If leaving Iraq early(cut and run) would be considered by some to be an act of cowardice....What Say You....?
970226
Cowardice is staying the course out of fear of admitting that you were wrong.\n\nCowardice is staying with a broken strategy out of fear that you might appear incompetent.\n\nAt this point, anyone who doesn't listen to the spin machines on either side of this debacle (and can read congressional reports) knows that Iraq was, AT BEST, a mistake. All the reasons for invading Iraq were falsified. \n\nThere was no plan for what would happen after the invasion, or what any middle east strategist would call a plan. Whoever thought that a country that used to be torn by centuries of social and religious strife would magically harmonize and embrace democracy was completely naive. Just look at what happened in Kosovo.\n\nIn fact, our invasion has made things worse. Just do a search for the latest congressional report on terrorism.\n\nNow most normal people, when they realize they've made a mistake, apologize and try to correct that mistake. Most normal people realize that if you don't fix a mistake that it can become an even bigger mistake.\n\nSo that's what we have here. A result of what was a mistake turning into a really big mistake and getting bigger everyday.\n\nSo how do you fix something of this magnitude? Well, you really can't. It's now up to the Iraqi people. Our presence there only acts as a lightening rod.\n\nI'm sure some will say "Well with a big enough force...". Those who say that apparently aren't familiar with resistance fighters, especially ones with religious fervor. They also aren't familiar with a similar situation that happened not to long ago involving the USSR and a rag tag band of "freedom-fighters" led by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The USSR lost by the way.\n\nYou can't force people to do something. They have to do it on their own. Forcing them just causes anger and enmity, even if what you're trying to force them to do is for their own good.\n\nThe ideal soultion is to get a large multi-national peace keeping force in Iraq. Unfortunately, the US blew that capital when it basically ignored the UN and invaded Iraq anyway.\n\nSo now what? Well, we can stay there and be stuck in a conflict that never ends (see Vietnam, USSR vs. Afghanistan) that just keeps escalting in costs in life and capital, or we accept the fact that we made and incredible mistake (which we did) and cut our losses.\n\nI can guarantee that if they start a draft, you'd see a full scale revolt against the government. More than half the people believe Iraq is a mistake and any politician with aspirations of re-election wouldn't touch a draft resolution with a 6 foot disgraced republican lobbyist.\n\n~X~
806193
I would shoot myself. If I became so detached to where I didn't know what was going on in my country enough for that to be a suprise...I would not consider myself a viable citizen.\n\nIf I knew it was happening, I would do what I had to do.
2776
i believe that a slow and thorough withdrawl over a period of the next year is the only way out of iraq.  we made the mess, and now we MUST do our best to leave them with a non-explosive situation once we are gone.  many of the iraq's don't want us there, but are afraid of an immediate withdrawl will land their society into the hands of the political extremes and possibly fundamentalist elements.  we cannot pull out now, but over time with control.
1148487
Mixed message in the fact that you did not stay and fight and yet still "want to help". You are a coward for running from YOUR fight, a coward that is now asking for help to do what YOU should have done in the first place, and beneath contempt for all the above!
955976
I take it you are one of those military experts that never served? Hey, you should be a Republican politician. The USA will pull out of Iraq when the hostilities have ceased and there is no threat from Iran and Syria. We do not hear much about it, but most insurgents that are not from Iraq enter over the border of Iran and Syria. The USA and Canada will be in Afghanistan, until the last al Qaeda is tracked down and killed or cartured. No women pres or pm, especially in Great Briton. They learned from Thatcher. US will not have a US president for another 20 years. I would get lower than a snakes belly or run the other way no matter where I am shot at. Some people do do extraordinary things in a hostile situation that you would not normally do.
681439
I don't know. But, if I had been in the British government's position, and some guy threatened to starve himself, I would have said, "Go ahead, starve yourself".\nI know, it sounds cold, but think about that for a moment.
715495
I saw that the other night, and think it is a fantastic idea.\n\nIf they wan't us to leave, I would have no problem with our troops leaving.  If they want us to stay, the libs would have to shut the hell up with their b.s.\n\n---\n\ncosmico, an empty bottle of whisky\n\n---\n\nlook at all the libs that don't want the iraqi's to vote.  Interesting.
1061094
NO!!! I was so surprised when people began to think we should pull out!!! We cannot leave until we finish what we are there for; to get Iraq back on it's feet again.
994324
When I was in Basic, my drill sergeant asked us this same question.  When I said that I would..  he berated me, and then instructed the right answer was that our job isn't to "sacrifice our lives", but to make sure we make the a**hole on the other side sacrifice theirs.  I liked that, and it's stuck with me.  I was in Iraq during the first Gulf War, I've been shot at.  If I had died, then that was how things were supposed to be.  Support our troops, recognize the politicians and media outlets that help put them in harms way for what they are, self serving, greedy arshholes, and remember the cost of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance.
989270
Historically you are correct, and generally it would occur through a draft, taking up a wide range of people from different socioeconomic groups. The Iraq war is fought by mostly the "warrior class" of professional soldiers (or reserves). I agree that most war hawks are hypocritical about their support of the war. We should go back to the days where the leader of the people was the leader of the battles, that way we will think twice about going to war.
1013641
Well being in the U.S. ARMY I would help out anyone in any situation where they needed help. whether it was a heated argument or a fist fight or if it were a mugging of 3 on 1. It's just the right thing to do in those situations. Those that walk away and do absolutely nothing, are just as bad as the ones committing the crime!  That's just my opinion though.
208077
no. the US should not pull all of the troops out of IRAQ right away. it should be a slow process while the iraqi govt learns how to handle the present situation on its own. by doing so, they will no longer need the US there and they will become a fully funtioning country that is able to defend its self.\nand im in the USMC
194479
NO. I have friends and family who are in Iraq in the military and my father in law just got back from Iraq as a civilian bomb dog handler. Each of them has told me how saddened and sickened they are by the media portrayal of only negative things from the war. Each of them has told me about how they can see positive changes in Iraq and how much better the living conditions are over there now and how they have started schools and brought order back in many places. I don't think that is a waste of time. It is hard for us who have people we love over there and I am sure we would like to see them all come home safely and not have to be at war -- but the efforts made my our troops in Iraq are not a waste of time.
129700
Since I am already a vet, all it would take is for me to be called back up for some reason. Though I am past the age for rejoining currently, if we were under attack again and the rules would change, I would proudly serve and fight again.\n\n*******\n\nThe violations from the cease fire ending the hostilities from "Desert Storm" were not "lies".... This was the primary reason for the continued war action in Iraq now...
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.
695360
We started this, we have to bring it to an end. After we leave, then whatever happens... happens. The US achieved the vacuum of power that would now exist if we were to cut and run. Things are bad there now, but they are nothing like what would happen were we to immediately remove our troops. Forget the fighters......... every man with his heart must remember all the innocent victims that would loose their life without our presence there.
264607
Kerry would have cut and run from Iraq, leaving it in shambles.  No, he would have stayed.  Wait, what does the public think?  I'm going to stay.  No, we should leave, that's what my base wants.  But the moderates want us to stay and fight it out because we're not cowards, so we'll stay.  Unless people want to leave, then we'll do that.