We Have Won The War In Iraq (Seriously)

[The Duke]

I've always said the War in Iraq will end not with a bang, but a whimper.

I think the whimper is happenning right now.

With the offensive in Mosul denying Al Qaeda its last urban base in Iraq, AQI's fate will now be entirely in the hands of the rural tribal sheiks.  That is the same as death, since the sheiks turned on Al Qaeda almost a year ago.  Al Qaeda is such dire straits that they cannot recover in Iraq.

American and Iraqi casualties have been plumetting for a while now, but this month so far, only two US troops have died and Iraqi casualties are also extremely low.  Violence has fallen to such a low level that Iraq can in no way be said to be in a Civil War.

I hear a whimper, and I'm declaring victory.

I'm not the only one.  Nouri al-Maliki is declaring victory, too.  "We have achieved victory against terrorist groups and militias. Things will not return to the way they were," he said recently.

Violence may linger for a few months at low levels and there is still a need for the US to babysit and ensure that the Civil War does not resume and that the Iraqi state continues to develop its ability to sustain the emerging peace.

But I now believe America's war on Al Qaeda in Iraq has ended.  We won.  They lost.

[Sbane]

I've always said the War in Iraq will end not with a bang, but a whimper.

I think the whimper is happenning right now.

With the offensive in Mosul denying Al Qaeda its last urban base in Iraq, AQI's fate will now be entirely in the hands of the rural tribal sheiks.  That is the same as death, since the sheiks turned on Al Qaeda almost a year ago.  Al Qaeda is such dire straits that they cannot recover in Iraq.

American and Iraqi casualties have been plumetting for a while now, but this month so far, only two US troops have died and Iraqi casualties are also extremely low.  Violence has fallen to such a low level that Iraq can in no way be said to be in a Civil War.

I hear a whimper, and I'm declaring victory.

I'm not the only one.  Nouri al-Maliki is declaring victory, too.  "We have achieved victory against terrorist groups and militias. Things will not return to the way they were," he said recently.

Violence may linger for a few months at low levels and there is still a need for the US to babysit and ensure that the Civil War does not resume and that the Iraqi state continues to develop its ability to sustain the emerging peace.

But I now believe America's war on Al Qaeda in Iraq has ended.  We won.  They lost.

HAHAHAH so we create Al Qaeda in Iraq and now we destroy it. In the process thousands if not tens of thousands of innocent civilians are killed and this is suppossed to be a success? Republicans are very interesting creatures.

[opebo]

....But I now believe America's war on Al Qaeda in Iraq has ended.  We won.  They lost.

Yes, the Iraqis definitely lost.  But you have to give them credit for fighting the Empire for as long as they have, against such odds.  Brave.

Still, if we keep occupying the country as a colony, the Resistance will always be there and even perhaps come back stronger one day. 

[Sbane]

....But I now believe America's war on Al Qaeda in Iraq has ended.  We won.  They lost.

Yes, the Iraqis definitely lost.  But you have to give them credit for fighting the Empire for as long as they have, against such odds.  Brave.

Still, if we keep occupying the country as a colony, the Resistance will always be there and even perhaps come back stronger one day. 

I do not consider Al qaeda in Iraq to be the popular voice of the Iraqi people in the least. Sure Sunnis supported them at first but it was mainly because they had nothing else. They were left powerless after Saddam fell. After Iraqis realized what despicable pieces of sh**t Al qaeda are, they stood up against them. But I do not think the civil war is "over". It will never be over, considering it has been going on for more than a millenia now. Since Iraq is basically segregated based on religion now, we are seeing the violence drop. The Iraqis also want us out and less violence is the best way to do that. I just hope they stay peaceful after we leave.

[opebo]

I doubt that those who have been fighting the invader are just 'al Queda' (who knows if that is even real).  I suspect they're mostly just patriots.

[Sbane]

I doubt that those who have been fighting the invader are just 'al Queda' (who knows if that is even real).  I suspect they're mostly just patriots.

OK see here you are buying into Bush's talking points. The vast majority of "attacks" happened from just normal Iraqis pissed off at the Americans. Then there was Al qaeda which operated as a real terrorist organization does, by killing civilians. We were led to believe all the attacks were by "terrorists" even though by most definitions they would be freedom fighters.

[opebo]

sbane, I'm skeptical even of the existence of al Queda.  I don't think I'm buying into Bush's talking points.

[Sbane]

sbane, I'm skeptical even of the existence of al Queda.  I don't think I'm buying into Bush's talking points.

Well I think there are some people in Iraq who are blowing up innocent civilians...Many times it is Al qaeda. Then there are the attacks on US troops by disgruntled Iraqis. I would think those attacks are the majority of these " insurgent attacks" we hear about on the local news.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Exactly why we need to begin leaving

[Albus Dumbledore]

So iraq is stabilized. That means we can start leaving then.

[MODU]

So iraq is stabilized. That means we can start leaving then.

After we turn over the last of the provinces and Iraqi forces grow to an adequate size to patrol the whole country, yes.

[NDN]

The Iraqi government has asked us to get out. Actually the Iraqis have indicated that repeatedly. Now it's time to listen to them. If don't, well it's pretty obvious what that makes us.

[Albus Dumbledore]

You don't 'get' the intricities of US middle east policy including why we have to stay there for the next century.

[Middle-aged Europe]

I thought the war has already been over since May 1, 2003???

[Flying Dog]

Yah! Now that we've whacked this mole we can go over to forgotisstan and whack that one. 

[ChrisFromNJ]

Mission Accomplished again?

[??????????]

I thought the war has already been over since May 1, 2003???

That banner has been explained on the whole lefts argument about it has completely been discredited. Please try a 2008 argument. Next.

[Person Man]

Great we won. We can leave now. End of story.

[The Duke]

Great we won. We can leave now. End of story.

So iraq is stabilized. That means we can start leaving then.

Yeah, we've already started the drawdown.  We draw down to 140,000 troops at months end and then we review our status.  I suspect the review will result in even more drawdowns.

[Flying Dog]

Great we won. We can leave now. End of story.

So iraq is stabilized. That means we can start leaving then.

Yeah, we've already started the drawdown.  We draw down to 140,000 troops at months end and then we review our status.  I suspect the review will result in even more drawdowns.

The "draw-down" is a farce. We're just going back to pre-surge levels because we can't sustain the current troop levels due to rotation complications.

[jokerman]

Yes, we've subdued the minority faction in Iraq...now for the Shi'a, the majority faction.  I can't wait for al-Sadr to start flexing his muscles again.