Losing a war to the US has been a wonderful way to develop your economy (ie, Japan, Germany, Iraq). Next time around, how about we just blow up things and leave?
119781
first off the first few people especially Joker is an idiot.  We should leave as soon as we win and we won like 2 years ago.  we could do without the blowing up things though.
357323
In world war 2 Germany had already conqured most of Europe and showed no signs of stopping. If we had not saved their rears the map might look totally different now. Even if they stopped to secure Europe and recoup once finished with Europe (the smart thing to do) it was feared and likely they would push into the Americas, as I think they would have. Thus, we had to stop them or be conqured. Holocaust plays no role as it was not public knowledge until after. \n\nAlso, Pearl Harbour was a direct attack by another nations military. We were at war, like it or not. Japan also invaded Alaska and was dug in on land, something that you don't hear much about. Japan was allied with Germany although Germany told them to focus on Russia and meet in Moscow. Why a relatively tiny island would attack the US when it wasn't finished with China is absurd. WWII made us what we are and perhaps we didn't have the rep we have now and they thought they could frighten us. \n\nTerrorists are not attempting to invade or occupy America and do not come from any particular country. The goals of terrorists are uncertain at best. \n\nAlso Viet Nam changed things and created a more sensitive culture. We got to see war first hand in full color unedited by military journalists. Nam was the first war where civilian journalists were brought along and at the time everyone was excited to be on TV. The journalists went where they pleased and hopped on any chopper that had room. The blood and guts went straight to your living room at the independent news producers discretion at 5:30 each evening as famalies sat around and watched during diner. A mistake that the military will not repeat. The civilian media today is lead by the hand 'for thier own protection.' Nam also gave rise to the peace and love culture. In other ways it is a much different world today. \n(I can stop here but... some other thoughts)\n\nSometimes it seems like the terrorists just want us to leave the middle east alone. I'm curious as to what you think or are told that the terrorists agenda is. Yes they want to terrorize and kill Americans but what for. In Ireland the terrorists wanted independence from Britain, lack the ability for a military victory so, they hope to scare them into a concession. The definition of terrorist is one that attacks civillian targets in order to pressure a govt into something. What do the muslim terrorists want (not that we should give it or accept it)? Death to the infidels? Bombs every five years won't kill us all. There is a political motivation for these high profile bombings. Don't support Israel is an obvious one. Many in Iraq just want to drive us out of Iraq (seems fair). \n\nIraq seems more like a gurilla war than terrorists as well. Civillians may be harmed but the intended targets are usually military, local police, and the coalition govt. All of which are legitimate military targets so it's not terrorism. Trying to frighten us by bombings is not a good thing but not an imminent threat either. Protecting our home from terrorists is a job for police, FBI and CIA not soldiers in the middle east. I find it hard to even think of the war on terror as a war at all. It theoretically includes all terrorists not just muslim ones. They occupy no territory and don't have much unity. Remember Timothy McVay was a solo terrorist. Also certain militant Nazi groups in the mid west are classified as terrorists. \n\nThe mid east has fought for a long time and even if Iraq is stabilized our actions have not made us many friends there. Thus does not lessen terrorism but increases the number those who wish to do us harm. Although I'm just now starting to think the plan was to fix Iraq and show them how nice it can be and other nations may want it. Iraq was chosen because it's easiest and nobody really liked Saddam anyway, even there. If that's the plan it doesn't seem to be working.\n\nSomeone mentions 9/11 and Iraq. The t
587491
We are winning it. And yes, we have found Weapons of mass Destruction.\n\nIf you want to compare this to Vietnam - Militarily we won that War, politically we lost. How it can compare is that militarily, once again we are winning, and Bush is doing what he can to ensure that politically the same mistakes aren't made again.\n\nWe can win this war if Publications such as the NY Times doesn't divulge all of our tactics too. It'll be hard to win when the enemy knows what we are doing!
124458
I whole heartily agree that we should scale down our military.  But if we are to do that it must be insured that our allies will pick up the slack a little.  We carry more then our weight on military spending while many of our allies  enjoy a fantastic standard of life on the tax money they save because we are flipping the bill.  Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, etc. all have incredible social security, while we have an incredible military.\n\nThere are those in our government that like it this way.  Since we pay the bill, we call the shots.  We don't need to share decision making power with France for example (well official we do, but in reality who is going to stop us?).\n\nBut this isn't a balanced and healthy arrangement.  Because we have a large military and because we use it, we unnecessarily create enemies at times and press others to build up their defenses out of fear.  Look at Korea and Iran, would these two country's be trying for the nuke if we weren't threatening them?  But then you could add where would South Korea be without us.\n\nAnd then there is the biggy; the American weapons industry.  These guys made billions back in WW2 and they have been running the show ever since.  They love war, it makes them richer.  We opened Pandora's box when we "won" WW2.  They are the creeps that spreed the rumor that war is good for the economy.  Don't believe that one.  The only people who war is good for are those who sell weapons.\n\nSo while our GI's get the best from our tax dollar, those French GI's hardly have money to train with.  But they get education, REAL unemployment benefits, two months vacation a year, cheap medical, etc.\n\nAnd come on, do you really believe they are spending $1000 a toilet seat?  Those extra funds get funneled to secret projects.
594105
I'm not sure it's that we lose these wars, we just refuse to win them; leaving the enemies to fight another day.\n\nI want to win so we can get it behind us [for good], but that requires something we [the culture at large] no longer posses: moral clarity, conviction & certainty of purpose.
380389
Arcane are you  crazy?  Their are a lot more modernized middle eastern countries that Iraq.  I have been to a couple different countries and I saw nothing that even Iraq.  You need to know what you are talking about before you start saying stuff like that.  One other thing I want to tell you about.  If the Iraqis didn't want us there all they had to do is run us out,  but they are going through what we did  in our civil war, Losing life's, homes, family and what not they know that it is a necessary evil but most of them are ready for a change.  There have been more business open up in the last year than any other year in their history.  Soon as they can show that their military is able and willing we will be out but no sooner.  It would be a disgrace to the US and its people if we left now and let total hell rain down upon them.
646975
Bring our troops home and actually concentrate on our own country. We still have the Gulf states devastation to clean up before it hits again. We still have kids goin to bed everynight starving. We still have homeless people in this country that were in Vietnam and cant get a job. We still have a gov't out to take our freedoms away from us. and why would comment from non americans be welcomed. They should mind their own business just like america should mind its own business.
419462
That approach works when there is a clearly defined enemy and country to attack.  We are fighting a geurilla war now - much different.  Much more difficult.  Until we learn to also fight dirty, (which we will not do, the US won't plant ied's) we will continue to suffer losses.
521554
Leaving Iraq over a threat would only give them more strength. Leaving would show an extremely weak country that is divided over issues and that will not rise up to defeat them. We must prevail in Iraq.
177946
I do not think US is financially capable of such an exercise. Also they will be short of manpower with Iraq and Afghanistan under their belts. But if there is a long term strategic goal to be achieved, US might take this step using nuke as a ruse. If US goes on doing things like this people will one day call them Untrustworthy State with Arms!!!
631802
I don't think the war should have happened to begin with. Yeah getting Saddam was a plus but so far it's been the only positive of going there. Now here we are a couple years later and we're still fighting. Saddam was a bad guy I'm not going to deny that but we didn't go over there to remove him from power. We were supposed to find WMD's and regardless of what you hear, no WMD's were found. Yes there was some mustard gas found but it was over 15 years old and it wouldn't have done anything. Now we're stuck in a terrible situation. We totally destroyed a country and now we're going to be there for a long time trying to rebuild what we tore down. We need to get out of there.
623501
Because a failure in Iraq is  failure to America and our standing in the world will go down.  If we leave prematurely the entire world will see America doesn't stick it out to the end.  That is a position we as a country cannot have if we expect our allies to stand by us.\n\nBesides, we lucked up and got the moth to the flame effect there.  The terrorist have gone to Iraq to run us out.  They are now there for us to fight and kill, and it is better to fight them there than fight them here.  They have shown they have no intention of leaving us alone.
228539
It is a lost cause. Most Americans do not believe in the war anymore. I believe we will stay for another year and then leave. The American people want the troops out of Iraq.
652066
Yeah, seems simple, but when theres tons of money involved, it tends to *uc* things up.  If it were up to me, I would have already nuked that whole damn continent and turned it to glass, with all that sand over there.  People can say "oh the poor innocent civillians" all they want, but the truth of the matter is if it comes down to either us or them, I say tough sh*t, let 'em have it.  They have something we want and they know it, oil.  We should just take over that country, and while we're at it, Iraq, Afganistan, .....etc...   The only problem with that would be the rest of the world would then have to purchase oil from us, which would piss them off.  I do not feel sorry for the people over there.  You can't.  They will not EVER be at peace, its just not in their nature.  They have been at war with someone for as long as any of them can remember, and its not going to change.  Its like its bred into them.  Just think about it, if the US took over and it became a democracy like we have today in America, where the women have total freedom to walk down the street without their damn head covered and have the right to visit a doctor without a male chapperone, all hell would break loose.  They are not like us, it would take years and years before a new generation of middle easterners would have the confidence to do such a thing.  They are a highly exciteable race.  They will scream and cry and fight and totally freak out on your ass at the drop of a hat.  I am not racist, but I do speak the truth.  We are not all the same, people, just admit it.  I used to live in the middle east so I am not just talking trash.  They believe their way of life is right, and ours is wrong.  Which is fine with me.  The only problem I have is when they hate us so much they try to kill us, like flying planes into towers, that sort of thing.  We don't go mess with them just because their religion is different than ours, what gives them the right to do it to us?  I don't think we should pull out of the war, but I do think we are not doing enough, if our men are going to be over there, then at least make it worth US lives.  Lets not feel sorry for the civilians, who walk up to our soldiers carrying their starving children(or a bomb)but lets do the job right, because if not, they will be back another day, just like that pesky mosquito it took to much effort to swat the first time.
325380
They should go back to Japan. The US gave Japan their islands back after WW2
199606
you can't just invade a country, blow up their infrastructure, destroy their government and military, and then leave when the situation gets too sticky. the US should have seen this coming from a mile away, and should never have invaded in the first place, but now that they have, they need to deal with the problem rather than turning tail and running. unfortunately, as always, it's the poor - the american soldiers and the iraqi civilians - who are paying the price, while those responsible for this mess are unscathed, and most are profiting from it. \n\nthere's just no easy answer to this one, and, though i hate to see more soldiers die for this, i think leaving now will only make the situation worse, and moreover would be the least moral thing to do to a country that the US is now responsible for. abandonment is not the answer. \n\nimpeaching bush would be a good start, though.
638327
No.  we can't just pull out of Iraq before its own government is stable.  Then it would be another Vietnam.  If we just pick up and leave, the country will turn into a police state, much like Somalia did during the Clinton administration.