What Are The Biggest Concerns Regarding the War in Iraq?

Question

In my view,

President Bush started out well. The plan for invading Iraq, getting Saddam Hussien out of power, tried, and executed, brought great peace to the Iraqi people. The problem is that Bush has had no plan for a withdrawal from Iraq and is even more clueless with regards to the steps how to bring about stability to the region and its people:

1.) The first concern is, what exactly does the "War on Terror" involve? We have heard little more than "Gung-Ho" military talk about winning the "War on Terror." But what exactly does that mean? I had originally believed that it was supposed to be to bring about democracy and stability to the Iraqi people. But how much longer do they have to wait?

2.) Bush has no exit strategy: It was so important to bring about democracy to the Iraqi people. So let the people of Iraq have their democracy. The only way they will get that is if the troops start to pull out.

3.) Nothing has been done to find Bin Laden, Why?

Jeff

Answer 1

Saudi Arabia have and always had a worse human rights record than Iraq, but the Bush family own a oil business there,

Answer 2

Some good questions. Here's my take on them:

1) The "War on Terror" is not just about Iraq, and never was. It is about stopping extremists all over the world from using civilians as targets of violence when they want to make a political statement. Since this is essentially a "war" against a tactic and not against an organized State or even an ideology, it is nearly impossible to define any way of actually winning it other than to make it too costly in terms of manpower for anyone to continue with. There will always be money and resources to support terrorism.

That being said, Iraq became a central part of the WoT when it was determined that Saddam Hussein, who used the Iraqi State to sponsor and/or aid a lot of terrorism in the world, was the greatest threat to the interests of the United States and its allies, who would prefer to see a stable, democratic Middle East. Forcefully deposing Hussein was the easy part. Replacing a dictator with a peacful, democratic government of three groups of indigenous peoples that hate each other is an entirely different matter. How long they have to wait takes a back seat to if they even want what they are waiting for. Which leads into question 2.

2) I am certain there was an exit strategy at the beginning. Unfortunately, things are vastly different now than they were then. The stable democracy you speak of is far from being accomplished in Iraq. Were the US to leave now, it would probably all fall apart. Instead of democracy, you'd have anarchy, which would likely only be resolved by the emergence of a strongman dictator, and then they'd be back where they started. Yes, the US needs to leave, but since they dismantled the previous government, they need to put something workable back together before getting out. And the Iraqis are going to have to help more than they have been.

3) Multinational troops in Afghanistan look for Bin Laden every day. Even the Democrats who now control Congress want to keep up troop levels there. You just don't hear about it since Iraq is the media's favorite "quagmire". And while it may be important to the US to find Bin Laden to gain some closure to 9/11, he has actually become a minor figure in the WoT, not even being in charge of Al Qaeda anymore (It's hard to run such an organization when you are hiding in caves.) With the difficulty of searching the bad terrain in Afghanistan for a man being helped to hide by the local people, and with the commitment of resources in Iraq, it is unlikely that the US will put any more into finding such a non-player than they already have done.

Answer 3

An escalation of events; of course. Many of our policy makers are not offering solutions to the war in Iraq. As public opinion continues to turn against the war, several political victories have been noted. The Senate passed Senator Biden's amendment banning the building of permanent military bases in Iraq and US control of the Iraqi oil reserve. Yesterday the house passed a non-binding resolution to cancel the deployment of five brigades of infantry (doesn't look like the carrier group personnel were included). The Senate is debating the issue at this moment. We are in a crossroads; the country is tearing apart at the prospects. Regardless of what the troops say; you know they would rather be somewhere else; I did (Desert Storm XO). It is not a matter of quitting or abandoning the troops; it is a matter of bringing them back alive and healthy. Remember the old song? "C'mon all you big strong men Uncle Sam needs our help again; he's got himself in a terrible jam a way out yonder in Viet Nam!" (I was there too). Funny how Viet Nam in the song can easily be replaced by Teheran.

Answer 4

I actually have a brilliant sence of make certain no longer concern, After 911 i become no longer afraid i become annoyed previous what i've got ever been, extra then i will positioned to words. The annoyed turnned to make certain, the reason we are scuffling with now's by using fact in the previous teh US has entered conflict after the alies have been on the verge of defeat. Japan had a loose rain of the whole Pacific, Nazi/Itallian had the atlantic and in basic terms approximately all of europe. the belief now's end aggression until eventually now it gets too super to handel. What might have happeded if %fleet had stopped jappan in 37 whilst they invaded milasia and china? there could have been No halfway Coral sea Khalkin-Gol Guadalcanal Okinawa Saipan Leyte Gulf Buogainville a small air strip sized p.c.. of realestate Guam and ther could be no Day which lives in infermy... Dec 7 the might in basic terms have been yet another day, there could be no united statesAarazona BB-39 memorial there could be no 2500 provider adult adult males kiled in basic terms weeks becore christmas... there could be no fifty two subs on patrole untill eternaty.... i will bypass on and on of the justifications why I help the adult adult males and woman or our armed amenities. they have defended our rights for over 4 hundred years now (1776)....

Answer 5

the main problem i have with your opinion is that the president started well. for the very beginning the UN told him not to go forward. say what you want about them they're a bigger part of what makes the world go around politically than george bush alone. going in with out their blessing was a massive blunder because after he was knee deep in the hell over there he reached out for assistance and got very little. if he wasn't so concerned with playing wild cowboy he would have played the diplomatic game with some patience. while they are slow and a bit crooked (don't pretend the US government is above corruption, please) he would be able to rally global support there now. real global support that is, not the token support we're getting from a scarce few currently. remember when it all got under way and he stood there preaching of over 70 countries doing there part to help in the effort?! i think new zealand sent a stapler. (please don't hate me kiwis, just a random country)
bottom line- he hung our troops out to dry, and has a HUGE problem on his hands alone. it's a lose lose there.

Answer 6

Well I think Bin Laden is dead, and we don't know if Bush has an exit strategy or not....us lay people will just have to wait and see. The government knows a whole lot more than what we read, see and hear.

Answer 7

That it stays in Iraq. Bush has no idea of a next step. He is biding his time he has left in office, I get sick thinking how He lied and got us into this mess and will leave office with us still in this mess. If it's not about oil he can't think. Because that is about his family's business.Bin Ladin could be over there running one of his oil fields. who knows? We can't trust our own president. Wow!, what a .......?

Answer 8

The biggest problem is we don't know why we are there.

Every reason given has been supplanted with a different reason when the first was discovered to be bunk.

How can we "win" when we don't even know what we are fighting for?

Answer 9

my biggest concern are the troupes. they are the ones putting it on the line while our politicians play politics. who's looking out for them and their families. i don't know a lot about strategics, but it seems like the same old thing the bull s****** are doing their thing without concern for the people who are really in physical harm. while they are jockeying for the best political position, they are sending our troops home in body bags. i know its war, but i can't help but feel like they are playing games and risking the lives of more troupes then is necessary

Answer 10

Loss of life.

(But many feel Bin Laden is already dead or dying)