Troop withdrawal from Iraq

[Democratic Hawk]

I think it would get worse

Dave

[YRABNNRM]

Deteriorate definatly. Civil War would occur and probably last awhile. It would become like Afghanistan after the Soviets.

[Alcon]

Deteriorate, certainly.

[Jake]

It would certainly get better as the evil imperialistic Americans would no longer be destabilizing the country.

[David S]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

[The Duke]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

Yes.  Next question.

[KillerPollo]

It would certainly get better as the evil imperialistic Americans would no longer be destabilizing the country.

^^^

[The Duke]

It would certainly get better as the evil imperialistic Americans would no longer be destabilizing the country.

^^^

He was being sarcastic.

[John Dibble]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

David, I think you're smart enough to know the answer is yes. Things are more stable than they used to be - yes the country is still shaky but it's starting to learn to walk on it's own two feet. I certainly feel we are a crutch right now and they'll fall down if they didn't have us there. I'd say once they get a working constitution that most can agree upon things will get even better. The media, of course, likes to report mainly the bad rather than any good, so most people here get a skewed view of what is really going on.

[opebo]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

[WalterMitty]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

opebo you used to be quite the hawk.

you even wanted to take out assad in syria (a good idea, btw)

[A18]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

Obviously.

[© tweed]

Deteriorate.

[John Dibble]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

At this point, it wouldn't work even if you were serious about it - there'd be civil war, I don't think most Iraqis would accept Saddam back at this point and he doesn't have a loyal army anymore to enforce his will.

[David S]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

David, I think you're smart enough to know the answer is yes. Things are more stable than they used to be - yes the country is still shaky but it's starting to learn to walk on it's own two feet. I certainly feel we are a crutch right now and they'll fall down if they didn't have us there. I'd say once they get a working constitution that most can agree upon things will get even better. The media, of course, likes to report mainly the bad rather than any good, so most people here get a skewed view of what is really going on.

Will one nation ever be happy with a government that was forced upon them by another nation? Would you be happy if a middle eastern nation imposed a muslim theocracy on us, in our best interest of course? I think you would not.

[King]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

To quote John Ford,  "[opebo] you ignorant slut!"  That would probably instigate more anti-American propaganda as it would prove the belief shared by a vast amount of Iraqis that Saddam is powerful enough to take back the country from the US.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It would end American soldiers coming home from Iraq in body bags, so it would be a good thing.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It'd be better in the long run, regardless.

[The Duke]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

David, I think you're smart enough to know the answer is yes. Things are more stable than they used to be - yes the country is still shaky but it's starting to learn to walk on it's own two feet. I certainly feel we are a crutch right now and they'll fall down if they didn't have us there. I'd say once they get a working constitution that most can agree upon things will get even better. The media, of course, likes to report mainly the bad rather than any good, so most people here get a skewed view of what is really going on.

Will one nation ever be happy with a government that was forced upon them by another nation? Would you be happy if a middle eastern nation imposed a muslim theocracy on us, in our best interest of course? I think you would not.

Well, I'm pretty grateful to France, Spain, and the Netherlands for their invaluable aid in the American Revolution.  I don't buy the idea that foreign intervention always ends in resentment of the intervenening power, and I can think of many examples to support my position.

[J. J.]

John, what happened to the "D?"

[John Dibble]

Another question to ask is whether it will ever be stable. Can a Democracy imposed on Iraq by us survive without a permanent US presence?

David, I think you're smart enough to know the answer is yes. Things are more stable than they used to be - yes the country is still shaky but it's starting to learn to walk on it's own two feet. I certainly feel we are a crutch right now and they'll fall down if they didn't have us there. I'd say once they get a working constitution that most can agree upon things will get even better. The media, of course, likes to report mainly the bad rather than any good, so most people here get a skewed view of what is really going on.

Will one nation ever be happy with a government that was forced upon them by another nation? Would you be happy if a middle eastern nation imposed a muslim theocracy on us, in our best interest of course? I think you would not.

David, we're giving them quite a good deal of flexibility in determining the structure of their own government(admittedly with conditions that have to be met), so I really don't buy into the whole 'forcing them' idea. And I would not be happy having a muslim theocracy forced on me, but quite frankly I'd be at least content if not happy with having a dictator exchanged for a government that I at least had a say in. You should know better than to make a straw man like that David. But, since we're on the topic, would you rather that someone come in, take down your government, and leave the country in complete and utter chaos? Having a democracy forced on you isn't such a bad deal compared to potential civil war and being vulnerable to hostile neighbors if you ask me.

[The Duke]

John, what happened to the "D?"

It comes and goes.  I've had it both ways off and on.

[opebo]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

opebo you used to be quite the hawk.

you even wanted to take out assad in syria (a good idea, btw)

Yes, I used to be very foolish about foreign policy. 

[opebo]

An important step to ensure a good result from the withdrawal of the invaders would be a re-instatement of Saddam Hussein with an apology and reparations.

To quote John Ford,  "[opebo] you ignorant slut!"  That would probably instigate more anti-American propaganda as it would prove the belief shared by a vast amount of Iraqis that Saddam is powerful enough to take back the country from the US.

If only they were correct!  Had he been more powerful, Bush would not have been able to destroy the country.