Lindsey Graham. McCain, the other one, is dead now.
Because the Iranians, Russians and Chinese will fill that space when we leave....
The Kurds and Shia representatives boycotted the vote.
So you have a one-sided, minority vote to have US forces leave, close what the impeachment vote was in the House. And now the Iraqi government is backtracking.
POTUS could come out and say...."Pack it up, we're going home, NOW'....and all the talking heads would be chiming in about 'cut and run', and 'abandoning our allies'....bla, bla, bla, ad naseum.
We'll stay because we want the Iraqis to have a real opportunity at a real democracy, but first, we have to pop that zit next door.
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2020/01/07/iraq-backs-away-threats-expel-u-s-troops/
The Iraq government basically fell a month ago because of massive anti-Iran protests. But they also had to consider the strength of pro-Iranian militia, so they were caught between a rock and a hard place. Killing Soleimani actually did them an enormous favor, but they had to act outraged initially.
Strategic airports.
We need to stay there for the same sort of reason we are still in Germany.
Don’t forget Syria. They want us out, too
I am a conservative, not a neocon, and our continued entanglements/forays/debacles in that part of the world have not improved the lives of their citizens, or ours.
I voted for Trump because he said we would “bring our boys home”. I am disappointed he lied.
The Iraq ‘vote’ was dubious but nevertheless we are there to extract payment plan (Trump statement) and protect Israel from Iran incursion.
Iran is now focus.
Future layout:
Defeat Iran Regime and back internal uprising
* 90% Iranian people hate regime; it’s true, unarmed, can’t say anything. else dead
* US targets Regime leaders (already done) and sets condition (do not harm Americans)
* If Americans harmed, Regime will be terminated, destroyed
* If no Americans harmed, sanctions and internal uprising overthrow Regime
* When Iran Regime overthrown, convene political/economic recovery talks
* Include Iraq in regional settlement
* US begins exit of Iraq as stability progresses and oil taxes flow to US Treasury
Many are not prepared to accept yet that Deep State Obama-Biden-Kerry and others are aligned with Tehran Regime supporting (via 3rd parties) Regime actions against US; this now dribbling out and continue into next year.
Democrats want war:
* control narrative
* stop declassification
* stop prosecution of corruption (arms aid kickbacks; massive Iran deal corruption)
* jam information channel from revealing Iran received only $66 billion of $150 billion cash
Think we will actually see charges of treason. Not fantasy; plausible and probable when Iran Regime starts process of final belligerence (we see beginnings now) before death.
“Speaker Pelosi Threatens Possibility of Armed Conflict Against U.S. Department of Justice”
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/01/03/speaker-pelosi-threatens-possibility-of-armed-conflict-against-u-s-department-of-justice
What they’re thinking ........
Virginia gun confiscation is template; part of plan to neuter red region guns around DC (MD already neutered except for West MD which is sparse, not significant threat)
Hundreds of millions of guns in US don’t matter; number not important.
Guns around DC in surrounding region is important.
Pelosi to be President after Trump and Pence removed.
Dems establish ‘legal basis’ for holding presidency; order law enforcement and possible military (US Army/National Guard) crackdown.
Trump supporters in revolt; declared domestic terrorists; detained, arrested, imprisoned.
US shocked, world stunned.
Pelosi and Democrats through state media declare historic action was necessary to “save our democracy.”
((Who knows))
We are there because Cha-Ching!
Yer mom
I’m now waiting upon the iraqi parliament to swiftly pass a resolution calling for the ouster of all iranians and their militias from iraq because of their violation of iraqi territory and sovereignty!-)
My finance professor in business school called this the “sunk cost” fallacy.
We’ve invested trillions of $ and sacrificed thousands of lives in the Middle East, and if we pull up stakes and walk away, it would all be for nothing, right?
But according to sound investment theory, that thinking is irrational. What was invested in the past is completely irrelevant in making an investment decision. The question of whether or not to remain invested in an asset you already own is EXACTLY the same as the question of whether or not to invest in that asset today, if you don’t already own it.
For some reason it doesn’t feel that way though, and a lot of people choose to “go down with a sinking ship” because they invested so much in the past, and they don’t want it all to be for nothing.
Whenever the subject comes up of closing all the embassies and military bases and bringing everyone home from the Middle East, you hear about how many have died and were wounded in the past, how much was spent on the war effort and aid to our allies over the years, how much the embassies, landing strips and bases cost to build, etc.. You hear how much ground would be lost that we fought so long and hard to gain.
All of that SHOULD be irrelevant - the only question should be - what should we do right now? If we weren’t over there at all - no embassies, no bases, no troops - would we go? I think the answer is that we probably would not. Usually our justification for going is to defend our existing positions - our existing bases, embassies, etc..
Unfortunately, avoiding the “sunk cost” fallacy goes against human nature for most people - even the most disciplined among us are tempted to dwell on how much blood and treasure has been committed, and find it extremely hard to walk away.
And given that most people think that way, it is really tough for a politician to get a broad consensus for completely pulling out of foreign entanglements, even when they ran on that promise.
Look what happened when President Trump started talking about pulling 5K troops out of Syria. Almost everyone - even the most dovish of Democrats were suddenly war hawks and accused Trump of abandoning our allies to be slaughtered. When our troops are over there, the consensus is - “bring them home”. But as soon as Trump whispers a word about bringing troops home, the consensus is - “don’t you dare”.
Imagine President Trump’s present dilemma - he wants and deserves credit for eradicating ISIS. He ran on extracting the US from endless ME wars.
But at the same time, he knows the power vacuum from leaving the ME now would undo everything he achieved against ISIS overnight.
It’s a paradox every US President faces and one reason why the US still has a military presence almost everywhere we’ve ever fought - even a hundred years later.