How would you handle the War in Iraq if it were up to you?
By whiteheron
@whiteheron (4222)
United States
April 8, 2008 7:23pm CST
The General has spoken to the Senate and when he was asked if our being in Iraq helped the security of the United States, he did seem to hedge a lot and did not seem like he could really answer in the affirmative.
And it seems that the effectiveness of the surge is also up for debate as the main purpose of it was supposed to give support to the process of reunifying the various factions of Iraq and that has not yet occurred. There are some who want us to come up with a step by step plan for pull out of the troops and there are some who want the U.S. to stay there until there is "success" there. The questions that no one seems to want to talk about it what will success look like in Iraq? How long will it take to get it? And will it be worth it in lives, dollars and manpower?
I would like to get your input on this... Pretend that you had the ability to be in charge... How would you handle the mess that is now the war in Iraq?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@bochco123 (594)
• United States
10 Apr 08
If you want to win the war in Iraq you have to institute the draft. Simple fact of the matter is, there are simply not enough boots on the ground to ensure security. Since instituting the draft is unrealistic, as President I would go to the U.N. and petition for a multi-national force of U.N. peacekeepers, including Russian, Chinese, and Iranian soldiers. I would make the necessary concessions to these nations to ensure their support. I would also call for a dissolution of the current Iraq government and call for new elections. The primary focus would be the federalization of Iraq (a Shiastan/Kurdistan/Sunnistan semi-autonomous regional authority) and ensure fair and equal distribution of oil revenue. I'd also work to bring the various militias under the flag of the national Iraq army. I would also reform the army and use methods of training and discipline that are much more analogous to our own armed forces. Did you know that you that an Iraq army recruit can leave his post at any time with no repercussions. Unbelievable. But at this point achieving these things is a momentous task for even the greatest statesman.
@whiteheron (4222)
• United States
11 Apr 08
I am so not for a draft, and you are right, it would not fly with the American public.
I like your other ideas. It looks like you have given this problem some thought.
1 person likes this
@bochco123 (594)
• United States
12 Apr 08
Thank you. And yeah the people wouldn't stand for a draft. Not for this war.
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
9 Apr 08
I would go in and arrest all the clerics and others that keep the war alive over there . It was working pretty well til that clercic went on the war path. In Basra.
and do we really want another veit nam the fellers I have talked to dont.
Think I would do one town at a time and take the power away from the relisit fellers for I do beleive the women and childeren and alot of the poeple over there would go fo a government run deplamaticly If the religist fellers wehre out of the picture
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@anniepa (27955)
• United States
12 Apr 08
To be honest, I sure wouldn't want to be in charge but if I were I'd definitely give the Iraqis a deadline to get it together or we're gone. I'd also go to the U.N and try to get some cooperation from other nations, as another poster here said including Russia, China and Iran. I'm sick of hearing how we have to stay there until we "win" but nobody will say what that even means. I know we can't just leave totally just like that, I know "we broke it so we should fix it" but whatever happened to the Iraqi oil paying for reconstruction? That was brought up at the Senate hearing but there was sure no straight answer given.
Annie
