If you support the war in Iraq, how long are you willing to occupy this country?

Question

I have supported this war from the beginning and I still believe we did the right thing removing Saddam from power, but I see no real evidence that the Iraqis are willing to fight for their own freedom enmasse and we cannot occupy this country idefinitely. So I am curious how long is long enough before even the supporters of the war are ready to leave the people of Iraq to stand or fall based on their own resolve?

To those who just couldn't resist a personal attack against me. Reread the question and try taking off the partisan blinders. I never took a position stating that we should not continue to fight, nor did I state that we should pull out immediately. I took no position that would indicate that I don't support the troops, or that I don't believe in their ability to complete the mission. It amuses me how some people cannot just answer the question asked without injecting negative speculation regarding unstated opinions, or the asker's motives.

Answer 1

That's odd.
I never supported the Iraqi invasion. I believe it to be the biggest blunder in U.S. history.
But, I feel strongly that we need to stay, now that the deed is done, until law and order is reestablished. And to do so is going to take a much bigger commitment in troops than we have now.
Europe was once equally as volatile, if not more so, than the middle-east. Hostilities in Europe plunged the world into war time and again for centuries. That tendency toward constant war didn't end until the USA stationed 250,000 troops smack in the middle of Europe for 40 years.
If it takes 40 years or 100 years, we will need the same commitment in the middle-east.

Answer 2

Okay...I don't actually support the war! However, I do not believe that the United States can pull out troops now. It would be irresponsible, immature, and completely stupid. We put ourselves into this prediciment, it is our duty to finish it up. I have heard a lot of comparison about how the War in Iraq is very similar to the Vietnam conflict, however there are also major differences. During the Vietnam conflict, the Unites States was fighting against an idea, a political system, not a political party. In Iraq, we are fighting a culture, a way of life. Fundamentalist Islam has been around longer than the beginning of written history. Any religion or politcal belief has some form of fundalmentalism to it. Christains, Muslims, Conservatives, etc all have a sect of fundamentalists. But most importantly, fighting a culture is a never-ending war. You cannot change the way people believe, you can change what they public believe, but you will always have those who privately view otherwise.
Take the religion of Islam, the primary religion of Iraqi's. there are two sects: Sunnis, and Shiites. These two sects have been in socio-political conflict like liberals and conservatives, but for centuries longer. The fighting is mainly between these two sects. But when the United States got involved it began to protect only one side. Like in America,if you don't like the leader, you complain. It is an inevitable truth, if we (Americans) don't like what is put before us we complain. That is what the Sunnis and Shiites are doing. If they don't like what is going on, they complain. Although they use vioence as a persuassive technique. It is just something that happens.

So, do I believe that the United States shoud stay and continue its attempt to bring peace to Iraq, YES!! However, it is important to remember that if we stay in Iraq, we better be ready for a very long and bloody fight. Just some food to nibble on.

Answer 3

I thought we went in too soon with the wrong force mix initially, so I'm not sure I qualify as a supporter, though I do think we should do our best since we're there.
Looking at past counter-insurgency operations like the Philippine insurrection, Haiti, Dominica, etc., they seem to take a decade or two (or three). And though Baghdad is a huge mess, and Mosul and Basra seem to flare periodically, I see the western Sunnis coming around as a major step forward, and I see little spots here and there that give reason for at least some optimism. They have whole battalions showing up this year that would have had a 50% no-show rate last year, so it's baby steps, and we're getting impatient, but there is progress. I think we in the US have just never been keen to learn our history, so we don't have a good perspective of comparing this to the examples I listed. If we (reasonably) expected to be less than halfway at this point, we might be less fed up.

Answer 4

The real Iraq, that is the Kurds to the north, Sunni in central, and Shiite in the southern region, plus a minority of Christians and Turk men will probably never see eye to eye, politically, or religiously.

I believe they need three autonomous regions with one central government, and revenue sharing based on a reasonably fair system for dividing oil proceeds.

Let's face it, these people are not going to come together, so why not do the next best thing, but whatever the division accomplishes, it must be designed to provide punitive damage to any of the provinces that offers support or seeks support from outside entities such as Syria, turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, or any country with adversarial motives for one of the provinces or it's people !

Occupation should be ended as early as possible. however to have an American military base somewhere in country is another matter. This is something we have done all over the Globe, including Germany, Japan, S.Korea and over one hundred other country's around the globe. Some of these bases have existed for over fifty years. .

Answer 5

That is a difficult question I don't think the question should be should leave soon, but if we left now what will be the consequences( I believe a larger conflict later.) If you doubt that look what the Iranians did the last few days, would they have done that 4 years ago I don't think so.

They watch the news and see the constant bickering of our political parties they are getting the feeling that we are weakening that's why they made this move. This is just a classic an example why appeasement and weaknest actually encourages wars.

Answer 6

I think we should stay as long as it takes to secure Iraq. These people have been ruled by a horrible dictator for 30 years and are scared to stand up for anything because that used to get you killed. I realize everyone wants out of Iraq, but we are still in Germany, Korea and Japan and have been for 50 years. We have only been in Iraq for a tenth of that time. Besides, where would be a good place to have bases except in the middle of the most violent part of the world. We shouldn't be the world police but who else would you want to hold that position?

Answer 7

Until the vast majority of the country is willing to fight the terrorists themselves. By what I've been reading lately, the iraqi people are now realizing this and are starting to take action themselves. When they unite as a country and all realize that they can take care of this problem themselves, it'll be time to pull out. Otherwise terror will weaken even the strong willed and the country will fall to insurgency.

Answer 8

Even if Iraq has a self supporting government, our military will still be there, maybe not as much as we are now, but we will still be there. The main reason is Osama Bin Laden, once we capture him, we will have to go after the next guy and the next guy after him.
Plus, we will probably invade Iran within the next 5 years, so why not keep bases in Iraq and that whole area. Its just a matter of time. If it does happen, I would expect the draft to be reinstated.

Answer 9

Evidently you dont believe in destroying the terriorists. Mass destruction of the USA does'nt seem to bother you. Is this your view. Some years back our satlelight picked up 8 MOBILE launchers. 5 were captured 1 was stripped 3 are still missing. Husanes son KILLED 5,000 KURDS in a week useing poison gas. recently a rumor that gas is being used again by ?.My belief is that our troops are in certain areas to stop the enemy from useing them. Iraq is rich in oil, If we pulled out then alquida will sell oil and build missles filled with poison gas to destroy all of the free world without leaveing their territories. Are you willing to condone this. Also the fact that we're trying to help their new government set up a democratic system. Alquida,the telebonn and the whole arab nation dont want this because of their ways of slavery.Women are sold to enrich the family. The democratic way does'nt allow slavery, includeing what women are stolen and are sold from the free world. Our world.

Answer 10

The Iraqi people were better off before we butted in. Now they have no running water, no telephones, no electricity and no safety. What they do have is tens of thousands of dead men, women and children. Saddam was not our business. If the people wanted to oust him, it was their responsibility to do so, not ours. The whole world hates us now.

Notice we don't go bombing the hell out of China or North Korea. We only pick wars we THINK we can win. Looks like the Iraqi people fooled us, we will never win just as we never won in Vietnam.