The mistake was being unable to recognize an unfinishable task. After 8 years of Vietnam the whole damn country realized that our best national interests were to leave the place to the gooksters and get back to making babies and getting rich. We wnet from being a superpower to the Hyperpower. Meanwhile Vietnam is still a dirt poor rice paddy begging us for trade deals. We didn't lose in Vietnam, we quit. How can you lose a war when you win every friggin' battle? We could have stayed forever, but there was no point, don't you see? They had nothin' we needed and they didn't want us there. We had better things to do. From who? Iran ain't doing a damn thing with our air and naval power in the region-about 30 air, naval, command, and logistical bases in eight countries. The Mississippi Friggin' National Guard could kick their ground army's ass from bases in Kuwait if Iran was foolish enough to come over the border. We've dominated the Persian Gulf militarily ever since the end of WWII. Nothing has changed. The Iraqis could probably handle them again themselves with US airpower overhead right now. But in any case the Iraqis have stated that 16 months is the optimum time for us to leave and that they should be able to handle it then. So let them handle it. Leaving ain't losing. It's simply finishing. It's in our best national interests to disengage in Iraq and gear up for future heavy military threats, to quit bleeding $Billions babysitting Iraq, and get back to the Special Ops fight with Al Qaida. We've got bigger fish to fry. Russia is trying to dominate Europe, China is trying to dominate Asia. Both are rapidly gaining on us in economic strength. We dominate the western hemisphere, all the worlds oceans, most of its airspace, and all of outer space. We're going to be be tried, gentlemen--it's just a matter of time. Don't lose sight of the main event. We need to be amassing military, economic, and political power. We need to be currying favor with allies, not treating them like lackeys. We need to influence our enemies into fighting each other, not uniting against us. Iraq is a sideshow that has cost us more than WWII for vastly less gain. For once, the ideologues in the White House must listen to the professional soldiers and diplomats.
the military is trained to fight...but occupying is not what we do. We're doing work for contractors out there.
As quoted by an infamous gunny as he boarded the plane outta Iraq and bound for Paris Island-----"This place is bull****, I'm outta here". View attachment 11269 View attachment 11269
Not only have we won the war but we also defeated the Democrats and Liberals at home. We also beat anyone else who said we lost the war and the surge wouldn't work. All this in time for the upcoming elections. Not that long ago it looked like the Democrats would win everything in a landslide but their world is falling apart. Their strategy is going right out the window. All they can do now is blame the economy and say we are going into a great depression. Lets take a look at what has happened. 1) Gas, food and energy prices are going sky high, drilling! 2) The Soviets invading a Sovereign nation, defense! 3) We have won in Iraq, surge is working and we have a time table to withdraw, Victory!
Not really, I would argue just the opposite. Lets talk about what many Democrats and others have said on tv, in congress and in this forum. Its an unwinnable war, it can't be won, its a losing war, blood for oil, surge can't and won't work. I sat here and debated with a poster that said the general in charge of Iraq was wrong because the surge couldn't work. I'm not the one that made all of these negative comments. I would argue that all these people were so divisive in their comments at a time of war. What are all of these people saying now? Nothing!
You win by accomplishing your goals. 1) Regime change; 2) a stable Iraqi constitutional government; 3) effective Iraqi military/security force capable of handling its own security; 4) an ally in a key area of the world
None of those were the stated goals of the Iraqi invasion, which were: 1. Iraq is in violation of the UN resolutions and must be punished. 2. Saddam Hussein has Weapons of Mass Destruction that must be destroyed. 3. Iraq must be disarmed to further the war on terror. 4. Saddam must be removed to preserve Peace around the world.
