Would a withdrawl time table in Iraq boost troop morale?

[her209]

Boost / Indifferent / Lower

Pick one.

 

[dullard]

Initially it would be a big boost in my opinion. People just coming back from Iraq may realize that they probably won't have to go back. That can be a major morale boost.

But as this is an impossible mission (see history for examples), the timeline will be repeatedly pushed back. As the goals are repeatedly missed and the people have to go back to Iraq for multiple times, morale would be worse than if we never set a timeline.

 

[umbrella39]

Originally posted by: her209
Boost / Indifferent / Lower

Pick one.

It does not really matter IMO. They have already been made very aware by their CIC that to give any sort of time table is bad because all the insugents need to do is wait it out. Wait out what? They aren't waiting for us to leave so they can establish some new government in our absence. They just want us to leave, PERIOD. Of course a time table would boost moral if it were a small window. If the time table was 15 years from now, I can bet that would lower morale.

 

[Stunt]

Boost, but if they are there past the deadline, it would absolutely plummet.

 

[cwjerome]

The morale isn't a problem right now anyway.

Setting an artificial deadline is a baseless feel-good measure.

 

[Praetorian7]

as a soldier who deployed there recently i can tell u setting times and dates are a bad thing. nothing ever happens "on time" or "as planned" in the military. could you imagine telling all those troops there was time table and then it got pushed back, delayed, etc?

 

[NeenerNeener]

It would be nice if there were some sort of solid goal. No, instilling a democracy is not a solid goal. Many are adding to the insurgency from outside the country, just because we are there to lob mortars at. I suppose the only way for us to leave without the place descending into a civil war is to train the Iraqi soldiers to defend the Green Zone. Then at least the representative government would have a chance. The Iraqi security forces need to be percieved as fighting for Iraq and not for the U.S. I don't think that can happen while we're there. Just my opinion.

 

[maddogchen]

lower. especially if you're stuck there till the end. wondering why we should go on patrol, we'll be gone next month, why risk getting killed for this; or wondering why we're leaving when we haven't finished everything.

as for the morale boost of people who don't have to go back. thats not relevant. its the morale of the troops that are there that matters the most.

deadlines are bad. IMO.