The problem is we aren’t going to “save” the Kurds either we’re going to do to them what we’ve done before, we’ll stop support to early and leave them in the lurch. Especially with this president in charge.
You were right in saying we pulled out if Iraq too early and that’s my point here. That wasn’t Bush’s idea though as far as I know. Bush said near the end if his presidency that a status of forces agreement was vital for keeping Iraq stable. He left office before the negotiations for it and Obummer screwed that up too.
Again, this is the basic problem with our foreign policy: we aren’t consistent because we elect hawks one time (or two) then doves then hawks again etc. what does this do? It makes us half committed at best to wars we involve ourselves in. It’s been this way since WWII.
This is the problem. We need to decide as a nation once and for all if we are going to listen to Ron Paul and his isolationist ilk or not, and stick with the same policy for decades at least. There is no being “half-right” when it comes to foreign policy.
Appoint a military governor to rule Iraq until we decide that Iraqis are capable of self rule (no time table).
Take the oil fields an use the $$$$ to fund the occupation plus a little for the cost of the war.
Insurgents face summery execution if captured alive.
Any all uprisings against US rule are put down with overwhelming force via US air power or artillery. Ground troops for "mopping up" only.
Only allow approved friendly media into Iraq.
Put ordinary Iraqis to work building infrastructure.
Put former military Iraqis to work doing LE.
Insure equal rights for women and an education for girls.
Insure religious freedom for all
Allow Kurds to mostly govern themselves until an all inclusive government can the formed.
Make sure everyone that works/goes to school etc, has food and clean water.
The carrot, you play ball with the US you have plenty to eat and a few bucks in your pocket.
The stick, You oppose the US and you die, period, no exceptions.