Comments on: Iraq Panel Report Gets Varied Reaction

Lawmakers, White House And Troops React With Praise, Criticism And Skepticism

[feelfree1]

US8th_Hit,

Re: "If we retreat from Iraq, it will be a mistake that we will not live down for at least 100 years. Not facing our enemies now will cost many more lives in the future. Worse, all the live lost so far will have been for nothing!"

Go back 3 1/2 years, change your comment from, "If we retreat from Iraq" to "If we illegally invade Iraq", and I'd say that you hit the nail on the head!

[searingtruth]

Goodnight j. I've got to get back to work to so hopefully I'll see you again soon.
ST

"We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield."
George Orwell

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[j-whitman]

ST,, This wasn't the 1st experiment, nor will it be the last I'm afraid.. Our founding fathers also saw that & tried to solve the problem with our Constitution... As long as we have people who think like neo-con's, we will see it again... Time to cook dinner.. See you later.

There will always be wars and always be soldiers dying in them. The enemies that we do not destroy today, will rise up against us tomorrow. That is the nature and history of man. If we retreat from Iraq, it will be a mistake that we will not live down for at least 100 years. Not facing our enemies now will cost many more lives in the future. Worse, all the live lost so far will have been for nothing!

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War 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. To a hypothetical, I can answer, 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 that 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. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[searingtruth]

"... The Iraq conflict could end with a satisfactory result if the US military actively pursued a policy of ringing Iraq's cities (as Nigeria did to Biafra at Port Harcourt, Enugu and Uli during the Nigerian Civil War) instead of concentrating on holding city centers & fortifications. ..."
martinw9

I appreciate you forwarding a thoughtful option for military victory in Iraq. However fellow citizen, I just can't imagine it working.

First of all, sieges always affect the innocent to the same, and often greater, degree as the enemy one is attempting to defeat. If we want to create another 100,000 terrorists willing to destroy America at all costs, all we need do is ring some cities and cause the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people.

Second, the problem is that most of the people in Iraq want us out. The majority simply don't want an American type government. And again, killing more innocents are not going to make them want an American type government anymore.

We have purely and simply made an enormous and irrevocable mistake, and must stop allowing our soldiers to be killed for a cause that never existed.
ST

"This I hope will be the age of experiments in government, and that their basis will be founded in principles of honesty, not of mere force."
Thomas Jefferson, 1796

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[j-whitman]

Martin,, Our military is hurt seriously with the reduced training, unfunded & yet unrepaired equipment used & needed in Iraq. It will take the next 10 years to get things back to a point we can defend our nation against agressions from other nations.

[j-whitman]

The report does point out how completly out of touch this administration is with the affairs in the Middle East,, They aren't likely to change.

[martinw9]

It's strange posting advice where no-one who could affect the strategic bent of this conflict is likely to read, but now that someone is actually professing a willingness to look at new ideas...

The Iraq conflict could end with a satisfactory result if the US military actively pursued a policy of ringing Iraq's cities (as Nigeria did to Biafra at Port Harcourt, Enugu and Uli during the Nigerian Civil War) instead of concentrating on holding city centers & fortifications. This would not only have the effect of starving urban insurgents (and insurgent elements within the Iraqi military itself), but would crucially cut them from their rural kin. The underlying warlordism & extended family complicity has to be approached directly.

It would take about half the troop levels as the present strategy, bereft as it is of a house-to-house fighting context.

[martinw9]

It's strange posting advice where no-one who could affect the strategic bent of this conflict is likely to read, but now that someone is actually professing a willingness to look at new ideas...

The Iraq conflict could end with a satisfactory result if the US military actively pursued a policy of ringing Iraq's cities (as Nigeria did to Biafra at Port Harcourt, Enugu and Uli during the Nigerian Civil War) instead of concentrating on holding city centers & fortifications. This would not only have the effect of starving urban insurgents (and insurgent elements within the Iraqi military itself), but would crucially cut them from their rural kin. The underlying warlordism & extended family complicity has to be approached directly.

It would take about half the troop levels as the present strategy, bereft as it is of a house-to-house fighting context.

[j-whitman]

ST,, Useless indeed, I'm looking at how it's going to spin out these next few days,, In the mean time, Bush is destroying us with his trade activities.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War 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. To a hypothetical, I can answer, 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 that 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. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[searingtruth]

Goodnight wayfedup, have a good evening and keep in touch.
ST

"I was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear but with veneration and love."
George Washington, First Inaugural Address, April 30, 1789

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[searingtruth]

"ST,,, What's up ??"
j-whitman

I'm having a javascript program with our new Humanavance site so I'm "relaxing" on the forums for awhile while I try to figure out how to fix it ... at least that's my excuse if anyone asks!

Actually, I am having a JS problem and was just about to get back to it but since you guys are here I'm going to hang out a little while longer.

Can you believe this incredibley useless report? My goodness. "Stay the course but don't stay the course"? That's all I get out of it!
ST

"The value of liberty was thus enhanced in our estimation by the difficulty of its attainment, and the worth of characters appreciated by the trial of adversity."
George Washington, letter to the people of South Carolina, Circa 1790

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[j-whitman]

It would be great for him to find something else to copy/paste.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War 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. To a hypothetical, I can answer, 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 that 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. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[wayfedup]

ST... I GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN READ bushcock1's repetetive B.S., good evening to you and j-.

[j-whitman]

Way,,, Hell, Bush always had a long record of failures... It's amazing to hear these idiots spin this report into something they where going to try anyway... It's already too late.

[chitown639]

I agree with the comment by wayfedup at 08:30 PM.

Bushrock1 may be President Bush!!!! Although, in his message he didn't mention anything about, 'Stay The Course', or 'Cut And Run', or 'Mission Accomplished'. No wonder we can't get him banned from this site, he's the most powerful man on earth!!!

[wayfedup]

Bush has NEVER DONE ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!