Comments on: Pentagon Reviewing Three Plans For Iraq

Options Dubbed 'Go Big,' 'Go Long' & 'Go Home'; Congressman Proposes Fourth Option

[kwch]

Similiar to Tibu, I think we should scale down the number of forces present but get them out of the line of fire. They don't need to be the ones going house to house. Set up and maintain a number of bases where we can continue training Iraqi forces. We can also provide air support when necessary for these forces. We will still suffer some loses but we can do all in our power to minimize them.

[gunnerv1]

Works for me, BUT, they are still coming for us (U.S.).

[pshaw9]

Partition. Its what nobody wants and what everyone's actions will bring about. Just face facts. Iraq was never a country. Sort of like Yuogslavia before the war. Disparate factions held togeather by an iron fist. Reward our friends, screw our enemies, arm everyone to the teeth,declare victory, stand aside and watch our them kill each other.Its what going to happen anyway. Sound like a plan?

[gunnerv1]

Paper Tigers one and all!

[firststate]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/military/july-dec06/abizaid_11-15.html contains a portion of the transcript of General Abizaid's Q&A segment.
SEN. JACK REED (D), Rhode Island: General Abizaid, how much time do you think we have to bring down the level of violence in Baghdad before we reach some type of tipping point where it accelerates beyond the control of even the Iraqi government?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID: I think it needs to be brought down within the next several months.

SEN. JACK REED: Ninety days, 60 days?

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID: Four to six months.

If it isn't under control within 4-6 months, we will have reached the point of diminishing returns or unbridled civil war, so we should start to get out. If it is under control in that period, things will be so much better that we can start to get out. So, either way we should plan on starting to get our troops out in 4-6 months.

[tibu987]

My plan would be to leave enough troops there in an enclosure protecting the Embassy and airport, say 10,000(+or-) troops, equipped with the best military materiel.
In addition to guarding our interests they could train Iraqi police and soldiers.
They would never be involved in any altercations outside the perimeter of their base.
Whatever goes on outside their base is the rresponsibility of the Iraqi's.
Stop paying Halliburton and Bechtel completely.
Independent contractors can be called in when and if possible.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to WW II? Or Vietnam? Maybe you would distinguish those conflicts and whether you would send your son to fight in them. But that question is misdirected in a very important way: I can't command my son to go to war. He has to make that choice. So the better question would be: would I volunteer to fight in Iraq, WW II, Vietnam? Would I volunteer to fight in any war? Respond if drafted? I don%u2019t know. I'm not equivocating, only addressing that it is a hypothetical. As a hypothetical, I can say, sure I'd fight. But I have nightmares of battle (from my past life as a Jacobite). So how do I feel toward those who do volunteer? Impressed and maturely knowing that many things go into their decision. But I do strongly believe that a country who can't find those men is doomed. The fact that we can find them is one reason why I say there is no failure in Iraq. Objectively, I also believe it for other reasons. An attempt to establish democracy in the Middle East is a bold, brilliant, noble effort, facing a high chance of failure. That's why I greatly respect and admire those who have made the attempt--the Bush administration. They have been resolute, something I have not seen in my lifetime. They may not succeed, for reasons outside their control or fault: traitors on the home front, being a big one. But now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?... I'm waiting.

[houser123]

While we debate, good people are dying. There are "NO" easy solutions to this war that 'BUSH" the decider placed our nation into. What we do know is that any choice we make will have consequences and none of these are good. This is just an awful mess our leaders have gotten us involved. The elected Iraqi govenment and its people have to take the lead now and into the future. Some believe the war will follow us to our shores. The with that premise is that it cannot no longer be sold.

[gunnerv1]

And now the whole world will know that we really are "Paper Tigers". It a WAR, Idiot's, people die wars, get over it and grow the F*** up or shut up and sit down! I was ready for my Country from '64 to '86, that's the problem with America, we'er not a stand up kinda country anymore.

[gunnerv1]

I want cut and run, I want cut and run, I want cut and run, I want cut and run, I want cut and run! and lets bring the war back here, because you want to know something my little children, it's coming if you like it or not. Be prepared for the first "Mushroom Cloud" on the horizon and don't say you wasn't warned! Be afraid, be very afraid.

[frankly6]

fartknocker2

Do you ever do anything more than rant in here?

[frankly6]

After their resounding election defeat the biggest question at the white house is, "how do we sell the status quo when the American public has clearly lost faith in it."


Answer: Just change the bumper sticker from "Stay The Course" to "Go Long"


If they really new what they were doing here they'd sit down and negotiate with Iran and Syria for the stabilization of Iraq. Then we could start to ratchet down our forces. I don't think they'll do it because of their arrogance and stupidity.

[frankly6]

Here's the latest on the three plans Bush will put forward on Iraq:

1. Stay

2. The

3. Course


It will be repackaged into "Go Long"


I love the way these things fit on a bumper sticker. Makes it easier for most Republicans to digest.

[frankly6]

Many experts now agree that Iran and Syria hold the keys to begining to stabalize Iraq. But the Bush administration has been openly hostil towards them from the beginning even when they have made conciliatory gestures to normalise relations.

In May 2003, for example, Iran offered to open up its nuclear programme, rein in Hezbollah and co-operate against al-Qaeda, but was reportedly rebuffed as the insistence of former Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice-President *** Cheney.

Since then, an extremely right-wing Iranian president has been elected and things have gotten increasingly tense.

We need real leadership and vision now and it seems to be in short supply from this administration.

[grumpas]

When are these jackasses going to get off of their "Iran is a big threat" kick and start dealing with the mess they have created in Iraq! It isn't going away because they choose to ignore it! We all know Iran is a bigger threat than Iraq ever thought about being! But, Bush had the hots for Saddam Hussein so he chose Iraq instead! As a result, he has us in a war there is going to be no graceful or peaceful end to! Invading another Arab country (Iran) is pure insanity! Increasing troop strength is only going to make Iran and other Arab countries in the region more nervous and rightfully so! This whole mess is da jevu all over again! They came up with the same inane reasons in Viet Nam to keep it going! That mess lasted a good 10 years or more and cost a 100,000 war dead! I can see only one way out now! Just leave! True it's probably going to be a blood-bath! But, it is anyway! Most of this mess the American people allowed to happen! Bush fed shamefully on people's fears to further his agenda in Iraq! They were in to big of a rush to get even with someone for 9/11! Even if it was the wrong country! Now we are in a no win situation that more troops is not going to help! He should have done that to begin with! I don't think there is anything shameful about "cutting and running" especially when it has been mucked up as badly as this war has! Let your elected reps know how you feel about more troops!

[patriotic9]

Why should Iraqis and rest of Arabs trust us in our claim of spreading democracy and freedom in MIDDLE EAST when our govt fully support the occupation of an ARAB land by those foreigners who were brought in their land from different EUROPEAN COUNTRIES after WWII to occupy their land by force,when those poor Palestinians had nothing to do with the CRIMES and ATROCITIES commited by HITLER.
Problem is that,the RADICAL CHRISTIAN ENEMIES of UNITED STATES won't let U.S foreing policies to be based on the AMERICAN INTERESTS and the WELL BEING of AMERICAN PEOPLE.They don't care if USA gets destroyed in the process of protecting ISRAEL as ISRAEL is a HOLY LAND whereas UNITED STATES is an UNHOLY LAND.They won't care about the lives of AMERICANS being lost as AMERICANS are GOD-NEGLECTED,they only care about protecting the lives of GOD-CHOSEN NON AMERICAN EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE.If GOD has not CHOSEN Americans,are we BETTER THEN GOD.They won't care about the UNHOLY CONSTITUTION which separates CHURCH from STATE.They care about the HOLY BIBLE which discriminates me and my fellow AMERICANS by not promising us a SINGLE penny and promising NON-AMERICANS a LAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

[patriotic9]

Pentagon should get advise from PET ROBERTSON and JOHN HAGEE who were the best supporters of this CRUSADE started by BUSH &CO.
This war was started on the basis of BIBLICAL PROPHECIES which have been proven FLAT WRONG.This war didn't bring CHRIST back in the world but has made ISLAMIC RADICAL so powerfull like they were never before.
CHRISTIANITY and BIBLE were proven wrong that day when thousands of fellow AMERICANS were killed in WORLD TRADE CENTER because of their TAX MONEY going to the EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE becasue BIBLE had said"GOD BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS ISRAEL".
Was it a blessing for my fellow AMERICANS to jump out of 100th level of WORLD TRADE CENTER BUILDING.
The only key to success in MIDDLE EAST for us is to denounce the RADICAL,RACIST,UNJUST,THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD BACKWARD CHRISTIANITY according to which human beings have not been created equally.All the human beings living in the world are GOD-NEGLECTED PEOPLE because of not being born in a RACE CHOSEN by GOD so they've not been promised a SINGLE PENNY from the RACIST GOD,whereas EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE are GOD-CHOSEN and have been promised a LAND IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

[mjv2944]

McCain seems to be preaching the old "domino" theory that got us in trouble in Vietnam. uxojerry, don't give Iran so much credit, it don't take much to outsmart Dubya and his band of merry zeros. Turn it all over to the Iraqi's and let the best tribe win.

[patriotic9]

McCain said
"You could see Iran posses a great threat to the state of Israel"
Is this war about the protection of United States and her people or about the ILLEGITIMATE and UNJUSTIFIED state of ISRAEL.What American interests are served by the EXISTANCE OF ISRAEL on the world map?We were attacked on 9/11 and lost thousands of our citizens because of their tax money going to help the EUROPEAN INVADERS IN PALESTINE,but RADICAL CHRISTIAN ENEMIES of UNITED STATES still don't care about UNHOLY LAND UNITED STATES but care about the HOLDY LAND ISRAEL.
After losing IRAQ war which was started on the basis of CHRISTIANITY and the sole purpose of which was to help the 2nd coming of CHRIST,RADICAL CHRISTIANS should stop involvement of CHRISTIANITY into U.S politics according to which the purpose of the creation of GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICAN LIVES is to be the SERVENTS,SLAVES and PROTECTORS of those GOD-CHOSEN NON-AMERICANS who are CHOSEN by a RACIST GOD becasue of the RACE or FAMILY THEY ARE BORN IN.
If we Americans don't raise our voices against the RACIST and UNJUST CHRISTIANITY now,nobody else us will be responsible for our DEATHS and DESTRUCTION.

[uxojerry]

Iran outsmarted the Bush administration from day one. They conviced enemy number 1 to invade enemy number 2 by playing on our arrogance and insecurities. Without firing a shot, Iran is poised to control much of the middle east and most of it's oil. We can fix this situation by moving most or our forces to the borders of Iraq with the bulk facing the Iranins to the east. If Iraq wants a civil war so be it. We can prevent outside interference at the borders and be prepared to invade Iran if necessary. It is time for this game of chicken to begin. If we go home, we will return shortly to WWIII.