terrorists within Iraq, and the police force is being reformed. I think we've done what we set out to do.

The situation in Iraq might not be as stable as Western democracies, but it's a start, and the Iraqis should be able to take it fro here. As Darin might say, "'Perfect' is the enemy of 'good.'"

jeff, read this.... the job isn't done....the OIL part of it...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/wo...in&oref=slogin

Compromise on Oil Law in Iraq Seems to Be Collapsing

By JAMES GLANZ
Published: September 13, 2007
BAGHDAD, Sept. 12 — A carefully constructed compromise on a draft law governing Iraq’s rich oil fields, agreed to in February after months of arduous talks among Iraqi political groups, appears to have collapsed. The apparent breakdown comes just as Congress and the White House are struggling to find evidence that there is progress toward reconciliation and a functioning government here.

and these articles:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v29/n20/holt01_.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2143141,00.html

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...0A31ED2255.htm

[glockmail]

Israel has the best intelligence in the whole region, don't they? Aren't they more informed about Syria and Iran than we are and aren't they watching them like a hawk, and even supplying us with some of our intelligence?

And also Glock, precisely HOW are we more capable of gathering intelligence regarding Iran and Syria by being tied up in Iraq than we would be if in Qatar or Kuwait, without a war going on?

The more avenues you have to gather info the better off we are. Working shoulder to soldier daily with Iraqis should give us a better view of the neighbors.

[glockmail]

Our mandate for being in Iraq was not to get position between two other unfriendly states. It was regime change. The regime is changed, and the mission is complete.

Who’s given us a mandate? Were a sovereign country, and don’t have any mandate other that our own choosing. We want stability in the region so Israel can exist in peace and trade with the US is unencumbered.

Maybe you're confusing short term goals with long term ones.

[5stringJeff]

Who’s given us a mandate? Were a sovereign country, and don’t have any mandate other that our own choosing. We want stability in the region so Israel can exist in peace and trade with the US is unencumbered.

Maybe you're confusing short term goals with long term ones.

Pardon my bad wording. Our justification for war was regime change, because Saddam's regime was thought to have WMDs and ties to terrorism. We have changed the regime, searched for WMDs (although I think they were snuck across the border to Syria), and fought and defeated terrorists in Iraq. Our short term goals in Iraq are complete; our long term goals do not necessitate a long-term presence in Iraq.

[5stringJeff]

jeff, read this.... the job isn't done....the OIL part of it...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/13/wo...in&oref=slogin



and these articles:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v29/n20/holt01_.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2143141,00.html

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exer...0A31ED2255.htm

As I read that, the only part of the oil flow that I see as being incomplete is that of allowing oil companies to explore for new oil in Iraq without the Iraqis benefiting. That goes against the sovereignity of Iraq, and we shouldn't pursue that policy.

[JohnDoe]

As I read that, the only part of the oil flow that I see as being incomplete is that of allowing oil companies to explore for new oil in Iraq without the Iraqis benefiting. That goes against the sovereignity of Iraq, and we shouldn't pursue that policy.

And I agree with you....I was just laying it out..... jd

[glockmail]

Pardon my bad wording. Our justification for war was regime change, because Saddam's regime was thought to have WMDs and ties to terrorism. We have changed the regime, searched for WMDs (although I think they were snuck across the border to Syria), and fought and defeated terrorists in Iraq. Our short term goals in Iraq are complete; our long term goals do not necessitate a long-term presence in Iraq.

That's where we disagree. We have long term presence in Europe and Japan, and its clear that it is justified here. The WOT is a long term deal.

[Pale Rider]

I voted that its complete and we should begin immediate withdrawal now because our stated goal was regime change not nation building, or was I a fool to believe Bush when he said he wasn't into nation building?

So we've got the regime change and we know that whether we are there or not the Sunnis will kill Shiites and vice versa, and considering the fact that we are still going along with this farce of Iraqis policing themselves and that we are still unwilling to do what it takes to defeat the terrorists and insurgents we should go home instead of half assing it and getting more soldiers needlessly clipped.

Jeff you can't be serious with the violence levels going down because of Iraqi forces and police, right? Its simply a lull in the action, it will pick up again as we get closer to November.

I voted were done and should get the hell otta there as well. Nation building is NOT what this country is about, and we should NOT be doing it. We kicked Saddam's butt out of there, and have given Iraq MORE than enough time to form a functioning government and build an Army. So far their Army isn't doing too bad, but the government is still MIA, and that's just not acceptable. We've been there so long now it's reached the point of absurdity, not to mention the amount of MONEY this dumb ass war has cost. We've done what we went there to do, stayed long enough for them to get their shit together, now we should go home. I see absolutely no more reason for us to be there. None. Zip. Nada. I'm almost tempted to vote for Ron Paul.

[Kathianne]

I voted were done and should get the hell otta there as well. Nation building is NOT what this country is about, and we should NOT be doing it. We kicked Saddam's butt out of there, and have given Iraq MORE than enough time to form a functioning government and build an Army. So far their Army isn't doing too bad, but the government is still MIA, and that's just not acceptable. We've been there so long now it's reached the point of absurdity, not to mention the amount MONEY this dumb ass war has cost. We've done what we went there to do, stayed long enough for them to get their shit together, now we should go home. I see absolutely no more reason for us to be there. None. Zip. Nada. I'm almost tempted to vote for Ron Paul.

Tempted? Did you read my post regarding him?

[Pale Rider]

Tempted? Did you read my post regarding him?

Yup.

I don't want to vote for him. I said I was tempted only to emphasize the fact that he would get us out of Iraq immediately if elected. But, if by some wild event he's the man on the Republican ticket, I am voting for him.

[actsnoblemartin]

i cant vote for ron paul, based on his position on iraq

[5stringJeff]

That's where we disagree. We have long term presence in Europe and Japan, and its clear that it is justified here. The WOT is a long term deal.

We have a long term presence in the Middle East already, in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, IIRC.

[5stringJeff]

I voted were done and should get the hell otta there as well. Nation building is NOT what this country is about, and we should NOT be doing it. We kicked Saddam's butt out of there, and have given Iraq MORE than enough time to form a functioning government and build an Army. So far their Army isn't doing too bad, but the government is still MIA, and that's just not acceptable. We've been there so long now it's reached the point of absurdity, not to mention the amount MONEY this dumb ass war has cost. We've done what we went there to do, stayed long enough for them to get their shit together, now we should go home. I see absolutely no more reason for us to be there. None. Zip. Nada.

I'm almost tempted to vote for Ron Paul.

I'm not quite there, but I do think we need to get our troops home, now that they have accomplished the mission they were called to do.