One thing that I've noticed in recent polls is that a majority of Americans disapprove of the way Bush is handling the war in Iraq ... but only 17% want an immediate withdrawal.
It tells me that most of those who are dissatisfied want Bush to do what it takes to WIN IT.
Bingo!
Americans want to be proud again.
Hey Bry! Get ahold of me tomorrow!
You left out the part that wants to begin withdrawal. There is a clear majority of voters who want us to withdraw.
It goes back to what works and what doesn't. Going into a war with any goal other than to achieve a precise military victory via elimination of the enemy OR the unconditional surrender and laying down of arms does not work. Show me a war the U.S. fought and won in which it did. Going in and trying to fight with one hand tied behind your back with the idea to rebuild a nation does not. Show me one U.S. war in which it did. We tossed aside the military wisdom of Generals Washington, Patton, McArthur, Ike, Sherman, Abrhams, Forrest, and many others who knew what the price of war required to purchase victory.
People want to have Iraq both ways and it can't be done. Either wipe it out and be done about it which should have been stated clearly by congress, or get out. I don't like option #2 especially since American Service members have died in combat so IMO that option is off the table. But I don't think option number one can include rebuilding a new Iraq either especially while terrorist cells will be operating there with what we build them. This is not the culture of Germany or Japan we are dealing with or any European or Asian culture that understands Surrender or STOP. The hate inside that nation is as old as our Bible. That is reality. They understand might and charity of their enemy is a weakness to expliot in their eyes. Charity has no place in war especially to the enemy. We have forgotten that as well. No charity was even shown our own people in our own Civil War.
We're not going to make the three factions get along even if we if we stay there till 2100. Which comes back to what is the purpose of war? War is a punishment of an enemy nation. You can not punish and reward at the same time which is what's going on.
Solution? Do as we did up till 1945 and fight the same. Fight a war as if our very survival depended on it. That means you take out the nation and all infrastructure that could be used in the future as a threat. It wasn't done in Iraq in Gulf War one and it isn't being done now.
Iraq should have been history a year ago and our forces in the draw down stage or likely home with a victory under their belts. The Iraqi tribes should be fighting each other with rocks now. The whole thing has become a diplomatic boondoggle including the trials. Saddam isn't dead yet and the longer he lives the longer people fight in his name. A U.S. military tribunal should have happened and his execution been over and done. This man was the reason why we went there to start with according to the congressional declaration. Should we have turned Hitler over to Germany? Remember they put him in power. It was insane the way it was handled.
Our nations concept of war and how we fight changed right after WW2 and it wasn't for the better. Our education system was invaded by Marxist and unfortunately they brainwashed several generations into believing war can be won by playing by the enemies rule book. Many are now elected office holders making defense policy.
I do not believe in using troops to oversee nation building. That is not the purpose of a United States member of the armed forces. Their job is to defend the United States of America from all enemies foreign and domestic. That means their job is to kill. You want nation builders? Call Carter but leave our armed forces out of it. Untie their hands and let them be soldiers and get the job done.
Most people have no idea what they voted for. They followed the duping of the MSM.
I have said this until I am sure you are all sick of it, but the only reason the people are against the war is because of the lies of the leftist media. They are stupid enough to believe anything the MSM says. If they only knew the real truth this would not be happening.