I don't like any of the options to be honest, but I'll pick eventually when I figure out the least of the evils. My solution: build a time machine and never get involved (I know it's a cop out).
Slow withdrawl, break the country up into it's two main sects...sunni and shi'a, with the kurdish population sectioned off as well, forming three independent and sovereign nations. Of course it probably won't ever happen, but who knows what turns this war will take in the future.
No matter how bad it seemingly is, Iraq as a country is better of now than it was 5 years ago. There's a sole cause for that.
Leave doctors and engineers there, along with enough manpower to provide defense for the doctors and engineers. Grovel to the UN to ask for assistance in rebuilding hospitals, schools, and other infrastructure so the country at least has a decent chance at stabilization. Have George W. Bush and Dick Cheney parachute unarmed into Anbar province so the people can greet them as liberators.
Part of me would like all troops out NOW! But I have to admit that the most realistic (and best) choice is slow withdrawal. I agree with the time machine comment though!
Slow withdrawal sounds good. Although qualitative words like "slow" are open to abuse. Obviously being out by 2020 is too slow.
Ding, ding, ding we have a winner. I was for keeping up the good fight (many posts) but the Iraqi's have disappointed me. And what's wrong with breaking up a country that is obviously not of a single culture anyways. It's going to happen to the U.S. with the Southwest. If it is good enough for us it is good enough for them.
I didn't vote because it doesn't have a choice I want. I say give "the surge" some more time and then, regardless of whether it succeeded or failed, plan to withdraw.
.... and bivouac on Iraq's 4 borders until their govt. stabilizes (w/ or w/o a civil war we stay out of) and then leave? Good plan.
Flawed questionaire (deliberately?) to include world opinion and loss of allied lives in one option. Maybe if you exercisesed your democratic rights over maniacs like Bush and friends (if arse licker Blair had been a true friend to the American people he should have advised the White House carpetbaggers to keep out for example) then the whole sordid mess could have been avoided.
Canadians can get the fuck out right away.. sick of them being killed.. as for the others, they should probably get out too... it's stupid that this even happened in the first place.
Get out now isn't a realistic option, slow withdrawl won't work out well for anyone either - staying in there is just more poison. Up a certain creek without a certain propulsion implement? Also - thinking of terrorism because of your other poll - you are aware of the expression 'one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter'. I must say [why must I say it! I dunno, preparing to be flamed] - I consider the Iraqi (not international) insurgents to be freedom fighters. I think they are fighting an ingenious war* against a high tech army and, right now, they are winning. Iraq and Iraqis have been through so much since the 2nd world war, I don't think they are going to rollover any time soon. *This no criticism of the individuals getting killed and wounded, I feel for them and their families.
Well, technically our troops are in Afghanistan, not Iraq. Or am I missing something? And as I've said before, I'm not entirely sold on whether the Afghanistan occupation is a good idea. But at least there seems to have been some justification for the occupation of Afghanistan, unlike Iraq.
A better question to ask would be: If the US withdrew its troops from the Iraqi theater would Islamofascists still want to kill you? Work everything else back from there. Find another way to chip away at that issue and I'll listen, otherwise pay attention to the real problem.
Iraq, Afghanistan whatever.. get out.. We are supposed to be the peacekeepers, we've had like 3-4 kids die from my tiny town already.
ManlyBanisters, the "freedom fighters" as you call them aren't winning. Matter of fact they're giving clues that they're losing: suicide bombers. Can you read tea leaves?
