Does our very presence in Iraq "embolden our enemies?"?

Question

Regardless of the Cheney/Rove spin BS?

Answer 1

Of course. For one thing, the violence there is escalating. Why? The insurgents are emboldened.

Second, Iran has thumbed its nose at us. Why? They no longer fear what we can do (due to our failures in Iraq).

Third, look at North Korea. Emboldened and no longer afraid of the US empire. Why? They see that we can't even control a country that was blown up for decades, under constant surveillance and no-fly zones and poor due to sanctions and long and costly wars.

Pick a country and you'll see that we've lost the respect. (Russia, anyone?) Putin told Bush, "if this is your version of Democracy, you can keep it".

Answer 2

They see us as infidels in their sacred land. They don't want us there. Therefore because we are there it sparks anger and encourages others to join the fight. If we leave the Middle East except where invited they will have no reason to fight us. Bin Laden stated that the reason for the attacks Al Qaeda has made on Western interests is because we are there. Common sense says if we leave they will have no reason to attack us. Is this a win? Is it a loss? Maybe it is a draw? Frankly it doesn't matter. If we leave our people are alive and so are many innocent men, women, and children over there.

All of the money and manpower spent over there, had it been spent on research and development of alterative energy would have yielded fabulous results by now. We are falling behind the rest of the world in the development of hydrogen cars, renewable liquid fuels and solar energy. We may win the fight for oil but lose the war on global warming and our leadership role in the world of technology.

Answer 3

The number of "terrorists" in Iraq, has grown since the American invasion in that country. For many years, Americans bombed people in the middle east from planes, ships and long range missiles. Iraq has given those people the rare opportunity to kill Americans at close range.

Answer 4

Yes.

We are easy targets and a readily available excuse to do violence. The insurgent groups use our presence there to recruit more members. Our enemies blend in with the population and hide in plain sight.

We could still do what we are doing in Iraq without the presence of ground troops.

Answer 5

Being in Iraq is neither here nor there. Our unwillingness to occupy and control the country emboldens them. They are not afraid to attack our trops and unarmed arabs.

It does speak to the weakness of their movement in that they are completely focused and bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Until we get serious and bring a real occup[ation to bear, complete with designated lockdowns, curfews and martial law, the terrorists will continue sniping with the belief they are doing something spectacular.

Once we leave, and we will leave eventually, they will be emboldened and claim victory. They will finally have the breathing room they need to blow up a bunch of us in one of our malls (see Salt Lake City, albanian muslim).

Answer 6

We are occupiers in the Middle East. How the hell do you think that plays in the Arab world?

Of course it makes them angry and emboldens them to hate and attack us.

How would we take it if the Chinese were occupying Canada or Texas. Sit back and swallow all their "liberator" spin as they impose their system and values at the point of a gun in our midst?

We would feel threatened and fight them. Just like the Iraqi's and other Arabs are fighting us.

Answer 7

Yes it does, maybe they'll come out for fun and games. Maybe we'll become embolden enough to kill them in their beds. They don't mind coming here and murdering our people in our streets. I think we should return the favor, as in a Roman style, decimate, comes to mind. Having an American Army standing in the middle of insurgent land, means that we will lose some, and inflict plenty upon them, and their families. We did come to kill them, as many as possible. When the Demo's take over, we will undoubtedly withdraw. Then they will be embolden. You wussies are almost guaranteeing a war like American government. We can't seem to get consensus on how many Arabs should be left alive. Only the ones who like us would be left standing and the rest be history.

Answer 8

I am going to fight for say 35 seconds then roll over and walk away.
This sends stark fear into the people we are fighting.
We have already lost the battle, the battle of wills.

The Germans always spoke of the battle of the peace, this is after they are vanquished they start to rebuild and they will try again.
So many say that we were wrong going into Iraq, and with this I agree, we needed to first into Iran and kick their asses first.
Most Muslim nations fear Iran, we made the second biggest mistake in human history, the first is the so called peace plan they are proposing in the middle east.
We will all get sucked into that one.

Answer 9

If it's not emboldening the enemy, then what does?

Answer 10

I would think it doesn't embolden them. A lack of our presence would, it would communicate that we either fear them, or do not find them to be significant.