Will We Invade Iraq Or Not?

happytobealive

[happytobealive]

I'm surprised by how many people are telling me it's highly unlikely. I figured it was almost a done deal.

[MinorityRepublican]

Almost all of us on this thread think an attack is highly likely. Why would our opinion be at such odds with what other people are telling me.

Maybe the poster have been listening to the Euroweenies way too much.

[happytobealive]

Maybe the poster have been listening to the Euroweenies way too much.

They are in my company and family -- there is no escape. But why would they read the signs of the times so differently?

[11B3]

There is no way that we can avoid attacking Iraq. If we don't, the French will appear to have more spine than we do. I'm not into being a cheese eating surrender monkey, and like so many other Americans, I've had my fill of Islam and Arabs in general. Eye for an eye doesn't get it - those 3,000 who died on 9/11 are worth more than all of the Arab nations populace combined if you ask me. Let's roll.

[Arkinsaw]

Would it take more than an aircraft carrier to defend Taiwan?

If China tries an amphibious invasion of Taiwan I hope they have a lot of swim fins ready. The Taiwanese are not going to be pushovers. We are used to thinking of them as a weak little country but they have had decades to turn that island into a fortress. I'm fairly confident that they can make the Strait a tough place to cross and the beach a tough place to be for whoever makes it across. I'm not sure the Chinese want to try their first real amphibious invasion attempt live on camera against a heavily fortified and technically superior foe. Our job would probably be to just keep the supply lines open. China would be most likely to try a missile/sub siege and not an invasion. A failed invasion would be not so good for their status amongst the mainland populace and would be quite embarassing. These type of folks don't like embarassment and high level risk. If they do a seige/blockade they can always pull back if they get in trouble and call it a successful "warning". The US would be less likely to go full tilt on them if Taiwan is not under direct invasion. Even if unsuccessful the Chinese would be able to learn a lot and do some damage to Taiwanese military equipment that the Taiwanese would have difficulty replacing due to their diplomatic situation.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

I'm surprised by how many people are telling me it's highly unlikely.

Every possible opinion will be held by someone out there.

[rmmcdaniell]

most people are expecting us to avoid a pre-election attack

Most people are hopefully wrong.

The reason why I think the attack won't happen until after the election is the same reason why Bush refused to campaign for Republican gubanatorial candidates last year. Bush is too concered that a fall attack would give Republicans an "unfair" advantage in the midterm elections irregardless of wether or not that would be the best time militarily to launch an attack. The problem is that most Republicans are too concerned with avoiding the appearence partisanship to ever be effective leaders.

[DentsRun]

The real question is: who do we invade next after iraq is taken care of?

Canada. They're right on our border. They've got snowballs of mass destruction. We got to push them into the Hudson Bay and rezone Quebec for glass parking lots.

[Husker24]

It seems to me the longer we wait the less likely it will be. Support seems to be evaporateing quickly.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

If we live Sadaam Hussein alone and in power, he will become one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) heroes in history to the radical Islamists.

For he will have withstood everything that the Great Satan and the West could throw at him and survive, retaining power.

That's not a nice precedent to leave in the minds of radical Islam. The next Sadaam will only be that much bolder.

[DentsRun]

I have long ago come to the conclusion that there are entirely too many maniacs here at FR.

Not just maniacs either. I have often thought that some people here sit home night after night watching "Dr. Strangelove" for the sexual release they get when the bomb goes off.

[river rat]

"I have long ago come to the conclusion that there are entirely too many maniacs here at FR.

Allow me to suggest that you pull your head out of your ass - and go elsewhere, and improve the place you have left.
Semper Fi

[DentsRun]

There is no way that we can avoid attacking Iraq. If we don't, the French will appear to have more spine than we do. I'm not into being a cheese eating surrender monkey, and like so many other Americans, I've had my fill of Islam and Arabs in general. Eye for an eye doesn't get it - those 3,000 who died on 9/11 are worth more than all of the Arab nations populace combined if you ask me. Let's roll.

If you really want to roll on someone I say China. She's a lot more of a threat right now than Iraq will be in 50 years.

[Arkinsaw]

If Bush does not attack I think that he is toast come Presidential election time. The majority of the people expect it and the media expects it. If it doesn't happen....political pink slip. No way is that going to be allowed to happen.

There is probably some deal that Democrats will support it if it comes after the Congressional elections but oppose it if it comes before the elections. I think thats why the White House has not started with the domestic prep-work yet. A deal is the only reason I can think of for it.

It looks to me like they have got Turkey on board for the most part and have started a little bit of logistics preparation and disinformation.

Yeah, I think its coming, that the domestic speechifying will start post-election, the Democrats will be on board, and sometime in late winter/early spring we'll be getting geared up.

I actually wouldn't put it past Saddam to see the writing on the wall and start moving first.

[Husker24]

We wont go after anyone after Iraq, unless Syria holds true to their mutual defence pact with Iraq, which they wont. Im sure the CIA is working hard to aid forces in Iran to bring about democratic change, this wont be done by military means. As for Saudi Arabia, I would love to see us invade and occupy it, but we all know thats not going to happen.

[11B3]

Support evaporating? Whose support? The EU? The 'Rats? The UN? Seems to me that none of them actually matter. We've got Russia on board finally, Israel and Turkey. NATO forces only slow our military down during actual combat. Fewer "coalition" partners is much better tactically. This is one occasion where world opinion isn't worth as much as, let's say, Clinton's word.

[swarthyguy]

Well, if the military timing is good, then i do not think he should give a hoot about a POSITIVE political benefit for him, in fact, he should welcome it. He won't get any credit for being 'above the fray' anyway, so he may as well take full political advantage if the timing is optimal from a military point of view.

[swarthyguy]

Conventional thinking. Think Europe in the 1930's.

[Husker24]

Speaker of the House

[Dengar01]

I have a buddy who is in the Marines and he says, yes.