IRAQ is a FAILURE - BUT WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

Question

We allready know Iraq is a failure. Poorly concieved, poorly executed and doomed to failure.

It wasn't because many of the American people were anti-war and didn't support the movement to war - with a majority republican congress and their neocon base and the retardation in the White house, the anti-war American people really didn't have much of a choice about whether America is wsting lives and resources in Iraq.

anyway, now that we know Iraq is a waste of time, resource and lives, What are we to do about this?

Most democrats and liberals want to "cut and run" but because we've been entrenched so deeply there...that's not an option.
Sarcastic neocons like to say: "Oh well lets put back Saddam Hussien"... That's obviously not an option either.

So my question to you is WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
What does America do 5 years from now when all the sh!t that has gone on behind the backs of America comes out?
Bush has no idea what to do so don't bother looking to him for answers.

Answer 1

I saw we pull American forces out and let the IRaqi's fight it out amongst themselves. That's what's going to eventually happen anyway. There is going to be a civil war with tremendous blood shed - however, by staying all we are doing is letting the insurgency strengthen itself and attack us sporadically.
Let them have their revolution and we'll deal with the winner.

Answer 2

Make a decision based on what the situation is today, and what we want to accomplish in the short and long term.

Most of the arguments about remaining in Iraq all center around nation-building, helping Iraq establish a new government, bring democracy to the region etc. But even if those might be valid goals (and that too is debatable), the methods we're using are hideously inefficient, and apparently ineffective.

Let's look at it from a cost-benefit perspective. How much money (tens of millions) and how many lives (dozens) did it cost for the US to invade Iraq and topple Saddam's government . How much money (tens of billions) and how many lives (thousands) has it cost for the US to remain in Iraq and try to force them to set up a new government. Which, by the way, is nowhere close to being ready to take over their country.

What we should have done is pull out after "Mission Accomplished" and allow Iraq to set up whatever government it wanted. If we didn't like the results, we go in, topple it, and tell them to try again. We could have done that 10 times and still spent only 1% of the money and lost 1% of the lives that we have so far under the current plan.

So, regardless of the goals, the means we're using to accomplish them are highly wasteful of both resources and American lives. From any perspective, stupid means are not a good way to achieve any goals.

And the phrase "cut-and-run" is purely a marketing soundbite. It is useless as a description because it doesn't actually describe any goal or process. But by way of analogy, if your house was on fire, do you "stay the course" and remain inside, or "cut and run"?

Neither, you leave the burning building, and then apply an effective strategy towards putting out the fire. That's not cutting and running. It's called being rational and choosing appropriate tactics based on your situation and available resources.

Staying in Iraq is apparently not helping anything, and is clearly making the situation worse. So, it's time to re-evaluate the situation, and make intelligent strategic choices based on clear obtainable objectives. That's what the military is trained to do.

Answer 3

We protect our country and we save the lives of million of innocent Iraqis. If our failure has saved thousands of people from a mass grave under Saddam and made it more difficult for Bin Laden to destroy Western ideology, I wouldn't call that a complete failure.

The terrorist attacks are never going to stop, the same way we in America can't get a hold on drug trafficking, child pornography, gangs, etc. Evil is never going to disappear from this planet until there is no planet left, that is a reality of mankind. If our 3000 soldiers who have fallen somehow saved the lives of 100,00+ Iraqis from a mass grave, saved women from rape and torture, then we as America have done our part to try, and that is what we are about, it's about TRYING to be the good guy.

We can't always win, but that doesn't mean we wasted our time, and I don't think any American life was a waste in that effort. Our soldiers volunteered, and if in any way they volunteered for the wrong reasons, our government cannot be responsible for that. To serve means to put your life on the line, not to go by quietly for three years and collect your college money in the end.

Although Bush was in office at the time of 9/11 and taking the heat for what failures have occured, it honestly wouldn't matter what man was sitting in office that day. Evil men attacked our civilians, evil men continue to try to destroy democracy, and no difference of Democrat or Republican would have changed that fact. If a Democrat had been sitting in the Oval Office on 9/11 and DID NOT go to Iraq with his battalian, this country may have lashed back on him for allowing evil men to run free and replaced him with a Republican who wouldn't take any crap. We may be in the same exact position, a small man with a huge termite problem.

Bush isn't the idea man, it's his administration and OUR Congress. I'm not his greatest supporter, but I know that one man alone does not make the decisions.

Answer 4

If we want to ever be safe we must Finish the job we have started not run away because they will come after us if we don't. but i do think they should do what ever it takes all necessary means to finish the job as soon as possible. last few days it has been pretty peaceful compared to what went on till now they US is sending in more troops and its helping hopefully we will be able to leave soon with a peaceful democratic Iraq then we accomplished our mission. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR PRESIDENT

Answer 5

Well as much of a sadistic evil POS that Saddam was, he kept a lid on the sectarian violence and insurgencies. Also there has been almost the same number of killings in Iraq since we got there due to our destabilization of the country as the entire time he ruled.

As distasteful as it may seem, put him back.

Answer 6

Start a movement to impeach the dummy DumBya that started the war on a LIE and throw him in a cell with some 'Bubba' type Iraqi....!!!!

Answer 7

Send over not just combat troops, but troops who can help the Iraqi military and police force to fight the terrorists themselves. Then, once the Iraqi military shows signs of taking over, ease out the US presence.

Answer 8

of course USA fail in Iraq .
this is occupation and occupation must be end by resistance bomb and all means , what you think it is nice travel to occupied Iraq?