Is recent political rhetoric which blames Iraqis for the civil disorder a prelude to US withdrawal?
965764
I wouldn't call it rhetoric so much as reality. They've had years to get their own country under control and they've proven to be too incompetent to do it. The civil disorder is indeed their own fault, and perhaps we should walk out and let them stew in it.
105186
Here are some of the justifications for invading Irak:\n\nThreat From Saddam Hussein \nIraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction \nTerrorism and Terrorist Links \nHuman Rights Abuses \nIraq's Oil \nSpreading Democracy In the Middle East \nIraq's United Nation Security Council Resolution \nViolations Preemption \nIntelligence \n\nAll of them have been proven worng.  All of them were excuses made by the Bush administration.\n\nWhen Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, says, "It was a serious crisis. I believe that Iraq came to the brink and came back," the swiftness of his prognosis sounds like little more than wishful thinking. Less than a week after an event that has already resulted in 1,300 deaths, it seems way too early to be declaring that Iraq has clearly pulled back from the brink of civil war. Moreover, when US military spokesman, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, says, "The violence did not escalate, because of the measures [the Iraqi government] took. We had forces standing by if needed. Fortunately, that need wasn't realized," he is exaggerating the influence of elected officials, overestimating the capabilities of Iraqi and US forces, and minimizing the role of clerics in controlling the violence. While the US military and Iraqi government clearly want to sustain the impression that they have everything under control, a much more credible view of the situation comes from Capt. Gregory Stone, who said, "It felt -- at times -- like someone else's war."\n\nThe short answer is yes, civil war is the result of the Bush administration intervention in the Middle East.  But that's exactly what they expect.
255658
ALL HELL WILL BREAK LOOSE SOON... iraq is on the verge of all out civil war: shiite muslims fighting sunnis muslims within the country. situation there would be best assessed by US army intel operating within iraq.\n\nI feel it would be irresponsible, even catastrophic if US troops were to be pulled out now.
305841
I believe that it refers to either the absence of power (meaning, no one is in control) or it means that there are no politics going on.\n\nMy guess is that it refers to the absence of a controlling force or entity.  Right now, there is almost a political vacuum in Iraq.  No one is completely in control, which is why there is a civil war brewing.
991842
What is happening now is what will happen when we leave.  There is no real democracy in Iraq, democracy is a heck of a lot more than votes.  It is a collection of shared social and political values put into a formal construct.  Iraqis do not have the values, the experience, and the sharing that would produce democracy.  Sectarian strife will continue, intensify when we leave, and the only thing that will keep Muslim extremists from taking over will be a situation much like the one we ruined, rightly or wrongly, by invading.
650098
Soon is the hopefull answer Bush and Blair have announced plans to have all US and British military resources withdrawn from Iraq by 2010. Hopefully even sooner.\n\nWe should withdraw now but gradually handing over control to Iraqi security forces as we go.
702545
who stated that quote, hopefully it was from "fake news source". i couldn't imagine anyone seriously saying that. maybe the fact that the Iraqi government isn't doing anything yet could apply? that's about it.
439739
I guess only UK, USA and Iraq leaders are insistently rejecting the civil war. I wonder how many more tortured death Iraqi bodies should be found in the streets to make them accept it, accept the CIVIL WAR and that IT WAS A MISTAKE. I am against foreigner interferrence in Iraq since the beginning. But I hope USA & UK is not planning to leave Iraq without cleaning up THEIR MESS. \n\n\nOFFICIAL: UNDECLARED CIVIL WAR IN IRAQ\n\n".....\n\nDespite the violence, U.S. officials have discounted talk of civil war. However, A SENIOR IRAQI OFFICIAL said Saturday that an "UNDECLARED CIVIL WAR" had already been raging for MORE THAN A YEAR.\n\n"Is there a civil war? Yes, there is an undeclared civil war that has been there for a year or more," Maj. Gen. Hussein Kamal told The Associated Press. "All these bodies that are discovered in Baghdad, the slaughter of pilgrims heading to holy sites, the explosions, the destruction, the attacks against the mosques are all part of this."\n\nHis comments were echoed by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.\n\n"Civil war has almost started among Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds and those who are coming from Asia. The situation is uneasy and I don't know how would Iraq be brought together," Mubarak said in an interview broadcast Saturday on Al-Arabiya satellite television.\n\n...."  \n\nhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006-04-08-iraq_x.htm\n\n\n"..We have replaced a military dictatorship with a religious one, for the time being. Now we have Islamic parties, both Sunni and Shia and they are imposing their ideology on the people. No-one is capable of standing up to them. Lots of the killing we are seeing, and the violence, is because of this kind of ideology. \n\nIf you stand up, you will be eliminated. SO WHAT'S NEW? It's the same thing as under Saddam, but now we are dealing WITH SEVERAL SADDAMS, not just one..." Saad Al-Izzi /Iraqi\n\n\n" I want my message to reach the Americans themselves. If their goal was to create the new Middle East and the foundation of a democratic example of a country that chooses its leaders, then I will tell them that the result of their military action is totally the opposite. \n\nThe majority of people in the Middle East are now holding their leaders close to them even if they are unfair, because they fear facing the same fate as Iraq. \n\nTHE MILITARY ACTION DID NOT WORK....." Samir Ali / Iraqi\n\n\nLife in Iraq: Ask our panel \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4883964.stm
858295
We went to 'topple Saddam'. We did that. Now we are trying to run the affairs of a country we never really knew anything about.\nIt is time to pull the troops to the borders, secure them and let the Iraqis "duke it out" whom will be in power.
960794
If the American military pulls out, a few things will very likely happen:\n\n1. If you think the situation is bad there now, the violence will only escalate;\n\n2. America will appear weak militarily;\n\n3. Muslim extremists will get the message that crime does, in fact, pay very well;\n\n4. The fragile democracy in Iraq will likely collapse;\n\n5. Those in power now, including the police, will be sitting ducks.\n\n(See also CAMBODIA after we left Vietnam for further lessons.)
843632
I heard all the talk, they try to make you feel that you are a rat jumping from a sinking ship. At least the Democrats want to set a timetable to get out of Iraq. I feel this is a good idea. One it would force the new leader in Iraq to get his police force in line.
892386
I believe it will serve as a signal that people are tired of the current administration and its policies; especially on the War in Iraq. Those who support Bush's policies may want to be prepared to lose their seat.
687100
I'm sure there will be several posts to suggest that the recent violence in Iraq this month, and certainly during April, are evidence of a brewing civil war in Iraq, but the reality based upon fact, is simply not there.\n\nSati al-Husri, considered the 'father of modern Iraq,' purported before his death that there would be struggles within the frame of the Iraqi State because of the religious factions existing within her borders.  This is a fundamental issue, and the West has come to recognize it all too well.  \n\nHowever, despite Iraq's cultural/religious inequity, Sati taught his children and grandchildren, that Sunni Muslims of which sect he belonged, could equally coexist with the Shi'a and Kurds. There was no conflict in his family's inner circle.  He proved that enlightened intellectual thought could countermand extremist ideology without compromising religious piety.\n\nBut although al-Husri's ideas are easy to agree with, especially from a Western point of view, they are not so easy to implement, especially in the current climate of terrorism.\n\nThe underpinning to all of the conflict in Iraq is not a brewing civil war among its Muslim factions, but rather an insurgency that cannot see the value of peace in the Middle East.  They tend to look through their extremist eyes with a 'jihadi' philosophy.  The insurgents will attempt to insight the Iraqi people into warring with each other.  This is not for the gain of the Iraqi people; it merely creates the atmosphere of unsettled violence for them. And the insurgents could care less about an Iraqi unified state either. Instead, they want their terrorist agenda to move forward...at all costs.\n\nTo that end, they will foment unrest, spatter the media with words of 'Civil War,' and create a masterful stroke of using the West against itself.  Fortunately, the Iraqi people are resolved to follow Sati al-Husri's example:  Freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, and freedom of commerce are the seeds to grow an independent state.  Violence and terrorism have no place in such a united country.  Democracy is the manifold weapon against al-Qa'ida and the Taliban, and the insurgents simply can't stand it.\n\nAs to the $4.00 gallon of gas, I doubt this will come to fruition, much as the media seems to hope it will.  We cannot discount those politicians who have a stake in the November elections either.  They seem to throw out this vague threat as though it were a weapon.\n\nThere is no doubt that we may come close to the mark in some sections of the country, especially over the summer months. But Americans in general will not accept this increase, and the government knows it.  So do the oil companies and our allies producing oil.  It is not in their best interests to price themselves out of the market.  There will likely be caps before the $4.00 per gallon rate is reached.  After all, once again, this is an election year.  Politicos have a reason to make sure the voters are looking at their names with favor. The first place the voter’s feel the pressure of Washington is at the pump.  You may be assured that the first place Washington will compromise is also at the pump.
740166
The Iraq war will soon end with the withdrawal of Americans.  Iraq will have a disastrous civil war.
903793
I last minute resignation would be admitting mistakes and admitting the falsehood of the whole Iraqi adventure. Therefore such resignation would resort even a bigger Democratic win.\n\nHe could resign a couple of months ago but at that time Republicans still believed in their win. Fortunately they were mistaken!
969286
I agree that this is obvious.  Iraq was probably the hegemon in the Middle East before the US invasion, though Iran had already been clamoring for increased power and influence in the region.  Now that Iraq has fallen into great turmoil, Iran now has an opportunity to increase its influence and establish itself as the leading Muslim nation, much as the US is considered the leading democratic nation.  Iran has much to gain from a destabilized Iraq, and is thus contributing to the violence through weapons sales.
697118
Good question.\n\nThe timing certainly seems to fit what we have become accustomed to, politically calculated.\n\nAs has been said above, I doubt that it will make any difference on its own. I am surprised that there has not (yet) been a major event, and I hope it stays that way. That would be so obvious that it might launch civil strife elsewhere than in Iraq and Afghanistan.