Why is fighting in Iraq a lost cause?

Answer 1

Nearly $700 billion dollars has been appropriated for this war to date. There are another $1.5-2 trillion worth of equipment, veterans disability, etc. costs that are not being counted right now, but need to be added to the total amount.

So for all this US taxpayer money being spent, what exactly is the average American citizen (individual) getting out of the war in Iraq?

Nothing.

The fact that Saddam hanged for his crimes is meaningless to 99% of most Americans (only former Iraqi citizens who were oppressed get anything out of it).

There were no WMDs and Iraq never posed a serious threat to our soverneighty.

This is why Iraq is a lost cause. The average American isn't getting anything out of the war except trillions in debt that will have to be paid by future generations.

Answer 2

I'm not sure that the Iraq issue in general is a lost cause, but because the Iraqi's don't seem to want to find some middle ground on the whole land issue, it seems to most that the number of soldiers and iraqi civillians is too high for the amount of progress being made. If you consider the difference troops have made in Iraq so far, after so many years, it would take many more years in order for all the groups of people involved to resolve their issues. The culture in the United States is much more different from the culture in Iraq and it seems that they solve their issues differently than we do, because of that. My personal opinion is that, if we had planned more before we acted, Iraq, at this point, wouldn't be a lost cause and not so many hardworking and loyal soldiers would have died.

Answer 3

Our American Generals are brillant. The Politicians need to let them do there jobs, and stay out of the way. Now a days though, Generals basically are Politicians. Most of our Modern Generals/Admirals(Casey, Abizaid, Schoomaker, Petraus, Pace, Fallon, Mullen) are more political than anything. They are basically the Senators and Congressmen, but not of different States in the Union, more like the Senators of the Military bodies, which in retrospect could represent a body of people on the same level as the entire state of California. We have to recall when Clemseau once said about war. He said war was too important to be left to the Generals. And when he said that 200 years ago, he might have been right. But today? War is too important to be left to the politicians. They have neither the time, the training nor the inclincation for strategic thought.

Answer 4

First, find out why your life is a lost cause. Then worry about Iraq.

Answer 5

Fighting insurgencies takes 10-20 years. The military CAN win, if we are willing to pay the price in blood and $. Unfortunately it does not look like the majority of American voters is willing to do this.

Answer 6

There has yet to be a clear goal declared, from Bush. What is it he wants to accomplish? As long as that is not clear, you can't find a solution.

Answer 7

for liberals..absolutely..eventually the bill of goods theyve sold the american public about a quick fix to al qaeda will be found out and the days of the pelosi/reid regime will be over, thank god.

Answer 8

I thought you were the lost cause.

Answer 9

have to go with those above. guess you are the lost cause

Answer 10

Because you said so, perhaps?