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I know exactly what is the goal of islamic jihadists and their dream to establish an islamic empire that rule the world by the Sharia law. My point is that once we defeat them in Iraq, right in the heart of the Middle East and the Arab world, we will crush their ability to establish and fulfill their islamic empire. The islamic terrorists have thrown everything they have in Iraq, if they cannot establish their islamic empire starting in Iraq, it is over for them for many decades if not centuries to come. That is why the winning in the Iraqi theater of war is incredibly important to win the overall war on terror.

That is why the winning in the Iraqi theater of war is incredibly important to win the overall war on terror.

I'm afraid it's more complicated than that. Yes, victory in Iraq is necessary to maintain the credibility of the West; however, it is not the end of the matter. Iran is a wellspring of terrorism; the madrassas in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia spew hatred.

Defeat of the Islamists will take a long time, because it requires more than military victory - their ideas must be proven failures. We can take steps towards this - we should win in Iraq, yes, but additionally, we need to stop being dependent on the Middle East for energy. A sensible policy of building nuclear power stations and reducing consumption of petrol by encouraging the use of diesel is a start towards this. The long term effect would be to rob Islamists of the money to wage war and to show that Islamism provides neither prosperity nor stability.

The one final comment I would add: FreeRepublic has had a lot of bitterness and anger lately. People need to shake off their grudges, be calm and unite - we can be sure that in their lust for power, the Democrats will come together - a fractured conservative movement will not help.

Regards, Ivan

"I know exactly what is the goal of islamic jihadists and their dream to establish an islamic empire that rule the world by the Sharia law. My point is that once we defeat them in Iraq, right in the heart of the Middle East and the Arab world, we will crush their ability to establish and fulfill their islamic empire."

I understand your point, my response is that you have nothing to support this position other than wishful thinking. Iraq is not the heart of the Middle East but just another chess player on the board. Believing the entire worldwide jihadist movement revolves around Iraq is a dangerous miscalculation of the circumstances.

"The islamic terrorists have thrown everything they have in Iraq..."

Baloney. They have shipped in a bunch of religiuos zealots
willing to "die for Allah" and trapped a bomb on their chests. Their goal is not to defeat the US per se, it is to make the situation so unpalatable (and using the US political situation and media) that we pack up and go home. This IS how they define victory.

The Iraqi government is already compromised and no matter what shape we leave them in it will take Iran less than five years to make Iraq a de facto satellite state with control of the oil fields. That is unless the Sunni states like Saudi Arabia find an Iranian dominated state unthinkable.

One only has to see the Iraqi response to our assault on the Iranian "diplomatic mission" to understand which direction the Iraqi government is going and will go once we leave.

"...if they cannot establish their islamic empire starting in Iraq, it is over for them for many decades if not centuries to come."

Centuries? Right now all I see are the Shiites and Sunnis fighting to decide WHO is going to establish the "islamic empire" once we leave.

"That is why the winning in the Iraqi theater of war is incredibly important to win the overall war on terror."

I don't think anyone is disputing whether it is important or not, they question whether the "victory" that is envisioned is attainable and whether or not it ends up being Pyhrric. I think calling people who have these reasonable doubts traitors is way over the top. People have a right to their own opinions and to debate them. If you can't win them over based on the soundness of your argument calling them names is not going to do it. If they are moles the reasonable readers will see the superiority of your position and you will win them over.

"I know exactly what is the goal of islamic jihadists and their dream to establish an islamic empire that rule the world by the Sharia law. My point is that once we defeat them in Iraq, right in the heart of the Middle East and the Arab world, we will crush their ability to establish and fulfill their islamic empire. The islamic terrorists have thrown everything they have in Iraq, if they cannot establish their islamic empire starting in Iraq, it is over for them for many decades if not centuries to come. That is why the winning in the Iraqi theater of war is incredibly important to win the overall war on terror."

What you have written here is all true.
We MUST win in Iraq.
It is the central front in the war on terror.