Has anyone else changed their belief about our extended stay in Iraq as I have?

Question

Up until recently I have truly believed that if the U.S. withdrew from Iraq at this time that it would leave the country to ruin...for the insurgents to continue to fight over. That it might be irresponsible on our part to leave now. But in the last few days I have started leaning in a somewhat different direction.
If we pull our troops from Iraq....wouldn't it force the Iraqi people/government to be more responsible for the consequences of their country? Shouldn't we, as a democratic nation, step back and let the "cookies crumble as they may"? Will a nation that has been under oppresive rule for this long become codependent on us and therefore helpless or if given the chance to fight alone could rise up and create a democratic government?

Answer 1

What a discussion you have started Spunky Blonde Nurse! I Particulary disagree with Chain Saw, especially when he says that we are teaching the Iraqi's to fish and that we are teaching them leadership. Sorneez is right. They were around a few thousand years before we were and I don't think we really have much to teach them. Chainsaw doesn't understand that the history of the spread of freedom is the is the history of conquest.
Wrap your mind around this: Freedom is the only thing this country is selling that people are still willing to buy. Freedom is the only thing that government offers in exchange for the privilege of remaining in power. Think about how long the government would last if they tried to take away all of our freedom's.
Freedom is what they sell to us it's the only product they have to sell to the rest of the world. Think about it. What else does this country export except freedom?
The Revolutionary War and the Civil War were all about freedom. Wars are always about freedom.
They will not pull out of Iraq without being able to claim a victory. Freedom is the only thing they are standing on. Of course freedom is the currency the government uses to achieve their ends. They are forced to engage in a ruthless game of global trade. The administration looks at the conflict in Iraq in a completely historical context. What really matters to them is how this will look in the history books and on the official white-house Bio's page. They know that they will be judged by Kings, not Preachers. If, in the future they are able to say, that they brought freedom to the Mid-East, then they will be judged to have been a success. They can continue on in their legacy for countless generations as rulers of the world. In the meantime, America is guaranteed a reliable source of oil.
They will not let freedom fall on its face. It is the only thing they are standing on.

Answer 2

First point, when the Iraqi's are ready to take care of their own security, we will let them. Pres. Bush does not want to stay there any longer than needed. We have already given some power to the Iraqi's. It takes a long time to train an army from NOTHING. We are building a democracy from scratch in a part of the world THAT HAS NEVER HAD A FREELY ELECTED GOVERNMENT.

Next point, if we let the cookies crumble where they may, Iraq will fall into terrorist's hands. We cannot afford to have another terrorist country: Iran, Syria,...

Third point, you do not understand conservatism. Our philosophy is to teach them how to fish, not give it to them. This is why it will take time. We are teaching the Iraqi's true leadership, which is sorely lacking in the world. I can see where you get this from because look at what the world has done to Africa and the impoverished, welfare state that exists on that continent.

Iraq is the last stand for terrorism if we have the balls to stay and finish the job. Terrorists have been coming in the country because they know that freedom is their enemy.

I respect that you are sincere in wanting to learn the truth. If you listen to the garbage that ABC, NBC, etc put out, also listen to Rush Limbaugh, Neal Boortz, Sean Hannity, and the like to really get both sides.

Answer 3

This is an argument that will draw some flack from those who believe that the justification for you and mine (Australia) troops being in Iraq is to stabilise the country(this months reason after the original WMD excuse was false) when we all know the real reason is to secure the oil fields for the future consumption by the USA. Now the fact that Iraq is quickly descending in to civil war the invading armies of the west must quickly make a decision as to who they will protect, because to side with one side Sunni, or Shiate will only exacerbate an already unwinnable situation. I do not think that democracy at the US style of democracy can be imposed on a people who have for thousands of years developed a way of existence that the average person in the west barely understands,, the people of the middle east were fightting wars, conquering nations, developing societies long before the USA or Australia were colonised , I think its the height of arrogance to assume that "we" know whats best for an ancient and proud people

Answer 4

My belief on this opinion is that if we left now it would go back to the same. But on the other hand it could just be all in vain because in the last few days the iraqi people have not been as interested in attacking U.S. troops as it has been thier own people. But i did see on t.v. a second ago that Iran has betrayed the U.S. and has been secretly killing our troops. Pretty interesting.

Answer 5

You're analyzing the situation MORE than Bush had or is.

His father tried to tell him, Powell tried to tell him, Clinton tried to tell him. And if I had access to him I would have tried to.

Countries that have violent revolutions do not stop when an outside force enters the picture.

There is even more violence - whether the foreign force stays or leaves.

That's what the smirking imbecile did not and cannot get even today!!


Bush did not go in for WMD, he went for the oil - the price is the lives of our young men and women.

Saddam was not involved in 9/11 either.

Answer 6

I am sure you are good intentioned. If we did pull out someone will come in and take our place. That could be Bin Laden or Hezbollah or somebody worse. We have to stay until the current government that the Iraqi people put in place can stand on its own.

Answer 7

Nope. They have a democratic governement. What they don't have is a military that is strong enough yet to over come the violence of those wanting to overthrow them and go back to a dictatorship. We need to stay there until the job is done. I just wish more countries had the balls to stick it out too.

Answer 8

NO!!! The terrorists would be emboldened because the would
see our leaving as a sign of weakeness and you people had better wake up to the fact that there are sleeper cells in this country just waiting to strike and 9/11 would look weak and pale compared to the next terrorist attack!!! BEWARE!!!

Answer 9

Yes, trying to prop up a government nobody there wants isn't going to work.

US and foreign forces could be there for 100 years, it isn't go to change a thing there, because nobody cares for the puppet democracy that has been set-up there.

Answer 10

We did what we went there to do. Saddam is out, no weapons of mass destruction, election held. It's time to get out and let them take care of their own country. We'll be paying for what Bush did for generations.