If you were Commander in Chief.

[oldman420]

I would not have invaded but assuming that I did I would have.

1, Sealed the borders before the WMD and cash could get out, and before the insurgents could get in.

2, Instituted a program where civilians could get large cash rewards for turning in terrorists and criminals.

3, Made it top priority to repair infrastructure and hospital and school facilities.

4, Not assumed the Iraqi's want democracy and try to find a more realistic approach to government, tailored to the people that it represents.

5, Provided not just an adequate troop level but an overwhelming one, and sustained it.

Did I mention I would have NOT invaded?

 

[chrisms]

Point #1 and #5 of yours basically sums it up. I would've sent in way more troops in order to seal the borders, and also provide more security so the insurgency could never have gained support or become organized.

 

[daveshel]

I would have handled my reasons for going to war with a good deal more candor than has the curent commander.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

I would have not gone.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: oldman420
I would not have invaded but assuming that I did I would have.

1, Sealed the borders before the WMD and cash could get out, and before the insurgents could get in.

2, Instituted a program where civilians could get large cash rewards for turning in terrorists and criminals.

3, Made it top priority to repair infrastructure and hospital and school facilities.

4, Not assumed the Iraqi's want democracy and try to find a more realistic approach to government, tailored to the people that it represents.

5, Provided not just an adequate troop level but an overwhelming one, and sustained it.

Did I mention I would have NOT invaded?

How exactly are you gonna waltz into a hostile country, and 'repair infrastructure and hospital and school facilities' without an invading force?

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: oldman420
1, Sealed the borders before the WMD and cash could get out, and before the insurgents could get in.

How would you seal the borders? We can't even seal the borders now....

 

[rickn]

BANNED embedded reporters

 

[daveshel]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: oldman420
1, Sealed the borders before the WMD and cash could get out, and before the insurgents could get in.

How would you seal the borders? We can't even seal the borders now....

Those are some pretty big borders. And we don't seem to be too good at that anyway. I live 60 miles from one that is not too well sealed.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: rickn
BANNED embedded reporters

What was the problem there?

David Bloom lost his life just like our Military covering the story.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
I would have not gone.

Exactly.

Would've turned up the screws as far as isolating the guy from the outside world. Apply pressure on our "so called allies" like France that was illegally funding Saddam for the Oil.

There were a lot more problems than just Saddam claiming he had Nukes.

 

[daveshel]

The more I think about it - IF Bush had been up front about his reasons for going to war and the PNAC, a lot of the people who support him because they always support Republicans or on the basis of his stance on abortion, these and maybe some others would still support him. And if he had been up front in the first place, he would not have lost the people who were in the middle but now support Kerry because of Bush's lack of candor, Bush would probably be in a better position now.

 

[piasabird]

I was against the war in Iraq.

Instead of a War with Iraq, I would have pulled all our people out of Saudia Arabia and gotten the hell out of the middle east. I also would have ended the Firest IRAQ war and called for and end of Sanctions and the Food for Oil Program.

I feel that the middle east does not like intervention from western American and European countries.

I also feel we should quit supporting Isreal and demand that all muslim nations quit supporting the palestinians. Let them kill each other in that region for all I care. If we withdraw our funding the Muslim countries will see we are really serious.

Force the US Oil and Gas Industry to adopt Hydrogen as a fuel source so we can tell the middle east to just go to hell.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: rickn
BANNED embedded reporters

What was the problem there?

David Bloom lost his life just like our Military covering the story.

to much rhetoric and headline grabbing, not enough substance.

 

[sandorski]

Let the Inspectors do their job.

 

[miketheidiot]

I would have taken our military out of the middleeast and ended the sanctions.

 

[imported_Sasha]

Originally posted by: piasabird
I was against the war in Iraq.

Instead of a War with Iraq, I would have pulled all our people out of Saudia Arabia and gotten the hell out of the middle east. I also would have ended the Firest IRAQ war and called for and end of Sanctions and the Food for Oil Program.

I feel that the middle east does not like intervention from western American and European countries.

I also feel we should quit supporting Isreal and demand that all muslim nations quit supporting the palestinians. Let them kill each other in that region for all I care. If we withdraw our funding the Muslim countries will see we are really serious.

Force the US Oil and Gas Industry to adopt Hydrogen as a fuel source so we can tell the middle east to just go to hell.

Well, you could lead the way. Come on, step up to the plate. Maybe you could corner the market on Hydrogen production!

I thought so.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: oldman420
2, Instituted a program where civilians could get large cash rewards for turning in terrorists and criminals.

This policy is instituted and has been shown to have led to the wrongful internment of several at Gitmo, who have been subsequently released. It's a double-edged sword.

For everyone who says they would have ended sanctions, have you read all the reports that tell you that this is exactly what Saddam was waiting for before reconstituting his weapons programs?

I, for myself, don't consider myself knowledgeable enough about the workings of our military and such to second-guess the relevant experts in these fields. IMO, our generals, who made these decisions, are much more qualified than anyone here to make them. And it was the generals that made these decisions - not Bush, which is as it should be.

 

[judasmachine]

This is an impossible question as we are not privvy to all the info. And we all know that info was bunk, now. But I tend to think (Just my opinion) that Saddam could have been put back on the leash that we bought to have him on in the first place. I don't claim to have the answer to this but I think I would have worried a little more about real terrorists, and would have made that my central theme, and strengthened our alliances towards that goal.

 

[jjzelinski]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard

Originally posted by: oldman420
2, Instituted a program where civilians could get large cash rewards for turning in terrorists and criminals.

This policy is instituted and has been shown to have led to the wrongful internment of several at Gitmo, who have been subsequently released. It's a double-edged sword.

For everyone who says they would have ended sanctions, have you read all the reports that tell you that this is exactly what Saddam was waiting for before reconstituting his weapons programs?

I, for myself, don't consider myself knowledgeable enough about the workings of our military and such to second-guess the relevant experts in these fields. IMO, our generals, who made these decisions, are much more qualified than anyone here to make them. And it was the generals that made these decisions - not Bush, which is as it should be.

Ok, it's really simple. This administration believed our troops would be greeted with cheers and roads paved with flowers. They took a gamble on troop strength based on that premise and put the lives of our troops and the security of the nation we came to liberate at risk. They rolled snake eyes. That, in and of itself, is such an enoromous miscalulaiton that the entire defense cabinet should've been canned if not necessitate the demand for W's resignation.

 

[TuxDave]

I would first send some people to harvest oil. Then hire a couple more people to start building barracks and farms. Once I churn out enough soldiers, Iraq will be pwnz0r'd by my footsoldier rush.

 

[LunarRay]

The UN is the proper forum when dealing with sovereign nations. Iraq was at the time of 1441 and the failed US draft resolution... sovereign.

As the CinC, I'd have pushed my Agenda using my best efforts. My Agenda would not have been the same as the current Administration's, however!

 

[judasmachine]

Oh wait I do have a solution! Go to Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, and start the world's largest Slant Drilling operation.

 

[CycloWizard]

Originally posted by: jjzelinski
Ok, it's really simple. This administration believed our troops would be greeted with cheers and roads paved with flowers. They took a gamble on troop strength based on that premise and put the lives of our troops and the security of the nation we came to liberate at risk. They rolled snake eyes. That, in and of itself, is such an enoromous miscalulaiton that the entire defense cabinet should've been canned if not necessitate the demand for W's resignation.

The generals, who are the relevant decision-makers, have still not called for more troops. Doesn't this shoot holes in your theory? Franks, the man in charge, has repeatedly stated that he has everything he wants/needs for the situation at hand. I don't deem to second-guess the world's preeminent general in military matters - do you?

Originally posted by: TuxDave
I would first send some people to harvest oil. Then hire a couple more people to start building barracks and farms. Once I churn out enough soldiers, Iraq will be pwnz0r'd by my footsoldier rush.

Command and Conquer - Real Life?

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Oh wait I do have a solution! Go to Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, and start the world's largest Slant Drilling operation.

:beer:

 

[KenSr]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
I would have not gone.

Exactly.

Would've turned up the screws as far as isolating the guy from the outside world. Apply pressure on our "so called allies" like France that was illegally funding Saddam for the Oil.

There were a lot more problems than just Saddam claiming he had Nukes.

#1 Kept sanctions on, but altered them.

#2 Maintained the no fly zones or enlarged them.

#3 Allowed the UN inspectors to do there job, Used whatever force necessary to protect them and allow them to monitor the country as a whole not just look for WMD's

#4 Earned the respect and trust of the people instead of trying to demand it.

Just KenSr's two cents worth.

 

[GoPackGo]

How would I have have handled Iraq?

I would have sent in commandos to take out Saddam and his boys...

then let the chips fall where they may.