Will Americans put up with the war if it last 10 to 15 more years?

Question

Source: Newsweek and time. Facts.....Some say the war could last 15 or more years. By that time 25,000 American men/women will be dead. Some kids who are 2 and 3 years old will grow up to be killed in Iraq.

Answer 1

I doubt that the deaths would be that high if it lasted that long.
Since the surge the violence has droped 12% and only 25% of the troops are in.

If this plan works, but the war lasts longer still I'm sure they will just put more guys in and hope for the same results.

But assuming what you say is true- then no, Not if we are making the slow progress in wich we are now.

As strong as America is economicly and militery, out achillies heal is the people's lack of comitment for a fight. We start off united, but when the KIA and WIA list comes in, people start to lose thier nerve for sacrafice.

Answer 2

We have been in South Korea since the 1950s, and never left, because technically the war never ended. The last agreement was a cease fire. We still have bases in Germany, the Phillipines, and so on.

Maybe it is time we "upped the ante" when engaging in warfare.

Here's how I would have fought the war in Iraq: lots of psychological operations (the quasi military department is known commonly as Psy Ops).

I would have had billboards erected everywhere, telling people:

1) exactly why we went there: to free them from Saddam's deathgrip, and from his two evil sons, all of whom we raping the country of its wealth, and making it an international pariah.

2) what will happen now that we have defeated Saddam's army: the Iraqi people will draft a Constitution, elect a President, and write their own laws.

3) how soon the U.S. will leave: the faster the Iraqis show they can form a government and have stability, the faster we leave.

4) make it clear that the insurgents are fighting against the democratically elected government of Iraq; in essence, they are traitors to their own people. The people elected a government, and the insurgents show contempt for this and demand that they rule instead.

Ridicule is the best way to win a Psy Ops battle, in my opinion. We should have had billboards all around Baghdad and the major centers, showing the insurgents as stupid, naive, confused, and dangerous traitors.

The Iraqis inadvertently had their own great Psy Ops success with a tv show that exposed the insurgents for what they really were: often uneducated, stupid, brainwashed thugs who had no clear idea what the hell they were doing nor why. After seeing these losers humilliated on tv, the Iraqi people stopped feeling like the insurgents were some invincible group who they had to fear. On tv they could see the enemy's real face, and often it was a mixture of regret and tears.

If the war lasts 10 - 15 years, we certainly won't have the casualty rate we are seeing now. It will be much, much lower because the Iraqi troops will be handling the brunt of the effort, with the Americans there to advise and train.

Answer 3

We have been bombing Iraq for well over 10 yrs, going on 15 already. Of course it isn't something they put out there in the media so most Americans are ignorant of that fact.

After the first Gulf War when we drove them out of Kuwait in 1991-92 we dropped bombs on Iraq on a daily basis for years and years before we went back in. This is a fact, first hand lived at the base where the jets were flying from doing this job. Of course since it wasn't smeared all over CNN most people never noticed it was going on.

Answer 4

We neither have the money, or the troops to do such a thing without breaking the back of the military. If we attempt to do this, we are playing right into the hands of ALqaeda.

You guys still don't get it...tsk tsk. (shaking my head)

You want to write small books on what you woulda done, what you shoulda done and what you coulda done to make this war be the victory we were hoping for. The bottom line is THEY BLEW IT! The military, Bush, congress etc etc, they blew it! They did not listen to the generals, they ignored truths, they lied about the insurgency, they underestimated the enemy, they did everything in their will to phuck this war up. Now here we are in the 4th quarter and they're trying to come back and win the ball game.

There isn't a damn thing that any of you guys would have been able to do to change the out come of this war... becuase they would not have allowed you to do it. See the forest for the trees folks.

Answer 5

No. They're already crying about it after only four years. I believe as Americans we're spoiled and too dependent on instant gratification.

I'm not PRO-war (any war... who is?), let's make that clear. I believe GEN MacArthur said it best, "The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." Second runner up to the soldier is his family.

Having said that, I guess I'll have to rely on MacArthur again to say it for me, "Courage - moral courage, the courage of one's convictions, the courage to see things through. The world is in a constant conspiracy against the brave. It's the age-old struggle - the roar of the crowd on one side and the voice of your conscience on the other."

We're there, it needs to be seen through. No matter what I thought about opening that can of worms, I understand the necessity of seeing it through until mission complete. I wish everyone did.

Answer 6

Perhaps the 2008 Elections; will curtail the forecast. This war doesn't fit on the same scale as WWI or WWII; but mirrors Vietnam. Economically, I believe the country would be bankrupted; if the forecast becomes true.

Answer 7

How long the US remains engaged is down to two things. The voters and the media. Seems that you can't rely too much on the first group making the wise calls.

Answer 8

Man, if this war lasts more than 3 more years after this date, I will run for president of the U.S.

Answer 9

Yes.

As a combat vetran, I am happy to fight this war for 10 or 15 more years. Or at least until every militant anti-american muslim has been exterminated.

That is the beauty of Iraq. They (militant islamo-facists) are flocking to Iraq to get their turn trying to smoke an American GI. We are getting them by the hundreds. Where else would you like to fight this fight? I would fight the fight anywhere...Iraq was just convenient...2 birds with 1 stone.

Answer 10

were sheeple people in this country our leaders will do whatever the Jewish people and the war mongering company's that make money on war want..so baa baa baa all you want to sheeple.It will NOT do any good at all.ha ha ha you actually think they care what we think? ha ha har de har de har.when those students protested at Kent state they were SHOT TO DEATH.This war is just a prelude to the coming war of civilizations. Y'all.
Iran will be next.another war for no good reason what so ever.who the hell decided this is to be a warring country, half a million innocents dead in Iraq now because we invaded.
and the sheeple think,well we Will kick out our leaders when they mess up, its not our Representatives that's in power ,theirs evil people behind the government that really controls this Federal government.and it deals with money.and the jews.