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WOW!
Reader comment on item: Tempering Ambitions [in Iraq]

Submitted by Blackspeare (United States), Nov 12, 2006 at 10:07

Wow, what a bunch or morose, bellicose commenters so far----so let me add my two cents.

I agree that bringing down Saddam Hussein was a good move. However, the way the US did it was poor. Rumsfeld and the neocon cabal wanted to do the deed on the cheap by employing as few troops as possible. It worked initially, but there was not enough troops to keep the peace and stabilize the country including the borders. A military force of let's say 500,000 would have easily secured and stabilized the country allowing the fledgling government to gain control and prevent the development of sectarian militias. Also, the country's infra-structure would also have been restored to a much higher degree than it is today----ain't hindsight wonderful?!

Anyway, we come to today and what to do. The parallels between Iraq and Vietnam are unmistakeable though there are a few differences, but they get clouded in the rhetoric. The big problem for Bush and company is how to extract the US from Iraq so that the impact is positive for the Republicans in the 2008 elections. It will be interesting to see the recommendations of the Baker commission. And speaking of the Baker commission, it looks like Bush is digging up all the fossils from his father's regime and like I say, "It's Ahead to the Past!"


Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (43) on this item

Title By Date
Question for Dr. Pipes regarding Green zone in Baghdad
[w/response] [227 words]
American MuslimDec 3, 2006 00:58
Militarily we already won.. but politically? [260 words]AndrewNov 15, 2006 20:47
Two Postscripts [95 words]Susan WalkerNov 14, 2006 06:29
Kurds and Sunnis [48 words]JayNov 13, 2006 23:24
In War: Resolution [263 words]JackdawNov 13, 2006 22:44
When We Lost the Battle of Iraq [266 words]Douglas BoggsNov 13, 2006 22:02
Goals according to Bush + BEWARE OF SPIN! [193 words]MelMNov 13, 2006 18:48
Correct Strategy for Iraq [176 words]Chris ChrismanNov 13, 2006 13:00
It Is What It Is [65 words]Jeffrey BradleyNov 12, 2006 23:00
Pulling out. [143 words]John RNov 12, 2006 22:30
I respectfully disagree. [116 words]John PhilipsNov 12, 2006 22:04
National Schizophrenia & Political Paralysis [500 words]AbijahNov 12, 2006 18:24
A Caveat [49 words]Richard WittrupNov 12, 2006 17:56
Am I the Only Bush Defender? [90 words]lindaNov 15, 2006 17:02
You're not alone. [194 words]Kevin MNov 16, 2006 11:55
Dare to Be Different [239 words]lindaNov 16, 2006 19:37
America's successes or failures in Iraq [276 words]Maurice PicowNov 12, 2006 14:36
Iraq [168 words]A. MaranoNov 12, 2006 22:23
⇒ WOW! [224 words]BlackspeareNov 12, 2006 10:07
Some challenges to Dr Pipes' ideas [549 words]Stuart FaginNov 12, 2006 09:43
Hold the Fort [489 words]K.H. AhmedNov 12, 2006 08:36
ratchet down [133 words]Yuval Brandstetter MDNov 12, 2006 07:49
Our Understanding of Iraq [314 words]Leonard MarkowitzNov 12, 2006 05:58
West point has not, but Israel certainly had
[w/response] [237 words]
Yuval Brandstetter MDNov 14, 2006 07:46
The Failure of the Bush Doctrine [455 words]Prof. Paul EidelbergNov 12, 2006 01:58
Purple Hearts & Defense of Rumsfeld [605 words]lindaNov 11, 2006 22:39
Success in Iraq [177 words]Peter NamtvedtNov 11, 2006 21:10
We Tried, We Failed [1188 words]J.A. MorrisNov 11, 2006 20:59
"We swear we will not rest from our jihad... before blowing up the filthiest house, dubbed the White House," [544 words]FreemanNov 11, 2006 20:55
Is this Victory? and Tempering Ambitions [101 words]John LothNov 11, 2006 20:50
VICTORY AT ALL COSTS [472 words]JackdawNov 11, 2006 17:55
response to your comments [141 words]TinaNov 11, 2006 20:48
You are 100000 % correct ! US must crush these Islamist Terrorists ruthlessly [130 words]MahatmaNov 11, 2006 21:15
Cultural transfiguration [244 words]David W. LincolnNov 11, 2006 17:06
comment on your comment [128 words]TinaNov 11, 2006 20:37
All the seven accused in July 11 Terror Attacks are Muslims [151 words]RamanNov 11, 2006 21:35
Evaluating societies [158 words]David W. LincolnNov 12, 2006 17:08
Point of Clarification [194 words]David W. LincolnNov 12, 2006 17:20
Don't give up [162 words]Octavio JohansonNov 11, 2006 16:40
you're not up on the news [104 words]TinaNov 11, 2006 20:29
Bajaur madrassa trained suicide bombers: Musharraf ( An honest confession of an Islamist ) [301 words]LeaderNov 11, 2006 21:20
A perfect exit stategy, unlike Vietnam: Jacobs Ladder comes of age [53 words]Mark-Alan WhittleNov 11, 2006 15:29
depressing [261 words]TinaNov 11, 2006 15:12

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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