...Let’s hope it’s not a loss or defeat...
Hundreds of billions invested, thousands of lives cost.
Key strategic terrain between Iran and Syria.
Critical to the GWOT where it serves as a $hit magnet.
At this point near stabilized, with casualties low.
Vital to our nation and the greater Western hemisphere because of its oil reserves.
Long term more promising to have a positive outcome than Afghanistan because in Iraq they do have something that can sustain an economy, oil. They did have some existing infrastructure, they did have a real functional bureaucracy and they are more world open and educated on average than in Afghanistan.
The consequences of failure include 26 million Iraqi’s that get thrown under the bus.
Iran gaining power in the region by spreading into Iraq’s south.
Shaken trust in that the US has the willpower to see anything through and a reluctance for commitment in the future. With this you’ll also see other middle eastern nations like Qatar, UAE, etc be more “accommodating” to Iran because they see them as the regional power house and our decline in influence.
But........ it sounded good during the elections.
Engame? I thought we were in a “quagmire”?
The Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) portends victory. Iraq and U.S. as two sovereign, and coequal countries agreed on ways forward implementing U.N. principles and purposes. Iraqi pragmatic evaluations of conditions lead talks for disengagement: not U.S. election cycle driven timelines.
General Petraeus testified the surge would execute proven counterinsurgency tactics “to improve the security for the people of Iraq in order to give Iraqi leaders the time and space they need to come to grips with tough political issues”. Throughout 2008 Iraqi people and leaders experienced deliverance from lives dominated by assassins stalking them and their families. They witnessed national institution ascendance in providing personal and material security.
Persistence for Iraq representative government thwarted al Qaeda determination that Babylon becomes the Caliphate rallying point. In Iraq, U.S. earned credibility as a counter force to all horrid factions applying murderous coercion when striving to dominate African, Oriental, and Asian politics.
Invigorating new allies’ confrontational initiatives brings Global War on Terror victory by frustrating plans, breaking alliances, and fracturing jihadist organizations into ever less effective units. Without cities, countries or armies bin Laden, successor sociopath prophets, and tyrants they empower only dream of conquest as they suffer unnaturally shortened lives as pariahs.
Yet administration leaders Obama, Biden and Clinton voted for removing most troops by April 2008, and preventing this victory. Their behavior portends traditional ally abandonment. Their actions portend escaping commitment, and reviving self-congratulatory righteousness within elegant foreign policies redefining national interest, proportional response, multi-lateralism, re-deployment and exit strategy.
Very good thread. Intelligent, incisive opinions, and, thought provoking.
Thanks.