Victory in Iraq is achieved by denying Iran the ability to obtain control of Iraq and its vast oil fields. This is done either through direct military intervention like we are doing currently, or by developing the Iraqi military and civilian government to a level where it can do this without our help. Don't make the mistake of assuming that civil peace or minimal troop casualties is the primary objective. It is a means to an end. This is about containment of Iran at this point. Remember the "Domino Theory" during the Cold War? Exact same thing here.
I agree with USMTiger however worst case scenario yes. Kill or be killed is what war is all about like it or not! Edit: also include Al Quada, Syria and any other radical group in there, not only Iran.
So we created a self-defeating objective in invading Iraq. Iran was no threat to Iraqis security before our invasion. If the objective was to contain Iran wouldn't a more prudent strategy to have been to support disident groups in Iran without using our own troops.
It's too early to talk candidates. The primaries are a long way away. History shows us that many of the early front-runners don't have the legs to make it to the Convention. There are going to be late entrys into this campaign next fall. They are going to let Hillary/Obama/Giuliana/McCain take all of the fire for a year until they are all shot up pretty well. They will read the pubic opinion and will run on a populist agenda. They will be new faces to the campaign for the early primaries and they will win some of them. I figure Newt Gingrich will enter for the Republicans and Al Gore for the Democrats, among others. I was talking mostly about the Republicans in Congress, most of whom have to run on a record of blindly rubber-stamping an incompetent republican president. It will be 2006 again, only worse, because of The Surge when the voters wanted a redeployment. The Republicans could lose another 50-75 seats.
I guess our problem with Iran is that they pose a threat to Israel and are anti-American and pushing radical Islamist propaganda?
I am not willing to go into the whole Iraq war scenario again! Please understand beating a dead horse doesn't do us any good. I have for a while been turned against the idea of invading Iraq. Hint:We are on the same side with one exception. I want to win wars at all cost especially when terrorists are involved. George Bush Fudged up Iraq 100 fold, I admit it but I also admit that terrorists including Al Quada, Hesbola are there. Yes, I am for the total destruction of Iran, Syria and Pakistan if Necessary and anywhere else terrorists come from via the education system. That may be the only way to rid the world of such insects unfortunately. Isreal has been dealing with this stuff for how many years with no end in sight and the sad thing is that they know where they all are! Whats that tell ya?
I agree with the Republicans in congress being in trouble. It'll be interesting to see who's running in 1.5 years - I don't see Gingrich or Gore being legit. Has there been a president more despised than Bush? We've been talking about 2008 for quite a while.
