Originally posted by: dexvx
Hard to say. I think it'd just break into Civil War, with the Kurds declaring independance. The rest of Iraq will probably degrade into a state of poverty and civil strife on par with Somalia, with Islamic Fundies in control and an Al Qaeda breeding ground.
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
Originally posted by: Aimster
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
you really think?
Whoever makes that decision will be blammed by the other side for turning Iraq into the worst place on Earth
Originally posted by: ProfJohn
I think the people who are making these types of decisions are going to do a better job at looking at the long term political implications of any decision than those of us on these boards.
The easy thing to do would be the bring the troops home now, but they understand that a short term solution like that would be a disaster to the US in the long term and therefore resist the easy way out.
Finally, even if the Democrats do take over I doubt we will see a change in the way Iraq is handled. History shows us that Presidents often run on one platform and then follow a different path once in office, especially in foreign affairs. Both Clinton and Bush said they would never get involved in ?nation building? and yet that is essentially what they both did in Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. It is much easier to campaign against a strategy when you are not response for what happens than it is to actually change plans once in power.
As for a direct answer, I think we will be there in a much reduced fashion helping to provide support to the Iraqi people and army. We will also use our presence there to act as a counter balance to Iran and its dreams of Middle East dominance. Hopefully, with in the next year or two the Iraq army and polices forces will be strong enough to take on and stop the insurgency themselves and once the insurgency is gone al-Qaida should follow.
Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
US forgets any hope of a unified Iraq, splits the country into three nations: one for the kurds, one for the sunni, one for the shiite. THen, leave the place and let the three new countries fight each other for the next 50 years while selling all three sides weapons and ammo in exchange for oil to help pay off the first invasion.
Did you read the NIE that was released? The whole thing, not just the bits and pieces that were posted on this board?Originally posted by: Blackjack2000
Originally posted by: ProfJohn
I think the people who are making these types of decisions are going to do a better job at looking at the long term political implications of any decision than those of us on these boards.
I wonder what decisions they've made so far that are giving you this confidence. Frightening.
The easy thing to do would be the bring the troops home now, but they understand that a short term solution like that would be a disaster to the US in the long term and therefore resist the easy way out.
It is equally easy for those in power to bring them home now or leave them to die.
andThe Iraq conflict has become the cause celebre for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement. Should jihadists leaving Iraq perceive themselves, and be perceived, to have failed, we judge fewer fighters will be inspired to carry on the fight.
Those two sections state the long term goals and objectives of our campaign in Iraq.If democratic reform efforts in Muslim majority nations progress over the next five years, political participation probably would drive a wedge between intransigent extremists and groups willing to use the political process to achieve their local objectives. Nonetheless, attendant reforms and potentially destabilizing transitions will create new opportunities for jihadists to exploit.
Originally posted by: Aimster
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
you really think?
Whoever makes that decision will be blammed by the other side for turning Iraq into the worst place on Earth
Originally posted by: Aimster
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
you really think?
Whoever makes that decision will be blammed by the other side for turning Iraq into the worst place on Earth
Originally posted by: Aimster
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
you really think?
Whoever makes that decision will be blammed by the other side for turning Iraq into the worst place on Earth
Originally posted by: Corbett
Originally posted by: Aimster
Originally posted by: bctbct
US will be gone before 5 years so I dont care.
you really think?
Whoever makes that decision will be blammed by the other side for turning Iraq into the worst place on Earth
That's why we stay there until the country is stable.