"I think the next few months will be critical," Sen. Pat Roberts R-KS "Our efforts are now approaching a crucial moment" Presdent Bush "Developments over the next several months will be critical"General Petraeus
Just a little more patience, give the new strategy a chance, just give the surge a chance. Back the president for once instead of questioning all the time. All this would make sense if any of the above were said anytime this year. Those quotes and many others were said before 2006. Look at the timeline and see just how many times we've been told success is just around the corner, that's it's a critical time to just hang in. It seems most Americans have caught on to Bush Lucy and the football trick and we are no longer willing to be Charlie Brown and take it on the chin. How many times do we have to be told Iraqis are standing up, sitting down, or going on vacation? Yes, it is absolute hell for them, yes, some are trying to save their country and yes we owe them seeing as we have made their lives more miserable than ever. But Americans are facing the fact that our troops cannot end the war, they can only keep it going.
In the long run, we will give them more supprt by pulling back and then pulling out while facilitating logistical, technical and humanitarian support. What I know for sure is success is not around any corner and being told for the 203rd time this period is critical and to just keep waiting while more troops are sacrificed is beyond stupid. It's way past time to stop the madness.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that I was watching '1984'.
'Success is Victory'.
'Victory is Success'.
I'll take my ration of chocolate now please.
vegastracon at 2:51PM on Aug 9th 2007
2. I don't know what the answer is at this time, but none of the options I've heard from the candidates so far seem to have much promise for us or the Iraqi citizens.
Steve Bonomo at 6:22PM on Aug 9th 2007
3. "It's way past time to stop the madness." (Phil)
Sorry Phil, but I am going to take a cue from one of our resident Republicans and cut and paste some comments that I made in another thread.
"Why stop in 2008? I firmly believe that 'SUCCESS' can be achieved in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and so on."
"If play our cards right, we can achieve 'SUCCESS' for an indefinate period of time. That's IF we we play our cards right."
"Vote Republican, and ensure continued 'SUCCESS' in Iraq year after year after year after year......."
One person's madness is another person's strategy.
vegastracon at 6:47PM on Aug 9th 2007
4. We must get our brave troops home safely. Bush is putting lives at risk
Visit www.politidose.com for your daily dose of political commentary
Patrick at 6:57PM on Aug 9th 2007
5. At this junction, party lines mean nothing. The Nancy Pleosi's of our government are just as jellyfish as our Bushies are stuborn and arrogant. The unfortunate part is that we started this conflict in an area of the world that cannot and probably never will find peace and coexistance. I don't see any canidate of any party that has the brass monkeys to pull this countries horns in and start spending our hard earned tax dollars where it will do the most good for the good of the people.
sharkfinsoup at 11:16PM on Aug 9th 2007
6. The sad part of all of this is that the Gov. will undoubtably turn their back on the soldiers that come home with physical or mental injuries. They will pass the buck and claim the soldiers don't deserve the help or compensation.
Iraq was at war for a thousand years before we forced our help on them ,and will still be at war another thousand years after we are no longer there. The money wasted on this war would be better spent taking care of our people in our country, repairing our infrastructure and dealing with our countries needs. Our countries leaders need to stop trying to be the caregivers to the world at our on countries neglect.
Stan at 12:41AM on Aug 10th 2007
7. Stan
"Iraq was at war for a thousand years before we forced our help on them..."
Europe was at war for a thousand years before we spent billions to rebuild it in 1945. Germany and Japan have been peaceful productive members of the world community for 65 years. Europe and the world have enjoyed 65 years of peace thanks to the Greatest Generations fortitude and foresight.
"The money wasted on this war would be better spent
taking care of our people in our country...."
In 1918 many felt the same way.
'Europe has been at war for a thousand years, lets not get involved in their squabbles any more.'
So we just packed up and left Europe to deal with their own problems; we had enough of our own. The political vacuum allowed Hitler to come to power and the men who fought WWI sent their sons to fight WWII.
STAN: Concerning your comments on Iraq: Been there done that. Iraq will not go away; its pay me now or pay me later.
Pete at 1:09AM on Aug 10th 2007
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan
vegastracon at 2:39AM on Aug 10th 2007
9. posters: the iraqis have asked us to GO. of course, i don't know which iraqis but that's what i've read. also, it's a specious agrument to repeat"the iraqis have been at war 1000 years before our arrival" is to beg the question. we need to move BEYOND this thinking in order to get ahead. the problem is the decision makers don't have the foggiest. legislators aren't any clearer. and we, the people, are throwing our hands up into the air trusting the disingenuous lawmakers/dem party to take care of it for them.
But Nobody KNOWS how to "fix" this thing we masterminded using liberal amounts of bravado and hubris. We made the tragedy, we are the protagonists. WE are also clueless, deleteriously clueless.And,in process,have refused to recognize and admit we've totally lost it!
furthermore,all the candidates are slippery on the topic of iraq. do you hear anything constructive, fresh, intuitive or daring about future plans for BEGINNING to resolve this debacle? nope.
here's a scenario. we are 8.9trillion in debt. that equates to 29.5k for each of our 303plus millions people. our trade deficit with china is 96billion (may 2007); while we're stuck in iraq and afghanistan russia is scrambling to create an enconomy bolstered by oil,diamonds,natural gas exports.russia's strategy: release the exports only when there will be shortages or crisis. americans buy the most oil. if we wind up klinking our coins into russia's treasure chest then the entire balance of power will be off kilter. russia and china will be ready to threaten and menace. china holding out the 96billion trade deficit; russia our dependence on oil as reason/excuse/explanation for any imminent power shift.
while we are mired in iraq and afghanistan, china and russia have been scrambling to upgrade their arsenals and bolster their military forces. now that's some straight talk we're not hearing. americans would be freaking out big time if they realized we are making a bed we are going to have to lie in, like it or not.
will this rise in our former adversaries' fortunes and the resulting reapportionments give incentive to america to get down to serious business and get on with our lives? however, by that time the damage might have been done already. the early bird catches the worm...ben franklin must be rolling over in his grave.
boredwell at 2:45AM on Aug 10th 2007
10. Give the surge a change--why
95% of Iraq isn't under control of the Iraqi gov't.
95% of Iraq has not running water
No food being grown in Iraq.
No electricity (only in Baghdad)
Iraqi's gov't falling apart
Kurds and Sunni's will not sign the oil deal with Exxon.
100 Iraqi die in a month from the lack of food and water.
This isn't counting the people shot or blow up.
Now lets look at Baghdad
30,000 American soldiers
15,000 American contractors
3,000 Iraqi's
No food being grown (food brought in by the UN)
less then 1 hr of electricity
no drinking water
So you tell me is the surger working
Dancerpl2 at 8:40PM on Aug 11th 2007
11. Dancerpl2,
In the early 80's Saddam invaded Iran and spent the next 7 years at war; millions died. Both Iran and Iraq used WMD's on a scale not seen since WWI.
While at war with Iran Saddam spent very little or no money on infrascture.
In 1991 Saddam had the third largest army in the world so he invaded Kuwait. During that war we put the fear of Allah in Saddam as we tried hard to kill him. So Saddam spent billions on palaces/bunkers to hind in. From 1991 to 2003 again Saddam spent very little on infrastructure.
After 20 years of Saddam spending nearly all his money on palaces or war there was no food, no water, no electricity. (While Saddam was in power does the food for oil program ring a bell?)
"So you tell me the surge is working"
NO I won't, just ask:
"I think we're making some measurable progress"
Sen Richard Durbin D-Il
In a Washington Post interview, when asked, if the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, presents Congress with a positive report on the surge in September:
...."a real big problem for us."
James Clyburn
D-S.C.
"There is enough good happening on the battle fields of Iraq today that Congress should plan on sustaining the effort at least into 2008."
Michael O'Hanlon and Ken Pollack
Brookings Institution
If we leave Iraq do you think al-Qaeda will fill the political vacuum, and after 20 years of neglect by Saddam, just grow food and switch the lights and water on?
Most experts believe if we leave Iraq al-Qaeda will fill the political void and it will result in genocide not unlike Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bosina.
Pete at 9:05PM on Aug 12th 2007
12. Straight talk is just something, we are not used to hearing.
http://www.squidoo.com/double_speak/
lewby54 at 8:07PM on Aug 15th 2007
13. "Most experts believe if we leave Iraq al-Qaeda will fill the political void and it will result in genocide not unlike Cambodia, Vietnam, and Bosina." (Pete)
WELL THANK YOU REPUBLICANS!
vegastracon at 2:31AM on Aug 16th 2007