Why are we failing in Iraq?

Question

Aren't the greatest stratgic minds on this problem? Why is the best possible solution more soldiers? Why don't we just leave and let 'em fight it out amongst themselves?

Answer 1

Hmm.. Why are we failing in Iraq? #1 We should have never been there in the first place. Iraq was not an imminent threat. (Where are those Weapons of Mass Destruction?) #2 Gen Shinseki said we could easily topple the Iraq government, but to secure it would take atleast 500,000 soldiers. Nobdoy wanted to listen to him, and in turn many tension was stirred up within the white house and pentagon. (Thus Gen Shinseki Retires.) #3 The failure to bring a coalition together to tackle the problem in Iraq has not helped either. (The UN had said if you (U.S) show us evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction we will go) Well... Bush and his cabinet didn't have any evidence and about 2 months ago said that he didn't have the correct evidence but we are going to stay the course in Iraq. Really makes sense, huh? #4 The Iraqis want us to do everything for them. They blame everything on us, because they are to lazy to get off their own asses to repair their power plants, even though we will finance them. #5 The Iraqis are not receiving the best training, and the way we have selected their officers did not make any sense. The translators we hire over their to assist the soldiers and marines can hardly speak english (a lot of them). #6 We disbanded their police force and army after the war. Thus creating anarchy. (Remember all the looting). I can keep going on and on.
No, I am not a liberal. I have just completed my 2nd combat tour from Iraq. 1st time in Bagdad, This time in Ramadi... I have many medals including an Army Accomadation medal with Valor for saving somebody's life. I have lost atleast a platoon's worth of soldiers I knew. Also this past time I had the special privelage of being a Combat Advisor to the Iraqi Army. I lived, worked, and trained them. I saw everything that went wrong within their own ranks and I had seen how my superiors were just worried about how many Iraqi soldiers we had. (Even though a lot of the soldiers were worthless.) The best way to handle the situation right now is that we (US) need to step back and let the Iraqis handle their own. We need to just keep combat advisers their and a quick reaction force for about a year. Then just keep rotating troops in Kuwait like we have been doing since Desert Storm. If we never let the Iraqis do anything, they will always expect big brother to do all their fighting.

Answer 2

Because you are not being given the full story.

For example - we have achieved many things in Iraq - but the news media chooses not to tell you about them.

Another thing you should do is consider who is more likely to know what is going on in Iraq. The soldiers who are out around the country every day - or the reporters who stay in a hotel in the green zone and read scrips faxed to them from the network headquarters.

Answer 3

If we are failing in Iraq and I am not saying we aren't it is because the politicians are involved and have tied the hands of the military. While the military must remain subserviant to the civilian authority, whenever politians call the shots in any military operation it will inevitably be doomed to fail. Vietnam was a prime example of this and it does look like we are headed in that direction. Very sad.

Answer 4

Saddam Hussein's trial and result's a milestone interior the Iraqi human beings's efforts to interchange the rule of thumb of a tyrant with the rule of thumb of regulation, and that is a significant fulfillment for this youthful democracy. Political replace takes time. In Iraq, the attitude of the persons is ill very comparable to that of an alcoholic. even with the actual shown truth that the alcoholic needs help and needs to regulate, a lot more advantageous has to ensue previously the alcoholic can become sober. this is not the U. S. it truly is failing thus. the U. S. has opened a large door for those human beings to discover freedom. It has opened the door for democracy (elimination of Saddam Hussein), female's rights (elimination of Hussein's merciless, oppressive, womanizing "police" stress), freedoms of speech, expression, etc., and a variety of of different freedoms that doesn't were given to this us of a. imagine about it. the persons in Iraq are beginning to have a voice. they have voted. they have spoken out hostile to us and for us (freedom of speech). they're only now experiencing the freedom they by no skill had. replace is scary, and, of route, they are going to (before everything) opt for to bypass decrease back to the way issues were because they knew what to assume; although, even as the seeds that u . s . a . of america has planted are watered with techniques from Iraqi reformers... this democracy will strengthen. we gained't assume prompt outcomes and that is many of the issue with those who're searching at u . s . a . of america's artwork. they don't see that typically- like an alcoholic- Iraq will bypass decrease back to its previous techniques; although, the replace that has already exceeded off in that us of a will by no skill stop to open the eyes of the persons, and- a twin of the former Soviet Union- this is going to take time to strengthen a loose us of a from an oppressed human beings.

Answer 5

The reason we are failing, and will continue to fail, is because we don't understand Islam!..You cannot install 'democracy 'in an Islamic state!..Its impossible, they are totally incompatible!..Islamic law takes precedent over all others, and it can be pretty vicious and cruel in its application, particularly to women!..{most religions are}..Its all based on the old testament and the ravings of 'the one true prophet', its never changed, and never will!..Installing 'democracy' is all BS anyway, its a con, The middle east has the oil, that's what its really about, if anyone falls for this 'democracy' stuff, their living in a world of fantasy!..Sorry to all the 'spin doctors' out there, but you cant con all of us by using loony American televangelists and religious extremists to tell holy righteous christian America that its 'Gods will' either!....

Answer 6

We are failing in Iraq because WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE IN FIRST PLACE. Now that the republicans are no longer in power, it's amazing how it is common knowledge that we are failing in Iraq. Our soldiers were sent over there under the guise of ending terrorism, it was a lie from the start and now lives have been lost because of one man's quest for power.

Answer 7

We are NOT failing in Iraq.
The U.S. strategic goals are right on track:
1) Prey on Americans' emotions after 9-11 to justify an illegal and unconstitutional invasion of another sovereigh country that in no way threatened, provoked, or attacked the U.S.A.;
2) Lie to Congress ( an impeachable offense according to most Republicans) and the American people about 'weapons of mass destruction' in order to instill more fears;
3) 'Settle the score' over a personal vendetta the Bush family has had against Saddam Hussein ever since Desert Storm when George H.W. Bush was criticized and humiliated for not 'finishing the job' and ousting Hussein at that time;
4) Under the pretense of bringing democracy to a land that has engaged in civil war for 1,400 years, establish a puppet Iraqi government beholden to the United States;
5) Assume control of all that OIL swimming underneath Iraq's sands so that Dick Cheney's Exxon buddies can get richer and richer and richer as they continue to feed America's dependency on cheap, easily-accessible foreign OIL.

The greatest strategic minds are not focused on the problem of stopping the carnage. The greatest strategic minds are much more interested in stealing all of Iraq's OIL to keep the American economy moving forward. It's imperative that we have all of that OIL (just as it's imperative that we have all of Iran's OIL, which will justify invading Iran by spring, 2007).

We don't care about the insurgents. We don't care about killing 655,000 Iraqis and 2,800 U.S. soldiers. We don't care about bringing democracy to the Middle East. All we care about is all that OIL. The blood of all those victims is on the hands of the Bush administration; the most incompetent, contemptible, evil, arrogant, cowardly, corrupt Congress in U.S. history; and every American motorist who believes it's his 'right' to drive a $60,000 gas-guzzling SUV just because he "can afford it".

If we really expect to withdraw from Iraq, WHY is the U.S.A. building the largest embassy in the world on a 104-acre site in downtown Baghdad overlooking the 'new' Iraq puppet government installed by the Bush administration?

The Iran Study Group Report recommends the withdrawal of "combat troops", but says nothing about withdrawing the more than 40,000 "non-combat" personnel in Iraq. These people are mostly employees of expensive government contractors such as Halliburton, Bechtol and the Carlyle Group (which, by the way, has George H.W. Bush, James Baker, and other Bush #41 cabinet members on its staff, as well as a $2.5 million investment from a family by the name of binLaden). How much do you think James Baker and the Carlyle Group wer paid to issue this "report" that was put together with such celerity??

We will NOT leave Iraq until we have sucked every drop of OIL from its sands. -RKO-

Answer 8

We aren't failing, it's just that Iraq is changing in a very slow paste. Other than that, I think I've seen little progress in Iraq.
If we leave them to fight on their own then they will be in big trouble, U.S. troops are there to help protect the Iraqies that are on their side, and want to change Iraq for the better.

Answer 9

I have nothing else to add to this forum, as i suddenly see a clutch of worldly oriented and worldly wise fellow Americans. I salute you Craig for being able to see the reality through the "fog of War" that was pulled over the eyes of million other Soldiers.

Answer 10

you definitely have not been given the full story. Ask anyone who has fought there. You hear what sells stories and what the liberals (who are overwhelmingly vocal nowadays) want you to here. My husband is there right now and believes he is doing MANY wonderful things (ie building hospitals, bridges, schools) the people there appreciate it and you should appreciate the fact you sleep in peace everynight simply because you live in a country based on freedom and democracy instead of in Iraq where you get shot for simply talking badly about the governments action.