Why would redeploying the forces in Iraq be "not winning"?
814461
The objective was two-fold. The removal of Saddam Hussein and the establishment of a stable, free democracy.\n\n\nFinishing this war, staying until we have accomplished the goals in their entirety is a much smarter choice than many want to believe.\n\nIF...America pulls out of Iraq too soon, it will leave a power vacuum in the country that would more than likely be filled by the lunatics in Iran. First order of business...start lobbing nukes around like the drunken pirates throwing candy and beads at the Gasparilla Parade. Result..world war 3. We would have to go through all this again. We are there (like it or not) and it makes no sense to do this job half-a**ed.
398869
At this point of time, it does not seem as if Bush has any plans of completely pulling out the troops.  It still isn't completely understood by many people why troops were even sent in the first place.  The US has its values and beliefs, and Iraq has theirs.  Can you expect them to just give in?  If troops invaded the US to try to change our beliefs of government and living, would we give in?  Not a chance! We would fight as long as we had to, and if they pulled back, we would most likely invade their country as some sort of revenge.  I believe that George Bush will keep troops in Iraq as long as it takes for Iraq to give in to exactly what Bush is hoping.  If he gets elected out of office, if another of the same party is put into office, I still don't think troops will be taken out of Iraq.  Even if they are taken out by a change of party in the offices, the damage will already be done.  Do you suppose that their won't be anyone left in Iraq that doesn't plan to attack back?  The people in Iraq bomb US ports there now, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to bring it here as well, especially if we take all the targets out of their country.  I believe its only the beginning to what will be a very long battle.
1168808
I am with you all the way. Some positive things are happening in Iraq and some progress is being made...but at a terrible cost of coalition and iraqi lives.\nThis war was a mistake, but no one in the white house will admit that they screwed up, so they say "We must stay the course" which is just another way of saying, "if we pull out now, it will be admitting that it was all a mistake, so let's KEEP making the mistake and maybe we will come out smelling like a rose."\n(Which isn't going to happem)
607705
In this sort of situation the insurgents don't have to win they just have to be.\nThey are well embedded in the population and rely on them for support.\nThe military power will use ever increasing methods of oppression to try to defeat them which will just increase their support.\nEventually the military power will lose the political will to continue because events elsewhere will become more important.\nThis happened with the British in Cyprus and to a certain extent with the British in Ireland but in the latter case it was only the support of the American people that enabled the I.R.A. terrorists to be so successful for so long.\nOnce 9/11 had happened that support melted away as the Americans got a taste of their own medecine.
751527
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.
1033914
Well I'm all for removal of the troops but I see 2 problems with this (going by only what you have told me btw)\n\n1. We can't make deals with the insurgents. That is for the new Iraqi government to do, not us.\n\n2. The question remains: are they willing to recognize the new Iraqi government as the sole controlling power within Iraq even after we leave?
986782
Nobody wins.\n\nThe last time we "won" we had to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians in both Germany and Japan. If our self-styled leadership wants to go big, and basically exterminate one of the Muslim factions in Iraq, we could slow things down for a short while, and bring our kids home.\n\nThen we could send the chairborne rangers (see above) over and let them flap their gums at the Iraqis. Nothing like tough talk from a bunch of wimpy kids to set things straight, you bet!
905478
The problem with a "win" is that I can't think of a single way we can win. The only good we've done is get Saddam out of there (which sent warlords into fighting each other and us for power) and establishing some sense of democracy (which may or may not stick in the long run)\n\nI think at this point it's very complex because we have done some good, but I don't think that good will flurish in the long run unless we stay and hold their hands and I think we may not even be able to do that successfully (or if we could, we'd sacrifice too much doing it)
818731
Its what needs to be down to secure Iraq, but it wont happen because the American people as a whole don't want to be in Iraq.  Americans see Iraq as another Vietnam, but Iraq can't be won unless we see the middle east as we once saw the wild west.
936284
Yes, it is that simple theoretically, but on the ground in Iraq nothing is simple, which is why we're in this situation in the 1st place.\n\nPractically, either option could be made to work to at least some degree, but symbolically, pulling out the troops at this point in the war would make our military seem as weak as it is, and even invite problem countries like Iran and North Korea to keep building up their nuclear programs.\n\nPersonally, I think that the result of this war should be determined by the U.N., yes I said it, the U.N.\n\nIt is basically the world's largest governing body and could send many more troops into Iraq without the moral and/or fiscal dilemmas our country has with doing that.\n\nFurthermore, if the U.N. entered the war at this point, no one would say that they were "forcing Democracy down the Iraqis' throats, because the U.N. is viewed more as a peacekeeping body than an angry snake being stepped on (the U.S. after 9/11), so their taking over in Iraq would be allowed by all countries.
1047384
Cannot win war in Iraq, do not be among the decieved that believe the war in Iraq could be worn.\n\nSecondly, the only way we can know about the succes or failure of this war is by the level of insurgent attacks. If insurgency has not been stopped, and insurgents were brought under control, or sileced, this war will continue. In fact it is not Bush's mission to finish this war. Even if the war in Iraq is over, he will still invade another country. This is war without end, we know this, after Iraq, then Iran, then Syria, go on to Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia. \n\nI know you can ask me who told me all about these. Use your common sense and figure it, it is the mission/ambition of Bush to finish the middle east for the support of Isreal. Everybody know that. Insurgents are flowing from every part of the world, how can you put them under control. If you kill hundred, thousands will stream in, they are uncontrolable. The did not fear death, in fact they are looking for it.\n\nRemember that the number of insurgents now participating in Irag is unestimetable, and that more than the number of US soldiers in Iraq are more than ready to join. Beware!!!
857437
We won a military victory.\n\nUnfortunately, this means very little. We've lost by just about any other account.\n\nFrom reading the other answers, there are still a fair number of people who believe that Iraq had something to do with terrorism. But that just isn't true. Saddam did not tolerate groups like Al Queada because extremist groups represented a threat to his power. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11. And Iraq had no WMDs.\n\nThis is all stated very clearly in the bi-partisan congressional report, which you can go and read if you'd like.\n\nAnother congressional report that the 9-11/Iraq believers should read is the congressional terrorism report. Terrorism has increased world-wide since the invasion, so again we have not won on that front.\n\nWe've also dumped over $500 billion into this effort and have nothing to show for it as far as remuneration goes. The government has had to borrow more money from countries like China to pay for it since there isn't enough tax revenue to cover it, ploughing us further into debt. So we have not won on the economic front.\n\nFrom a political standpoint, we've spit in the face of the UN and burned all our political capital we had. We ignored our allies. Everyone was warning against this. And still we went in. Our credibility is now quite low throughout the world, especially in the Middle East. Again, no victory there.\n\nFrom a humanitarian view, we've lost. The people view us occupiers, not rebuilders. Tensions are high. Thousands have been killed, with more dying every day. It is now looking quite probable that a civil war is in progress and gaining momentum. The CIA predicted this was a likely outcome two years ago.\n\nAll of this could have been avoided if:\n\nA) We didn't go in in the first place. The policy of premption is at best a double-edged sword and at worst an excuse for empire building (see Nazi Germany for an example).\n\nB) If a plan had been developed to win the peace. We didn't have one, or at least not one that was feasible. From looking at the old videos of the time, there seemed to be the notion that the Iraqi's would welcome us with flowers and then join together in harmony and democracy. I find this amusing considering the place has been a hotbed of religious conflict for at least the past 1000 years.\n\nIn the end, we can claim a military victory. But we can claim little else.\n\n~X~
728184
They are desperate to maintain control because of the money to be lost if the dems cause an Iraqi pull out.\n\nSee it at  http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20061107/D8L8H0S81.html
561424
One of the main reasons that we are having so much trouble now is that we pulled out of Iraq too soon the first time.  The same with Afghanistan.  Until the new government is up and running, with a military and police force, then we need to be there to help ensure that the new government has a start.  Right now the insurgents have learned their lessons.  They are targeting the Iraqi people right now, trying to show that the new government is ineffective.  Why?  Because the insurgents know that the new government will be friendly to the great Devil of the west.  They don't want that.  We NEED to have a stable, friendly gov't in Iraq.\n\nAs far as pulling them to watch the borders, no.  We have the NG that can do that mission, along with the Minute Men, Border Patrol, Customs Agents, INS personnel, and FBI that are already there.
1038890
President Bush is unlikely to declare victory outright: it would be an open invitation for extremists to perpetrate some outrage to prove him wrong. What he may well do is make a Treaty with the government he has set up in Iraq so that the United States and allied troops become "advisors" (or some such status), and he is also likely to make a show of reducing troop numbers. Rather than saying he has won Bush will then point to his successes, as he will claim them, in Iraq.
951122
To Win! To fight it in a practical fashion that keeps our casualties low. Since we are not gonna win this way to have some practical plan for orderly withdrawal before Saddam swings next spring. Then all Hell breaks out and the rest of it will look like a picnic.
743287
Just about all wars see major shifts in goals and tactics at some point making the original goals and tactics obsolete.  If we leave Iraq tomorrow the result would be a major power struggle resulting in a winner.  that winner will be the badest of the bunch and most likely hate the west.  We will leave him the 2nd largest oil reserves in the world.  He will spend that oil wealth on exporting terror with the best weapons money can buy.  We are part of this world we better have a force there!!