If we pull the troops out before victory is achieved, what will then be the incentive for people to stay in the military or enlist? They will see that our civilian leadership does not want to finish what it started.
When the invasion of Iraq was turned into a nation building fiasco Bush snatched victory away. You do not go to war for that purpose. Bush and several others need to write it 10,000 times till they get it through their heads and it sinks in.
Going to war in Iraq should have been exactly that and limited to a precise and simple military objective. Remove Saddam and sons and bring them before a U.S. military tribunal for trial and punishment and not instead turned over for a stinking civics lesson. Eliminate all usable infrastructure in Iraq for any further threats from Iraq should have been the agenda. IOW bomb their manufacturing and power, communications , etc facilities back to the early 1900's. Leave it smoldering in ashes, and bring the troops home for victory and hero's welcome trhey so far have been denied. The war in Iraq should have taken months not nearly a decade.
But the problems in Iraq began when the military objective took back seat to diplomatic Bull Crap. Soldiers are for killing that is their job and duty. They are not the peace corps not Habitat for Humanity. They should not be court martialed for actions n country either especially under civil war conditions. Bush Botched Iraq. That is what happens when congress does not issue a formal declaration of war and lets POTUS do as he very well pleases.
Saddam is dead and the only we are doing there now is building a strong military and infrastructure for the next Saddam. I am 100% against that policy. Either go to war to destroy the enemy nation or stay home.
What incentive do you give enlistees if you believe in staying and fighting for 100 years like McCain wants to? I'm not in favor of withdrawing immediately, but there's no need to stay in that s--thole for no more than 2-3 years. It's too bad the GOP and Paul can't compromise here.
Define “victory” in Iraq, clearly and concisely. Something W has totally failed to do. Except to state that we weill be there for years or decades to come.
What exactly would constitute victory? The original intent was to go in, remove Saddam and his regime and get out. We’ve now moved onto Nation Building. We were and are really bad at that with hostile areas. Fortunately Patreaus at least is turning it around.
The same conditions have existed in this country for over 50 years, yet we seem to always recruit troops into the armed forces.
Lessee...we joined the U.N., DID NOT RESOLVE Korea, SURRENDERED to the communists in Viet Nam, enjoyed numerous other skirmishes around the world in countries such as Haiti, Somalia, Kosovo, the first Gulf War, and to what end, exactly?
Did we "win"?
Have we vanquished communism?
Or are we still at the beck and call of the U.N.?