The Surge is Working
- Thread starter alaskaguy
- Start date
I posted some articles to this effect almost two months ago, and it has continued to stay somewhat calm in Iraq. I believe it is time to admit success on the security side of the equation. Now the question is whether the political side uses this breather to make progress.
To me the most promising news coming out of Iraq recently is the fact that some Iraqis are starting to return home. These are the people who really know what is going on, so the fact that at least some think it is safe to start going back is very good news.
Yes, and I see nothing wrong with buying off insurgents. It's breathing room to finally get out of there. I don't believe there will be permanent solution until we leave.
Hasn't there been the most progress in Anbar and Southern Iraq where the troops were pulled?
Perhaps the way this conflict should have been fought all along is to just have writtten checks to the locals. Buying off these guys seems to work a lot better than increasing the troop level?
Perhaps the way this conflict should have been fought all along is to just have writtten checks to the locals. Buying off these guys seems to work a lot better than increasing the troop level?
It's a combination in tactics that has led to success. With our political structure, we always seem to come up with half-*** compromises that eventually come back to bite us in the butt. If we are using weapons as bait to get our current desired result, then eventually that will probably cause other problems.
I think the difference was giving up on the idealistic but naïve world view that got us there in the first place, and starting to play some realpolitik. However, checks are probably more effective if they are backed by an implicit threat of force, so it is difficult to seperate the effect of different components of the strategy.
I haven't had many chances to watch television lately. We've been having one winter storm after another and the satellite dish doesn't work during inclement weather.
I thought the goal was for the Iraqi's to police their own country. If the Iraqi's are ever to fullfill that goal they will probably need to have some weapons.
The Bush administration has to be elated with today's media reports on the surge. I just pray the reports are at least half right.
Might help give some relief to my next door neighbors who had their son sent home in a body bag. At this point, they believe (and I can't blame them) a great many kids have died for oil.
Might help give some relief to my next door neighbors who had their son sent home in a body bag. At this point, they believe (and I can't blame them) a great many kids have died for oil.
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So what if the "surge" is working... US soldiers are still dying... is one more life worth whatever we may gain now in Iraq?
It isn't just "Femocrats" that have a problem with this war.
It isn't just "Femocrats" that have a problem with this war.
No doubt security has improved, however, that may or may not be the primary motivating reason why refugees are returning.
BBC reports that: "... the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said most of the refugees it spoke to are returning because they have run out of money or have been unable to renew their visas."
Link: BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraqi refugees begin journey home
You mean there are countries that actually make them renew their visas to stay?
Well if you would like it to be a much more volatile world for your children, then yeah lets just stop what we are doing and come home.(Give the PR to the others) If you would instead like the prospect that we can accomplish something there and help decrease the terrorism(training camps, recruiting, etc...) that lives in this world than I say lets keep fighting them where they train and recruit. I would rather have our men and women that choose to take part in this war fight the good fight then have people attack our non-combatants in their sanctuary of the US. I do agree a soldiers life is no small thing(anything but) but a great majority of them that have been killed have done so fighting for something they believe in. No one that joins the Military wants to give their life but they join knowing that they could. I will forever respect that much more than anything else anyone could do. Hooah!
