I've been pondering for months what the exit strategy will be. Obama wants out of Iraq by June of 2010. That isn't a very long time, but it is possible. Iraq is closer than Afghanistan to being a Democratic nation (still isnt saying much). If Obama can finish one war, and put the military into capturing and ending the Taliban first off to secure that Afghanistan has a chance to be a Democratic nation. My biggest fear is that the US will pull out of Iraq too early, and Iran will walk right in. This is the worst potential situation. Iran is causing all sorts of trouble in the Middle East, and soon enough they will have nuculair arms. Personally I think Obama has to deal with Foreign Affairs one at a time. He has to: 1. Secure Iraq, train police, instate a deep based Democracy that will not be overturned. 2. Obama has to speak with Iran. Although it may cause more problems, he must tell them we will not allow you to produce, or possess nuculair arms. They won't like this and I dont know what will be the reprocussion for telling them this, but it will avoid in 5-20 years a nuculair war between the Middle Eatern countries (Iran, Pakistan). The last thing these people need is nuculair arms. They directly fund terrorism and terrorist groups, and are not afraid to say that they do. And just for kicks to show how insane the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadiejad is he has said Homosexuality does not exist in Iran, it is a North American thing. Which is obviously ridiculas. 3. Finish Afghanistan. Get rid of the Taliban for good (not a easy task in the least). The second US, Canadian, and UK forces leave Afghanistan, the Taliban will forcefully try to take the country back by whatever means nesicary. After 9/11 a lot of the Taliban was disbanded and they were taken out of power. This forced them to go underground, but they are still recruiting and still making money. Remember 90% of the world's heroin is comming from Afghanistan. These are the best case situations. Iran is a big question mark right now. Nobody wants to wake the dragon right now. And rightfully so, because Obama has a lot more to think about right now. The Economy is another situation that must be delt with right now. But this cannot be shunned either. This will not happen overnight. This will take (assuming Obama is re-elected in 2013) both of Obama's terms, and still not be complete. These people have to understand that it is not acceptable for them to have nuculair weapons, and that the US WILL NOT allow it.
Exit strategy is misleading. We will pull the majority of troops out but will always maintain bases. Probably a force of approximately 30,000 troops each in Iraq and Afghanistan, similar in structure to those in the Korean DMZ.
I don't see how Iran can talk as much shit as they do towards us and Israel, yet think after all that talk that we will allow them to have a nuke.
1.That won't stop anyone in this government until it's too late. 2.Yet...but who knows they see themselves as a superpower, could be a huge bluff like Saddam. and if you want to take care of Afghanistan, Pakistan has to take care of it's own business in its country before it's possible to take care of Al-Qaeda.
When you say if the US pulls out of Iraq too early then Iran will walk in, but Iran has already walked in. Most of the leading Iraqi Shiite parties were actually formed in Iran and/or are wholeheartedly supported by Iran in terms of money, logistical support, training and arms. In a sense, Iran rules Iraq by proxy with their political parties controlling Iraqi security forces and most interior ministries. The south of Iraq is already in a mix of shiite theocratic enclaves. In essence the whole Iraq fiasco gave Iran it's most significant historical victory against Iraq in 400 years. Now will Iran be more open about their "walking in" after the US leaves? Probably. Afghanistan is another big mess with no easy solutions or answers. Obama is wrong if he thinks an extra 30,000 troops will solve the problem. Afghanistan isn't Iraq and the surge in Iraq wasn't even about troop levels but had more to do with ethnic cleansing, the reinforcement of ethnic cleansing and the bribing of militias, most of whom were ordered to "dissolve" by their leaders until further notice(when the Americans leave). Isn't it ironic to think that before Bush's "axis of evil speech" the US was actually working with Iranian agents in Afghanistan and on the Iran/Afghan border?
The south east corner of Iraq was being invaded before the Us got there. They did a good job of stopping it, but not all of it. I see Iran as the biggest threat, maybe not now, but in the long run. The US needs to let them know it is unacceptable for them to possess them. I know there is no right and wrong answer. He has to steer the ship the best he can, but he will make mistakes, hopefully not many.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have a we're-the-good-guys attitude... did you ever consider that the US, not necessarily through the means of war, is seen as a mass of terror? Even beyond our government and country, but the corporations we house...
Iran is having a problem feeding there own people and they are a world power? http://www.rgemonitor.com/us-monitor/253429/iran_buys_wheat_from_american_-_is_this_significant what a world we live in...
US and Israel are the two biggest terrorist states on earth, but of course that is only if you are going by the United States Governments own definition of terrorism
People that justify blowing up a school or a hospital are evil, and should be treated as harshly as possible to extract information.
Do you really want me to list how many schools, hospitals and civilians the US and Israel have unjustly bombed to shit over the past 50 years? Open your fucking eyes!
LOL, I lol'd at this thread. Iraq did nothing to us. ever. There was never a terrorist in Iraq. We just want take over the land and force them into capitalism society.
That's what people believe, harsh interrogation techniques = actionable intel. Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Everybody from the Israelis and top US interrogators, such as the team that eventually gathered the intel. to kill Zarqawi, agree that police style interrogations(building rapport/relationships and playing off cultural technicalities) if much more effective.
