The Iraq War was won 5 years ago & is over. Why don't 99% of Americans call it what it is, an OCCUPATION?

Question

I'm amazed at how few people in the general public, media, and politics have neither the brains nor guts to call our tactical situation in Iraq precisely what it is. An occupation.

Proof positive that if you repeat something often enough, people will believe it.

I guess if we call it an occupation, we won't feel so pure about our motives in being there. We still want to feel like heroes, instead of invaders facing a resistance.

To all who say we are there at the behest of the Iraqi government.

We were there before there was a government, hand-picked the government and would stay there whether they asked us or not. Does anyone honestly believe that we will leave Iraq when the Iraqi's tell us to? We do what we want in Iraq. Period. The Iraq's have ZERO say in our military posture.

Answer 1

The occupying forces never ever win

Answer 2

It is an occupation. I agree. The reason we don't refer to it as such is that when the President continues to request "emergency spending" to fund the occupation, it makes it sound much better when he refers to it as a "war". Somehow I can't see the already meager minority of Americans in favor of the Iraq debacle as supporting funding for the "american occupation of Iraq".

Edit: go easy on the cut and paste EZMZ - it's called a "link". Use it.

Answer 3

It doesn't matter what you call it. How much have you studied the history of wars and port-war periods? Not just U.S., but globally? Occupation is a very, very, common and accepted thing - for limited time - after a conflict. We know, through the times it has happened, that the cut & run tactics don't work. Our troops need to occupy Iraq until things are settled and running somewhat smoothly - which they aren't yet.

Answer 4

Because it's not an occupation. America doesn't have any control over the Iraqi government, it maintains troops in the area to keep the 'peace' under UN mandate. Despite whatever Bush said, the war didn't end 5 years ago, it just changed form. There's still a war in Iraq, but now it's a civil war.

Answer 5

I disagree wholeheartedly. The US is there at the request of the Iraqi government. If Maliki said leave tomorrow, the US would pull out.
The US does not stay where the military is not wanted. Ask the Philippines people. Ask the governments of Germany, South Korea, Japan/Okinawa. Are we occupying forces there? I don't think so.

Answer 6

True. That's what it is. Unfortunately, people are blinded by all the fighting that's still going on. It is a war, but only because it is an occupation that half the nation of Iraq is resisting.

Answer 7

Because "war" is a shorter word, and because it is commonly used for any extended military conflict.

The fact that Congress never actually declared "war" is a legal formality. But most people don't care about the laws anymore.

Yes, it is an occupation. Legal, for now, under US laws since Congress authorized it 4 years ago. But still an occupation.

Answer 8

I don't think so Iraq still has its own government that wants for us to stay there a little while longer because they don't have the strength to do it for themselves yet. An occupation is what occurs when someone takes and keeps the land in a foreign country. Iraq still belongs to Iraq because their president can actually kick us out if he wanted to.

Answer 9

Just like you repeating the propaganda that this is an Occupation. You or whoever told you that load of crap want it to be repeated over and over until it catches on. Here are somemore words to use so you won't have to kill those last few brain cells:
Neo-con, Bush=Hitler, Nazi. I may have left some off from today's Liberal Talking Points memo, but this will get you started.

Answer 10

So if ......what's the use. You liberals will take your beliefs to your grave. It wasn't an occupation in Vietnam when your royal family member Kennedy got us into that one was it? NO! He was justified in getting over 50,000 Americans killed. But of course he is like Bill Clinton, and could do nothing wrong. I wonder though why did the "demon"crats have to draft for that war and we have not had to draft for this one.

You libs just don't get it.