How can our military ever secure Iraq?

Question

This week over a million Shiites are expected to converge on Karbala, from all over Islam, to celebrate the Hidden Imam. I'm no expert, but I don't believe that all of those people will have the best intentions in mind. So how can our military be expected to secure a country, that is in the middle of a religious war, and still allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners to enter?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070826/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq
Iraqi leader lashes back at US critics - Yahoo! News

Jack, If you don't want to answer my question son, then don't. But don't attempt to take on something that you can't handle little man.

bruce, Apparently you didn't bother to read the article. Pilgrims have already been killed on the road to Karbala. Peaceful?

Jack, You're being a little dramatic aren't you little man? I called you son, and little man, because your answer was immature. I don't care how old you are, you're still a little man. And I know damned good and well you would never talk to me like that face to face son.

Answer 1

Iraq as a whole can't be secured.

Answer 2

It can, but it will take time. America more then likely doesn't have the patience for it. It took 10 years in Bosnia, and that was fairly peaceful. The surge is working, now the Iraqi Government needs to step up and maintain it. If they don't, then it may have to start over again with another surge in the future, if America allows it.

Things could be done to do it faster, but those type of ideas would not be popular in modern society, just look at GITMO for example. Even with the known terrorists there, people argue about the rights and want trials of people who would kill them in a heartbeat if they had the chance. So that is obviouly out of the question and long slow road is the only option left.

This pilgrimage you are talking about happens every year in Iraq. It is nothing new. It is part of Ramadan. Its happened every year we have been there. Yes there have been attacks during it, but it is generally peaceful since the sunni have their own pilgrimages also.


NOTE TO A BELOW POSTER:

I never said all of them were known terrorists. I never used the word that any were proven or charged either. However, you demonstrate the point I was trying to make. Illegal combantans now have rights. I was meerly explaing how things that could be done to speed up securing Iraq are not allowed in the current mode of thinking. I am not supporting those ideas either.

Also, the surge is working, but it will not succeed if the Iraqi Government does not step up. I never said it was a success yet. All I said is that its working... as in making progress. It opened a door. Now what gets done with that door is up for grabs.

Answer 3

It is all becoming clear and apparent now that American military operations alone isn't enough in making a secured Iraq. Unless Iraq is having a stable political structure, and all government infrastracture and basic public services are in place, then the vast majority of the Iraqis will still be jobless and hungry, and will continue to be employed and paid to serve by militia organizations.

As the many analysts and experts were saying all along, military solution alone is not the complete solution. There should also be economic, political, social, religious, and diplomatic solutions to the ongoing Iraqi civil war and sectarian conflict. Concentrating only on the military aspects and operations while continuing to ignore the other solutions will not fix the long-term problems of Iraq.

Answer 4

I dont think we as Americans can ever secure Iraq. ONLY the Iraq's can and they need our's and the rest of theworld's help. I have severe doubts tha enough of them actually want a secure Iraq that their tribe etc etc doesnt control all of the rest of the country. And we would also need the bordering countries help and that isnt going to happen either. I think we are doing good over there but at what cost? It is a long haul war at best and we as a country arent built to have a long duration war. Esp since the other side can use techniques that we cant. BTW Desert Storm vet so at least I have been there

Answer 5

The "surge" is not working.

The only true success has been in Anbar province, and this was not a military victory.

The U.S. told the Sunni's...we won't kill you, if you won't kill us, and we'll withdraw our troops from the area and allow you to police it yourselves.

So the Iraqi's came together and expelled all the foreigners and Al qaeda out of Anbar.

If anything this success is a poster child for withdrawing our troops from Iraq, not that the supposed surge is working.

A note to an above poster....5,000 arrested and suspected terrorists in Gitmo, and do you know how many have been charged with terrorism?

Zero, nada, zilch.

Answer 6

one would half to do this (clear and hold) thing in every corner of the nation,not too mention secure the massive boarder. any kind of half plan just plays into the Binladin's followers hands. Their numbers will only swell given the opportunity to kill an American in a failed state. Unless you do it all the way then it is doomed to fail. and on and on the youth of the United States of America will fall for failed ideologies. I assume 500,0000 men would be a basic number to do it right, and then that's just the clear, hold is the best part of a decade, a slow death, for no way can any self respecting Arab except the infidel so all consuming in the heart land.

Answer 7

in the beginning Congress has pronounced that they did locate 500 shells that contained chemical weapons that have been think to have been destroyed. in basic terms by using fact they are seen previous (they have a existence span of under a decade), would not recommend they could't be recharged (the comparable way a fireplace extiguisher is recharged) and the reason they weren't recharged is Saddam is not any longer in skill. He could have recharged them and gave them to our enemies. 2d Muslims from around the globe, fantastically Africa and Chechnians are coming to Iraq and Afganistan to break issues. in the event that they don't seem to be combating in Iraq, they could be combating someplace else like Europe. this could make Iraq a unsafe section for awhile as adult males with money and weapons attempt for skill performs to own Iraq. The insurgesnts in Iraq went from being waiting to raid police HQs in Iraq and Afganistan to being no longer able to accomplish that. the adult males in the two aspects are going after softer objectives in the two aspects for the reason that they no longer have the extreme firepower to pull off considerable raids anymore. i think of those sorts of fellows will consistently be around as they are in all aspects of the international.

Answer 8

Perhaps Coalition forces should start their own tradition; the "celebration of the hidden Coalition force." It'll instill some fear into a superstitious foe & the Iraqi's will have a crutch to lean on when the real Coalition forces pull out.

Answer 9

From the diary of Col Kurtz (admitted a fictional hyperbole):
Drop the bomb. Kill them all.

From Gen Patton to Omar Bradley (a likely exchange paraphrased):
If we had any GD guts we'd drive right through Germany and kick the s**t out of Stalin now, and avoid problems with him in the future.

From me:
I hate war.... (also FDR actually said that) but he and I realize that when war is engaged then it must be total war (he authorized and would have hesitantly used the first atom bombs to save US troops) and not some pussy footing around. Our fighting men deserve to know that if they are risking their lives then the whole country is behind them with everything we have. We should seal the borders of Iraq with air power and declare total, no-holds-barred war on any country that does not try to force its citizenry to recognize the closure. Let them decide how to split their lands up into three parts, declare each sovereign with our protection and admonish them to reunite in time, then withdraw. The longer we fiddle around all over the globe the weaker we become -- militarily, economically, socially and philosophically. I hate war, but I would gladly change places with any E nothing with a rifle to defend liberty right now.

Answer 10

They can't. They should never have started. Most other countries knew this which is why the Germans and French refused to take part

Answer 11

If you really wanted to secure Iraq you could suggest a draft. We would need a lot more military people over there to help. I'm not sure exactly how many, but i would guess 500,000. That might be fine, and also a trillion more dollars. I'm against that, but it would probably work.