Comments on: U.S. Death Toll In Iraq Passes 3,000

Texas Specialist Killed By Small Arms Fire Last Week; Caps Deadliest Month Of 2006

[heetseeker]

thgdriver

I was genuinely not trying to be awkward. I was just trying to balance the argument. There has clearly been too much happy talk from the administration about Iraq, but the fact remains that there are mountains to climb.

As for my plan to fix it. My view is simple, regarding troop casualties, if (as some suggest) we are successful at training Iraqi forces, then we need to stand them up to fight for their own country. It is their Iraq and their legacy not ours. The more Iraqi's that are visible the less visible US troops will be. Eventually we will be "invisible" and out of there altogether.

We also need to set clear benchmarks for our continued support. As a commentator recently put it, "we cannot continue to offer our first choice young men and women, for the second choice of Iraqis." We should support the Iraqi's but only if they are prepared to make the hard choices needed to secure the sustainability of their own nation. Key to this is dismantling of the militias.

As the government takes the steps that any effective government needs to take, it will gradually win the confidence of its people.

[thgdriver]

heetseeker

What is your "plan" to fix your list of 16?

[thgdriver]

jn122736 well?

So, you want me to do as you "say" or do as you "do"??

I am waiting for a reply.

[heetseeker]

Tank611

Great post!! Now try these measures:

1. US troop casualties (hostile fire)
2. US troop casualties (maimed/mentally ill)
3. Attacks on US troops(monthly measure)
4. US troop levels
5. Iraqi troop casualties
6. Attacks on Iraqi troops (monthly measure)
7. Oil output (measure of economic stability)
8. Attacks on oil pipe-lines
9. Emigration levels
10.Sectarian attacks
11.Casualties from sectarian attacks
12.Kidnappings
13.%age of Iraqi's satisfied with their government's performance
14.%age of Iraqi's expressing optimism about the future?
15.Life expectancy
16.Infant mortality

[thgdriver]

jn122736

You are still confused, I was talking about "enemy soldiers" dying for their contries in any war, not necessarly this one.

hope this helps.

[heetseeker]

patriotic9

Yes I agree with you and fully understand the concept of "borderless threats."

As you suggest the home-grown threat poses a real problem for us. My initial comment was in response to a question regarding a nuclear war fought by nations, through proxies.

[thgdriver]

Tank611

Great post, but I think the truth sometimes is wasted here.

[thgdriver]

Look who is calling the kettle black!!

Remember this cut off Quote??

Quote: "When Iran/Syria move into Iraq after we leave, as most of you seem to want, and then move on Saudi arabia and the rest, a much larger conflict will brake out. When it does%u201D

So, you want me to do as you "say" or do as you "do"??

[tank611]

QUOTE:

'even the most devout Bush supporter would hopefully agree now--is an abject failure when it comes to military matters'

Failure? The Iraq war has been a string of successes:

Success- invasion of Iraq
Success- destruction of Iraq's armed forces
Success- occupation of Iraq's capitol city
Success- occupation of all of Iraq
Success- removal of Iraq's government
Success- free elections
Success- capture of Saddam Hussein
Success- death of Uday and Qusay Hussein
Success- death of Al-Zarqawi
Success- capture of 50 out 55 on Iraq's 'Most Wanted' list
Success- introduction of new Iraqi currency
Success- formation of the new Iraqi Army
Success- Iraqi army operates independantly
Success- more free elections
Success- formation of new Iraqi government
Success- restoring electicity levels to pre-war conditions
Success- more free elections
Success- 85% of eligible voters voted in the most recent election

[thgdriver]

Presumably, we would then declare war on that nation. But is that not obvious?

Seems obvious to me, I'll save your answer to my question, for future debate.

Thanks.