War in Iraq

[txswinner]

Apparently many now do not agree with polls. So now with over 2000 Americans killed for Iraqi freedom how about some opinions about how President Bush is doing in the war started because Saddam had WMD. No name calling just opinions.

 

[rolmops]

Re: War in Iraq

Lousy from day one.<br />By delaying the action, he gave Sadam ample time to disband and redeploy his army as an underground force with hidden supply dumps everywhere.After Somalia and the marine disaster in Beirut he or at least the strategists should have known what they were up against,but they chose to ignore all lessons learned in the past and go in like cowboys expecting flowers in the end.<br />The thing that Bush and many other Americans do not see,is that the rest of the world are not Americans and what works here,may very well spell disaster in other places.<br />The ulterior agenda(securing oil supplies)was badly damaged because of these mistakes.

 

[jtexas]

Re: War in Iraq

"many do not agree with polls" - not sure what that means.<br /><br />Reconstruction funds are being stolen and otherwise misspent - basic needs are not being met - their lives should have improved by now - I mean day to day food/water/electricity/transportation/education/jobs peacetime-type stuff. Restoring the infrastructure is key to completing the job. How is Bush doing? I dunno, he's the head honcho and the results so far are below expectations, so I guess not too well. <br /><br />That's my 2¢

 

[JasonJ]

Re: War in Iraq

I think the President is doing about as well as his administration is allowing him to. He, in my opinion, has always been hobbled by the incompetance of the entire system. While I may not agree with why we are in Iraq, I do think it is a little unfair to blame the President for every last failing that has happened. It is just easy to blame him because he is the President. There has been poor decision making throughout, and now he has to just try to fix the mess and get out of it. Like someone said in another post, he isn't up for re-election. He only has his legacy to try to save now. <br /><br />Polls are nothing but bollocks anyways...

 

[txswinner]

Re: War in Iraq

Wait this is his administration with full support of congress all republican. He is responsible and therefore whatever your thoughts are for the war are a result of his power. Give him credit or give him blame, do not give him an excuse.

 

[RubberFrog]

Re: War in Iraq

Originally posted by JasonJ:<br /> <br /><br />Polls are nothing but bollocks anyways...

Never mind the Sex Pistols.

 

[txswinner]

Re: War in Iraq

thank you latex amphibian, I knew I had read the polls are nothing somewhere.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: War in Iraq

txwinner<br /> I dont look at polls much and then with a jaded eye. but I do try to look at what is happening from different countries. while on Margarita island for 2 weeks last christmas I happened on a resturaunt run by two lebonese ex patriots. they finnaly had to leave. but they got to see US supplied arms do some nasty things in their region. name of the place is mugambi's right beside the best western. was interesting chatting with them, both were in theier mid sixties and had been married close to 50 years.<br /> Bush knew or should have known the non existance of WMD's. but once he found out for sure they were not there the course of the war should have shifted immediatly into a more humanitarian issue. if we dont improve the daily lives of those we invaded soon all will be lost and the war will drag on until like the USSR in afghanistan we will just leave, or the russians or the chinese will step in. they are a wee bit closer. <br /> so I guess my opinion is he is doing a terrible job and has been for some time. if its from poor advice then like Reagan,Nixon and Carter he needs to change his advisors.

 

[dtherrien]

Re: War in Iraq

Come on you guys......we took that country over.We are never leaving there.Is it only me that sees it that way? To me the only thing that makes sence about the world trade center buildings attack is that maybe some of our own people were in on it.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: War in Iraq

dtherrien<br /> I tend to agree. we also are not leaving afghanistan anytime soon either. thats why we are planning/builing so many bases there and may be closing them in saudi arabia. are the saudi's next? they should have been first.

 

[QC]

Re: War in Iraq

Well dtherrien is off his rocker . . .<br /><br />Anyway, back to the original question which I believe had nothing to do with polls. I thought the question was what I think of the job being done by the Pres. in running this war.<br /><br />I think this is one of the most courageous moves by a President ever, and think the results so far are nothing short of miraculous. How can the establishment of free elections in two different countries within a year of each other be seen as anything else. The beginnings of anything close to Democracy in that region is precisely what this world needs. I see no other way to stem the tide of fanaticism. I am totally comfortable saying that our style of Democracy is a blessing to us and those that it is bestowed upon. George Bush and the US should be praised for the freedom being brought to Afghanistan and Iraq.<br /><br />BTW, txs, I don't think if you were truly interested in my opinion you would not have added the WMD line. Seems like a little coaxing to me . . .

 

[KRS]

Re: War in Iraq

ditto Quietcat

 

[Vlad D Impeller]

Re: War in Iraq

I agree, dtherrien is off of his rocker, though he may be right in saying that we will be in Iraq for a very long time, i would roughly say maybe 15-20 years, nevertheless for those who think that the president is doing a bad job when it comes to the war, you folks are in dreamland.

 

[dtherrien]

Re: War in Iraq

Time will tell...............after all the pres has done great in four years

 

[rolmops]

Re: War in Iraq

Quietcat,these elections are far more for american consumption than for local democracy.Everybody there voted along tribal and, on a smaller scale, family lines.The very same families that used to run these 2 mostly tribal societies are running it now, using elections,they knew they were going to win.Democratic elections in a country that is built on tribal power division are a waste of money and time because they simply confirm what was there already.The only purpose these elections served,were propaganda.<br />Besides,democratic elections can produce governments that do not listen to the USA.The next thing you know is a situation like Venezuela where american supported groups tried to kick a democratically elected president out of office because Hugo Chafez is not pro USA but pro Venezuela.All of a sudden democracy seems to bug the very same people who try to spread it across the world.

 

[pjc]

Re: War in Iraq

i will ask rolmops, given your last post regarding the nature and content of the Iraqi elections. <br /><br />What is the different in substance to elections in the United States, or other democracies that have an election process similar to the US?<br /><br />Are not the two majority parties in the US little more than "tribal power"?

 

[QC]

Re: War in Iraq

Your version of the Venezuela stuff is just that, your version. I don't believe these elections were created for CNN.<br /><br />Rolmops, I am perfectly comfortable saying that the US version of Democracy is morally superior to many other styles of Gov't AND better for the people that ultimately benefit from it. I understand the difficulties of that style of Democracy working in a tribal environment, however, I think the attempt is worth it and "we've got to start somewhere". The current situation in the Middle East and other areas that support Islamic Fanatics who literally breed hate has got to be dealt with. This fanaticism isn't right, it is immoral and it is a threat to my way of life. I want it gone.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: War in Iraq

are the saudi's next? they should have been first.

I like the way you talk.<br />

I think this is one of the most courageous moves by a President ever, and think the results so far are nothing short of miraculous.

The talk was a first class performance from the heart.<br />The primary mission was to kill or capture Osama Bin Laden.<br />The seconadry mission was to bring terrorism to its knees.<br />The third mission was to rid the world of Saddam's WMD's.<br />The forth mission was a regime change in Iraq.<br /> These were the points of war. <br />The troops performance is miraculous. The administrations performance is a weak 25%. Our troops are hindered by that performance lately.<br />

The beginnings of anything close to Democracy in that region is precisely what this world needs....I am totally comfortable saying that our style of Democracy is a blessing to us and those that it is bestowed upon.

Two points;<br />1.If it were that easy we wouldn't have to occupy the countrys that we "convert" for decades. <br />Freedom and democracy is only for those that will die for it. That's the only guarentee that it will work.<br />2.This kind of attitude will get you a fight in any neighborhood when an outsider comes in telling the locals "what is good for them."<br />Put that "neo-con" bully-talk back in that rathole it came from unless you want a draft again.<br /> Quietcat no disrespect intended at all, but you sound way too comfortable being the "worlds police". Either way it's obvious there are more monsters in more places that want to eat us then we are willing to handle at the moment. That makes me very uncomfortable.

 

[dogsdad]

Re: War in Iraq

Here's a time when I can nod my head in unison with your thoughts, skinnywater...at least most of it.<br /><br />Why people are so willing to forget the history of the last five years is beyond me...to me the only rational explanation is political expediency.<br /><br />I would add this, though: the administration's most glaring failures are in the arena of public perception---and the so-called mainstream media has been the adversary here. Surprise! The other surprise id this: Bush ain't running for re-election, so the so-called mainstream media is BLOWING its political capital at a breakneck pace.<br /><br />Glub, glub.

 

[QC]

Re: War in Iraq

Originally posted by Skinnywater:<br /> no disrespect intended at all, but you sound way too comfortable being the "worlds police".

I don't like it at all. I sometimes wish we could afford to be isolationists, but the fact is we can't. Like I said. We gotta start somewhere. The hijackers of the Islamic faith have gone too far. Who do you think we should leave it up to? The United Nations? Should we do nothing?