If you were president, how differently would you handle Iraq as of today?

Question

Please don't answer by saying you wouldn't have gone over there in the first place. Notice how I said "Today"

Answer 1

Withdrawl to the desert, let Saudi Arabia help the Suni.

Answer 2

Reasonable choices are limited at this point. We certainly need a major increase in (and probably reorganization of) the military in general, but that will take both time and treasure.
We in the civilian world and probably most of the grunts on the ground don't really know who's thinking what in the Pentagon, and that makes it impossible to answer with any real knowledge. I know there are some smart guys in the military, especially the USMC, that have made something of a specialty of 4th generation warfare, and I think perhaps the best thing I could do would be to have some of them become "talking heads" on the Sunday morning TV shows, at a minimum, to tell the American people what kind of war we're fighting and how we're going to do it. Then I'd try to let them. Some "fireside chats" might also be a good idea, because it seems that a lot of the opposition is coming from a position of ignorance. About the best we get from the White House seems to be that he's listening to the Pentagon and giving them what they ask for, but specifics are pretty well lacking, and I don't think we can win a war if our people don't understand what kind of war we're fighting, or why.

Answer 3

Give the Iraq government a 6 month timetable to progressively take over military operations as the American forces are withdrawn.

Act as an intermediary between Turkey and the Kurdish govt to limit hostilities.

Create aid package for Syria to build roads, housing and infrastructure with proviso that 50% of all jobs created go to Iraqi refugees.

Enlist help of moderate Arab nations to aid Iraq refugees. Have Egypt or Saudi Arabia lead the effort.

Recognize Hammas government. Open dialog regarding peace with Israel.

Answer 4

Well it is hard to say.............
One thing I would do is give the troops the right to "fight the war - as a war". This BS of winning the hearts and minds is stupid. I won't have troops handing out candy to the children of people that the night before were trying to kill them.
2)Crack down on the wishy-washy political correct crap the Iraqi government is handing us. You don't want to pick up the battle and take control - don't tell our troops you can't do it without them. You can't have it both ways.
3)Pull back the media , the terrorists are using them as the greatest propagandia machine known in the modern world. The media is given the heads up on every bombing and mortar attack so they can blast the American people with images of dead and wounded children and women. Our own press is being used as a weopon against us and they don't give a FIG because they are getting the story.
4)Move troops out of the most hostile areas and let the Iraqis take the lead. It is time for them to start treading water.
5)Let the world know...............
Northern Iraq and the Kurdish population is doing fine - why? There is no press corp there = so life can return to normal.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) exercises executive power according to the Kurdistan Region’s laws as enacted by the democratically elected Kurdistan National Assembly (KNA).
The current government, led by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, assumed office on 7 May 2006.

Answer 5

As of today, I would turn everything over to the Generals
and let them handle it, pull out all of the News Media and
muzzle them in the USA, Send in 45,000 more combat troops, have the Iraqi Government put a 24 hour curfew and no auto traffic in the whole city of Baghdad, keep on training the Iraqi Army and Navy and build them up as to where they'll be able to defend Iraq against all foreign
enemies

Answer 6

I would have done something similar to what FDR did. Bush should have set up work programs for the Iraquis to redevelop their own country rather than outsourcing to other companies. Creating employment in this area would have given a sense of ownership and control over their situation. With such high unemployment and disenfranchised citizens, it's no wonder that so many are embroiled in a civil war. You know what they say about idle hands....Adding more troops is not going to solve the problem at this point. It will only serve to band-aid the situation.

Answer 7

Get an assesment of current insurgent activities and chatter. Attempt to locate the areas of heaviest concentrations and begin a supressive bombing campaign to prevent escape, and move in with armor to 'seige' the areas. Shut down the border with Syria, and declare it a no-transit area. Then tighten on the insurgent pockets , extracting as many 'innocents' as possible. Once hostiles are the only occupants crater the sites. Use the Iraqi oil production to finance the rebuilding of housing and businesses. If continued resistance takes its toll as of late, boost manpower to pacify the offending region. Increase the training of the Iraqi military and civil forces. As they reach proficient skill levels, attach local units to 'allied' units. Once the town is built and 'secure' garrison the local unit as peace keepers. Use a part of oil production to repay allies at least partially, instead of saddeling Iraq with a financial debt that will not be paid off. This way, they can have a sense of pride as 'borrowers' instead of freeloaders. Pride is very important in the mid-east. Once the people are housed, fed, and have access to to everyday niceties we have in the US, remove US forces equal to the number of Iraqis trained and equipped. The rest of the 'coalition' stays put.

Negotiate for a permanent US airfield/ naval station to be established as another means of setteling 'war debt'. Training can continue, and the government hay be hesitant about going rogue. With a permanent base established the current forces can be recalled, and fresh troops, if needed, can be housed in conditions deserved by the finest combatants ever to walk the planet, instead of consigning billents in tents for years on end.

And as contruction proceeds... hide 'devices' for future use if our ally turns on us in the future. Targeting strategis bridges, roads, and other infrastructure.

Answer 8

I completely agree with the French gentleman. There is no answer. This is a mess in Iraq which was started based on lies.
It was a "shock and awe" show for our military. it was based on greed for oil. It will take a genius to figure out just how to get the US out.

Answer 9

I would take our troops out, arm the Shiites and let them go at it,If the Iraquis want a "democratic" government let them do the dirty work after all who are we to tell them how they should run their country.Those people are perfectly capable of fighting their own wars.

Answer 10

Regroup our soldiers, remove most of the stupid "play nice" rules & fight the way people are intended to fight - to win.
Congress wants good press so bad that they are willing to sacrifice the safety of our military to look good.
Who would announce that were hear to someone shooting at them or who would let a shooter hide behind his wife while he killed you? I wouldn't - self preservation is imbredded in us for a reaon, to keep us alive. No more playing nice - lets rock & roll.

Answer 11

i would separate the country into three separate sections. I would have the three fighting tribes police and protect their own areas. I would create a no drive zone in the capital and impose a curfew. This is what I would do for starters.