quote:

Originally posted by 35M3L00PF:
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And if the Afghans/Iraqis don't give two craps about their own country, why should I?

I agree with you there.

We'll have to wait until the children of Iraq have children...that's when we will see the rewards of our investment. The current populace already has its perceptions and feelings about Coalition Forces. It will take these children who hid behind Joe after a bombing, that little girl who would have died if it weren't for a Combat Support Hospital and the school kids who play soccer and recieve packages from the soldiers that will have a first hand recollection of the good things about Coalition Forces. They'll be adults one day and they'll stand up and say those guys helped me when my whole family was killed...they aren't so bad.

So yes it will take a while. Iraq is a very vey long term investment. Bottom line up front; we are here and we won't leave until the folks within the "Beltway" are satisfied.

I think it's obvious. You can't just pull out. If we did the region would go nuts and then we have another breeding ground for more people to try and kill us. You wonder what the odds are? Doesn't matter, if one guy hates us and is willing to go to Iraq to fight us and he pops up then thats one less potential terrorist. But I also think that pressure has to be placed on the Iraq Gov to pick up the slack or they should be left hanging in some form. I am not the expert but if they tell me to go, then I'll go where ever.

Yes under the following conditions we should withdraw from Iraq.

1. Reassign all Combat and Construction Engineer Units from every branch of service to Iraq.

2. Announce to the Iraqi people that the U.S. Will be withdrawing from the countryas requested by the violent insurgency, in 60 days and that as a condition of our withdrawl is this: If it was made in the USA, it will be disassembled and returned to the USA, if it was purchased with US Dollars, you will be reimbured the fair market value and the item will be returned to the USA, no further government funds will be spent on purchasing Iraqi products or on Iraqi rebuilding.
On the 61st day all US Forces will withdraw from the country.

I believe that if the Iraqi people thought that this coule happen that they would rise up against the insurgency.