Iraq Exit Strategy

[Jaycint]

Just a little something to ponder from the party that represents my views best...

Thoughts? Comments?

(requires adobe pdf reader)


Iraq Exit Strategy (http://www.lp.org/exitplan.pdf)

[Rojo]

Its helpful to think about motivations. Are we really concerned about leaving the place a shamble or are we just worried about egg on our face. If its the latter, let's just admit it.

[Jaycint]

The primary concern, at least for me, is getting our troops out of there before many more die for what I believe to be the wrong reasons. I'm not much concerned about the shambles but then again I was never a proponent of going in there in the first place.

I think the proposed exit strategy is a good one. It gets us out of there over the course of one year and also diverts more troops to the place they should have been to begin with which is Afghanistan.

It also gives the Iraqi people a clear time frame for when our forces will be out of their country and possibly takes some of the wind out of the sails of the insurgency.

[Rojo]

Afghanistan' fine (and, hey, while your at it, find Osama) but I don't like the idea of spreading the troops around the gulf. I'll create mini-insurgencies and destablize the region further.

BTW, I think the Libertarian Party is lagging behind their movement.

[Jaycint]

Afghanistan' fine (and, hey, while your at it, find Osama) but I don't like the idea of spreading the troops around the gulf. I'll create mini-insurgencies and destablize the region further.

BTW, I think the Libertarian Party is lagging behind their movement.

I think you have a valid point about spreading the troops around the gulf. Afghanistan should be our primary focus, should have been from the beginning.

Not sure why the swipe at the Libertarian party was necessary but I'm not here to get in a partisan pissing contest. Obviously any party that isn't yours is subject to cheap shot after cheap shot. Unfortunately I've come to accept and expect that from a few select posters on this side.

At any rate, could we stay on topic, just for this one thread? Please? Pretty please? I'm interested in hearing the ideas of others on what a valid exit strategy is for Iraq. Not why party X is chickenhawks, or party Y is unpatriotic, or party Z is lagging behind their movement.

[Rojo]

Not sure why the swipe at the Libertarian party was necessary but I'm not here to get in a partisan pissing contest. Obviously any party that isn't yours is subject to cheap shot after cheap shot. Unfortunately I've come to accept and expect that from a few select posters on this side.

At any rate, could we stay on topic, just for this one thread? Please? Pretty please? I'm interested in hearing the ideas of others on what a valid exit strategy is for Iraq. Not why party X is chickenhawks, or party Y is unpatriotic, or party Z is lagging behind their movement.

Not expecting that. I'm not sure why what I said was a cheap shot.

[GAC]

Have there been any recent studies/reports to show the progress of Iraqi security forces, and that they are sufficient and ready? That is the key for me.

And I don't agree with spotting our troops all around the Middle East either, as some sort of "buffer" and deterrent to those that may want to lauch Iraq into civil war. What? Then we have to go back in and spell another mess?

The bare fact is that at some point, the Shi ites and Kurds are gonna have to bring the Sunni's to the table and get them involved. I fully understand the resentment these two groups may have for Sunnis after decades of oppression. But holding onto that resentment, and possibly shutting them out of the forming of their constitution/government, and giving them limited role, is just gonna complicate the problem. They have to move forward.

[registerthis]

The bare fact is that at some point, the Shi ites and Kurds are gonna have to bring the Sunni's to the table and get them involved. I fully understand the resentment these two groups may have for Sunnis after decades of oppression. But holding onto that resentment, and possibly shutting them out of the forming of their constitution/government, and giving them limited role, is just gonna complicate the problem. They have to move forward.Correct--and they're going to have to do it without our help at some point.

I don't think the transition will be a smooth one--likely it will be quite violent. But we simply can't stay in Iraq forever, and the public's tolerance for a lengthy occupation will be, I believe, quite low. We need to come to grips with the fact that we're not getting ourselves out of Iraq without some egg on our face, it's inevitable. This war, legitimate or not, was poorly planned and poorly executed. And the fact that we're now talking in terms of least-worst-case scenarios shows just how far off the rails the Iraq war plan has deviated.

[RedsBaron]

I think the war was superbly executed; it was the resultant occupation following the end of the war that has been less than perfectly executed. I know that's probably splitting hairs, but I was amazed at how quickly American and British forces defeated Hussein's forces in the war itself, and at a relatively minimal loss of life. I believe we have lost far more soldiers since the war itself ended and the occupation began.