americans running from irak?
143274
I think your "question" is more of an editorial than a question, but here is my cynical prediction:  Iraq is not Bush's highest priority--Republican Party power is far and away his highest priority.  If the American voters don't perceive progress in Iraq by midsummer 2006 and Karl Rove's ultra-sophisticated polling detects it's hurting Republicans in the November elections, a pull-out will begin.  Before the election there will be small but massively publicized pull-outs, and the "liberal" press will cover them heroically, like Americans coming home from World War II.  Some major troop reductions will be announced for late 2006 and 2007, and there will likely be a freeze on rotations, like no units that have done a tour in Iraq will be sent back.  All this will be orchestrated around the election for maximum news coverage.  After the election I wouldn't be surprised if the pull-out schedule is delayed.
808581
Cut and Run, the Only Brave Thing to Do \n\nSunday, November 26th, 2006 \n\nFriends, \n\nTomorrow marks the day that we will have been in Iraq longer than we were in all of World War II. \n\nThat's right. We were able to defeat all of Nazi Germany, Mussolini, and the entire Japanese empire in LESS time than it's taken the world's only superpower to secure the road from the airport to downtown Baghdad. \n\nAnd we haven't even done THAT. After 1,347 days, in the same time it took us to took us to sweep across North Africa, storm the beaches of Italy, conquer the South Pacific, and liberate all of Western Europe, we cannot, after over 3 and 1/2 years, even take over a single highway and protect ourselves from a homemade device of two tin cans placed in a pothole. No wonder the cab fare from the airport into Baghdad is now running around $35,000 for the 25-minute ride. And that doesn't even include a friggin' helmet. \n\nIs this utter failure the fault of our troops? Hardly. That's because no amount of troops or choppers or democracy shot out of the barrel of a gun is ever going to "win" the war in Iraq. It is a lost war, lost because it never had a right to be won, lost because it was started by men who have never been to war, men who hide behind others sent to fight and die. \n\nLet's listen to what the Iraqi people are saying, according to a recent poll conducted by the University of Maryland: \n\n** 71% of all Iraqis now want the U.S. out of Iraq. \n\n** 61% of all Iraqis SUPPORT insurgent attacks on U.S. troops. \n\nYes, the vast majority of Iraqi citizens believe that our soldiers should be killed and maimed! So what the hell are we still doing there? Talk about not getting the hint. \n\nThere are many ways to liberate a country. Usually the residents of that country rise up and liberate themselves. That's how we did it. You can also do it through nonviolent, mass civil disobedience. That's how India did it. You can get the world to boycott a regime until they are so ostracized they capitulate. That's how South Africa did it. Or you can just wait them out and, sooner or later, the king's legions simply leave (sometimes just because they're too cold). That's how Canada did it. \n\nThe one way that DOESN'T work is to invade a country and tell the people, "We are here to liberate you!" -- when they have done NOTHING to liberate themselves. Where were all the suicide bombers when Saddam was oppressing them? Where were the insurgents planting bombs along the roadside as the evildoer Saddam's convoy passed them by? I guess ol' Saddam was a cruel despot -- but not cruel enough for thousands to risk their necks. "Oh no, Mike, they couldn't do that! Saddam would have had them killed!" Really? You don't think King George had any of the colonial insurgents killed? You don't think Patrick Henry or Tom Paine were afraid? That didn't stop them. When tens of thousands aren't willing to shed their own blood to remove a dictator, that should be the first clue that they aren't going to be willing participants when you decide you're going to do the liberating for them. \n\nA country can HELP another people overthrow a tyrant (that's what the French did for us in our revolution), but after you help them, you leave. Immediately. The French didn't stay and tell us how to set up our government. They didn't say, "we're not leaving because we want your natural resources." They left us to our own devices and it took us six years before we had an election. And then we had a bloody civil war. That's what happens, and history is full of these examples. The French didn't say, "Oh, we better stay in America, otherwise they're going to kill each other over that slavery issue!" \n\nThe only way a war of liberation has a chance of succeeding is if the oppressed people being liberated hav
1174855
Very sad. I don't understand their motivation. They are so intent on bringing the Bush administration down that they are willing to sacrifice the nation's safety. For what? \n\nAgain I say, this is not a football game with two opposing teams. It's not a rivalry with one side against the other. The winning side here isn't going to get a trophy and bragging rights.  This is the future of our country. Rather than pulling for the Left or the Right. the Dems or the Republicans, maybe we need to start pulling together as a country. Otherwise, we are going to fall to terrorists and extremists.
792269
Leaving Iraq would open the door to such evil that you cannot imagine it. What if the terrs get their hands on a nuke? What if they use oil to blackmail the rest of the world? What will be the fate of all the people who supported their first chance at freedom in decades? The Democrats want to cut and run from a fight for our nation's survival. We face an enemy every bit as cruel and evil as the Nazis were in the 1940s. To run from them like little schoolgirls would tell them and all our enemies around the world that we won't fight for our country, our freedom or our future. Don't you think the Communists in China would like to know what kind of stomach we have for staying free? I guarantee you they are watching all of this very closely...
344006
You are example of American. Yeah, be a pimp and nuke Iraq because 9/11 which happened AFTER first Gulf War.
727783
Any body that knows, knows you are right. We have no plan, cut and run, shriveled little wuss's and such. Repuglican rhetoric didn't work this time, hell, Bush himself wants a way out of this mess. I think so do most of the top ranked repuglicans. When ask why people voted like they did was because of the Iraqi war a real high percentage. So Americans want out of this quagmire, the best way is for all three, the Kurds, the Sunni, and the Shiite, to set down and decide what they want to do. It is really none of our business and never was how they want to run their country.
142565
Before the US can consider attacks on other countries, it would be smart to get out of the quagmire it has in Iraq. I used to believe the insurgents simply wanted us out of Iraq and that they would quit when we left.  I no longer believe that. I believe they are deliberately keeping us bogged down over there, and keeping us busy putting out fires, so that we can't leave.  We must feel some obligation to stay until we see at least one commencement ceremony from their new government.  That would allow a clean break and this will probably never happen.  It is now time for a serious exit strategy.  It is time to give Iraq a short term timetable.  It is time for our troops to come home, lick our wounds, and get ready for the next round, wherever that will be.  I seriously doubt that it will Pakistan as long as Musarreff is in charge. Iran, on the other hand, or Syria????
1070647
do not over generalize....many "Americans" do not want this war. It is Bush and his minions that are doing this. Take a look at his approval ratings. I am American...I hate my government. I hate that we are in Iraq. I do feel like Bush made a huge mistake.
782547
I'm a Republican, but I still don't think that the Dems are capable of making matters any worse over there than they already are.\n\nBesides, if the American people make it known to the Dems through polls, protests, lobbying, etc. that they don't want to cut and run from Iraq, even the stubborn Dems may end up changing their minds on the issue.
983170
I fought in one war where we cut & ran & we have been running ever since.  We ran from Somila, we ran from Saudia Arabia, now we are running from Iraq. When do we stop running?Do we stop only when all our troops are home. Then what do we do as the peace-nic want, never leave america just defend these shores?" GW may not have done everything right in this war but at least he tried to fight terrism. Clinton sure didnt. He told our enemies when we were going to bomb them. The bleeding  hearts want rights for people who are trying to kill us.. Gw has made mistakes the biggest is listening to those who have not been in combat & know how to fight. Why give our men & wemen a job that they are not allowed to do. I think what he has to work with he has done well
1038941
I recently received an email from a friend in Iraq who said that it's a completely different atmosphere where "70% of people want us here and know we need to be here, 5% don't want us here (the insurgents), and 20% are rich enough they don't have to care.  The US is crying for us to leave and push the Iraqi's to "run" when they're hardly able to crawl on their own..."\n\nI think regardless of elections, etc we need to be there at least another 3 years.  \n\nHow long do I THINK we'll be there?  I dunno, the "War" in Iraq is technically over, but the "War on Terrorism" should never cease...
1082588
I'd move out of the way and see what they're running from before I started running myself.  To be more philosophical . . . you can run against the grain, but you might be run over.
85028
There is a Republican thinktank in our country called Project for a new American Century. This group is not even representative of most Republicans yet it very well represented in the Bush administration. This group is very supportive of any miltary conquest regardless of reason as long as it "keeps America #1". They are currently feeding Americans propaganda about how you want us in your country and how the soldiers don't have time to kill anyone in Iraq because they are so busy handing out crayons and toys to Iraqi children. The short answer is this group attacked your country because just like when Hitler begin they knew no other country would move to stop them or doing anything about it. Please don't hold me responsible for the actions of that idiot Bush. Check out these websites of Americans opposed to the war.
278504
Waste of money for the tax payer, A PR exercise & just another deliberate prolonging of the war to generate cash for those with investments in the war industry who want results. \nThe US and friends should get out now, acknowledging that there will always be 'insurgents' as long as they occupy by force another country against the will of what looks like the majority of the people.
709585
Go big.  We made this mess, we have a responsibility to clean it up.  We need to stabilize that region.  Walking away will only let the chaos we've already created escalate.\n\nIt was an incredibly stupid thing to do from the outset, going into Iraq.  Bush, and the people who supported him shouldn't be still calling the shots over there, based on their track record alone.  But, for the first time since the man took office, I find myself agreeing with him on one point.  It's a mistake to leave Iraq in this mess.  The entire region will implode. \n\nHowever, it's idiotic to say that troop levels over there are sufficient, they are woefully inadequate at best.   Big--overwhelmingly big, preferably--is the only chance we have at getting control.\n\nBTW--I've voted pretty much straight Democrat in all elections, this last one included.  The need for change in our leadership is obvious and necessary, but I believe we can't afford to compound the error we made (I say 'we' because over half of this country supported the invasion of Iraq, so much so that 'we' re-elected Bush for a second term) by leaving Iraq to it's fate.  We will never see the end of violence in that region if we don't get control of it now.  If we leave, and Iraq becomes a terrorist stronghold, how long do you imagine it will be until Israel is engaged?  Anyone fancy a nuclear war in your lifetime?\n\n\nArcticchick--you seem to have forgotten that convenient intelligence failures, coverups, and deliberate circulation of misinformation have been the main attribute of  GW Bush's administration.   Your selected excerpts do a fine job of implying that, despite the fact that their support was based on erroneous information, the Democrats are to blame for the Iraq invasion.  You demonstrate how well Bush & Co.'s tactics worked--and continue to work--on the segment of America's populace who refuse to acknowledge what terrible consequences have resulted from their support of this administration.
1061547
Best rundown of what's going on with this NAU plan here:\nhttp://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=14965\n\nI don't think Americans will go for it. You can listen to an interview with the author of that article: http://www.israelnationalradio.com/\nHe's said that the story should reach the mainstream media soon. So, this should become a hot topic.
1053108
Why don't you Americans get out of the country and let the Iraqi's handle their own problems? Imagine your country in the Iraqi's place, would you like to be rescued by conquering hero's (actually villains with a false cause- where are the WMD's?).\n\nAnd if you are dying, you are also killing, and killing unarmed civilians too. Well it's your own elected Representatives that sent you out to do the kill, what did you expect, the natives would be too terrified to shoot back? \n\nWould your countrymen react passively to invaders?\nLook at any country that the US has interfered in-they end up destroying it completely- be it Vietnam or Afghanistan or Iraq - why doesn't the US of a start minding it's own country?\n\nOn a personal note, all I can say is stay alive kid, and do let live - the Geneva convention is there and don't break the rules. You'll only end up making the world hate your country more, and that'd be a pity, for it is one of the greatest countries in the world after mine though!\n\nI am not an Iraqi or Muslim for your info.\nst