I was watching Thomas Friedman on Imus this morning and they were discussing the Iraq war and how we never had enough troops on the ground to successfully rebuild. They both seemed to think as John Kerry had suggested, that if we threatened the Iraqi government with withdrawl, they would possibly kick it in gear and have some success.
I thought they were crazy and figured most people in the Iraqi government would say don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Well, some folks in the Iraqi Government feel that we stand between them and oblivion, and some feel that we are bringing the oblivion.

I think Bill Maher said it best: They're Middle Easterners. They live to bargain. You have to be willing to walk away before they grab your arm and say: for you my friend, I make deal.

When Newt Gingrich is saying that it was a mistake to occupy Iraq, etc..you gotta figure we are close to bailing.

So are they just going to wait until after they lose the mid-term election, and then blame the Democrats for withdrawl?

I read an analysis stating that it's going to be very difficult for the dems to take control of the house. Bush stated that troops are staying in Iraq at least through the end of his term. I say get the F out ASAP or hand the whole operation to the UN.

just like the president!

Only if they want to get pregnant.

Wouldn't happen, we shit the bed and now we have to lie in it. Besides the SC is a little more concerned with Iran right now. North Korea is probably pissed Iran knocked them off the front page.

The US is not going to lie in that bed for eternity. When bushco is out, all bets are off.

With Iran going nuke, it might not be so much of a threat to leave Iraq but a necessity to deal with bigger threats given that Ahmadinejad is a fanatic.

Here's hoping the UN actually does something significant with Iran...

Don't we have blackmail on this guy, considering this:



I don't recall the Muslim community being too keen on teh ghey.

Here is what I think will happen, for what's its worth. I believe, IMHO, that will have a troop presence in Iraq for at least 10 years at a minimum. We will draw back troops, which has already started, but will maintain forces here much like we do in South Korea. With the exception of Vietnam, the US military has maintained a presence in every major conflict we have been involved since WWII. To think this will be any different is naive. Sure if the Democrats take control of the Senate and the House, things might be different but I don't think that will happen. I think to withdrawn now would be be a mistake, but I'm just an enlisted soldier, so it doersn't matter what I think anyway. I don't make the policy, I just enforce them. I have been in the military for almost 17 years and over here in Iraq for about six months now. Being over here gives one a different perspective on things. You change can see changes, both positive and negative, and are not limited on what the media thinks is 'news worthy' , hense actually getting reported. I try to stay unbias and not choose an side. But for what I'm seeing 'in country' , we're gonna be here for a while.