Question for the FReepers on this thread:
What do you think?
Are folks getting War Weary? Are they ready to throw in the towel?
Are the dems blowing their wad on the antiwar minority?
Are we going to win in Iraq?
Are we going to pull out of Iraq?
What is the future of this war on terrorists? (har, and buy me a winning lottery ticket!)
As the tide turns Americans/Republicans will get back on board. There is not one war in our histoir that we did not become war weary.
Pray for W and Our Troops
A - Yes, and yes if you listen to the polls. However, anecdotal evidence from my perspective (at work) indicates more and more people are more and more “vocal” about leaving Iraq.
Q - Are the dems blowing their wad on the antiwar minority?
A - I don’t know about that, but Harry Reid is taking positions and that seem to dovetail quite nicely with positions espoused by the anti-war coalition. Pelosi has always been cut from the antiwar cloth. What you DON’T
hear is the other side, at least from the DBM. They need to report news that shows the war in Iraq in an unfavorable light - that is what many citizens read and hear.
Q - Are we going to win in Iraq?
A - It depends how you define “win”. I define win as:
1) an Iraq that is not partitioned and can defend itself against an external aggressor;
2) has a stable government that can make decisions of a strategic nature and support/protect a sustainable national economy;
3) has a workable form of democracy that can be used as a springboard for Iranian dissenters;
4) allows the US to maintain a military presence in Iraq.
and this will take some time (~5 years) to complete. Do I think the U.S. can do that? Yes, but the national will of our elected leadership in Congress appears to be lacking - including several Republicans.
Q - Are we going to pull out of Iraq?
A - If a Democrat is elected President - absolutely. Within 1-2 years, I would expect all but a small number of military and civilian personnel to be pulled from Iraq. If a Republican is elected President - we will stay - but there need to be some solid conservative gains in the Senate as well.
Q - What is the future of this war on terrorists? (har, and buy me a winning lottery ticket!)
A - A concern. Programs (e.g. TSP, etc) that are used to detect and deter terrorism seem to be at the mercy of disclosure via the DBM and also angry government employees (e.g. Department of State, CIA, etc). Career employees who stay regardless of who is President are the machine of these agencies, and they have worked at odds with President Bush and his goals these past six years. Additionaly, the President needs to be more concise and direct in what his goals are in regards to Iraq and terrorism - sometimes I get the impression that his speech or other prepared remarks are too wordsmithed, ostensibly by his staff.
Of course, the real test is - will there be another terrorist attack in the U.S? All that has been done that we know and do not know about - will be measured against that event either occurring or not occurring.
I feel in Britain a lot of people are not really connected with the war at all, it is rarely spoke about apart from pundits on TV the everyday people I come in contact with rarely mention it.
When they do they feel somewhat anger towards Iraq and feel that the Iraqis have not stepped up to the plate as they should have. Whether this is the case or whether it is bias reporting but to an extent I can understand this point of view.
I do not think win is the right approach this war IMHO has been going on in one form or the other since the crusades and I think we are naive to think we are going to win but what I hope for and I am sure this is what is meant by the administration by winning that the WOT will move on to another venue which is a form of winning and would be classed as winning.
I think that what may happen certainly in Britain as far as pull out is concerned and I think this could also be the same for the US that in certain places it will be announced that the Iraqis are trained and ready to take over. So I think there will be a sort of pull out and maybe earlier than would have been the case had not the Dems taken congress. I think the fact that the dems took congress has influenced Britain as well especially with Gordon Brown as PM as he will see this as the opportunity to distance himself from the Republican Administration and realign the Labour Party with their natural allies the Democrats.
The WOT on terror will continue in one form or another whatever happens in Iraq it is a war that will IMHO go on until the end of time whatever you believe that will be. And no I do not want start a religious debate on that :o).
Those of us who listen to FNC have the proper perspective, but yes, those who listen to the negative drumbeat of propaganda coming from cnn, msnbc and the morning shows are growing weary.
Liberals are betting against this country because they hate Bush more.
They will pay dearly. Their derangement doesn’t allow them to honest, fair or right.
Americans will not reward this betrayal.
I do believe we will get Iraq under control, but the WOT will go on.
Investors Business Daily had an excellent editorial on Friday. I wish it would be required reading for every congressman, senator and media “reporter.”
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=269823839106521
To Win, Patience
By INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Friday, July 20, 2007 4:20 PM PT
Iraq: Timing is everything, they say, and that’s certainly true in war. As a growing number in Congress seek to cut short our efforts to win in Iraq, the generals who know best say give us more time. They should have it.
No one wants to stay in Iraq longer than needed. But to depart before the job is done would be a crime, leaving millions of Iraqis vulnerable to the predations of terrorists and creating a power vacuum that our enemies — like Iran — could exploit.
Since winning Congress last November, the Democrats have tried repeatedly to force a “withdrawal timeline” on this war — something that would not only aid our enemies by letting them wait us out, but also diminish our chances of success.
When President Bush announced the “surge” of 28,500 additional troops in January, it was in part a response to congressional complaints about “not enough troops” to do the job. Just a little over a month ago, the troop boost was completed.
So far, as Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, noted last week, the surge seems to be working. But instead of lauding the plan and giving it time to work, Democrats continue to try to force an end to the war. That includes the silly slumber party they threw last week, which, fortunately, ended in failure.
Obviously, some in Congress badly want us to lose. Why else would they try to force our own surrender just as we’re winning?
continued....
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>>Obviously, some in Congress badly want us to lose. Why else would they try to force our own surrender just as we’re winning?<<
This is the key question to ask our acquaintances who are growing weary, and who just want it to “go away.”
There is war-weariness. But...if the majority of folks wanted a pullout (immediate or otherwise), and were willing to concede defeat, then how come the Democrats can't get their pullout resolutions passed? If that were people's true sentiment, then those resolutions should have been a shoo-in.
Are the dems blowing their wad on the antiwar minority?
Maybe. But where else do they have to go to get support and funding?
Are we going to win in Iraq?
We are winning in Iraq. We are beating the hell out of Al Qaeda there and they are moving more of their operations out, to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Success further down the road will depend on how much vocal support we can muster up for Republicans + Joe Lieberman who support the WOT.
Are we going to pull out of Iraq?
Only if the Democrats can pin the blame for defeat solely on George Bush and the Republicans don't have enough votes to stop them. The Democrats are in a bind - if they force a pullout, they leave themselves open for blame for the catastrophe which follows. If they don't force a pullout, they run into difficulties with their base. This is why you see all this political posturing about a pullout, but nothing real is accomplished.
If a Democrat is elected President and our troops are still in Iraq, I don't think that the troops will be pulled out.
What is the future of this war on terrorists?
As Kenneth MacMillan said, that depends on events. (A lot of which aren't under our control.)