End of the Iraq war

[C-Marshall]

....and at what price? It cost the life of my brother. He didn't get to come home to open arms and shouts of joy at his return. He came home in a flag draped coffin, carried by somber Airmen and met by his grieving family.

Sorry for the loss of your brother.Im a veteran of the gulf war myself served with the 82nd Airborne,8 years in the Army.All soldiers know what may be asked of them when they join and al know it might put them in harms way serving the country they love and serve.Its sad that it takes bloodshed to be free but that is the way the world is and without our brave soldiers we would be like all the middle east countries.Your brother is a Hero to all and all Americans owe great gratitude for those who have served past to the present.

All Gave Some Some Gave All!!!

[DJD]

Sorry for the loss of your brother.Im a veteran of the gulf war myself served with the 82nd Airborne,8 years in the Army.All soldiers know what may be asked of them when they join and al know it might put them in harms way serving the country they love and serve.Its sad that it takes bloodshed to be free but that is the way the world is and without our brave soldiers we would be like all the middle east countries.Your brother is a Hero to all and all Americans owe great gratitude for those who have served past to the present.

All Gave Some Some Gave All!!!

Amen to this!!!

[Devils Horse]

My thanks to all members of our armed services also. Sincere condolences to you for your brother bassinbug, and to anyone else who lost family in the military.

Something must be done about the middle east. Their hate and violence cloaked in religion has worsened to the point where it has to be dealt with.

IMO there are only 2 ways to deal with them. 1. Nuke them till they glow. 2. Change their culture. ( No, Mr. Obama, there is not a third way, we've been talking to them for the last 50 years.)

If Iraq can manage to remain a democracy and keep radical religion out of government, it could seed true change in the region. This is a dim possibility, middle eastern religious factions have been killing people for thousands of years, but we had to try something different than just fighting with them. I won't try to judge whether it was worth so many American lives.

Did we win? History will decide.

At least America was committed to establishing a viable democracy in Iraq and then getting out. Our President, who felt the surge that turned the tide in Iraq was stupid, is now prosecuting a Viet Nam style political war in Afghanistan. Our guys are dying there, and the current administration has no stated overall goal except to withdraw by a certain date.

[pontooner]

At least America was committed to establishing a viable democracy in Iraq and then getting out. Our President, who felt the surge that turned the tide in Iraq was stupid, is now prosecuting a Viet Nam style political war in Afghanistan. Our guys are dying there, and the current administration has no stated overall goal except to withdraw by a certain date.

You are aware of the fact that the reason we are getting out of Iraq now is because of a "withdraw by a certain date" agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in 2008 with the Iraqi government and not because we set up a fully functioning democracy over there?

[Devils Horse]

You are aware of the fact that the reason we are getting out of Iraq now is because of a "withdraw by a certain date" agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in 2008 with the Iraqi government and not because we set up a fully functioning democracy over there?

And if a fully functional government were not in place Mr. Obama would pull all the troops under the hole riddled SOFA agreement anyway? Yeah come to think of it he probably would, after all getting reelected is much more important than all those dead soldiers.

A lot of people believe Iraq will collapse without a US security force being left in place, but of course the President HAS to abide by that 10 page ironclad SOFA agreement. Besides he can always blame it on Bush if Iraq fails.

[redneckshadrap]

No one ever wins a war.. Glad our troops are coming home. Many died...Hussien died. Bin Laden died..I want the same media for our brethen that died....That these evil men did. Our hereos....the ones that are the living dead as well....

THANK YOU FOR DEFENDING MY FAMILY

[pontooner]

And if a fully functional government were not in place Mr. Obama would pull all the troops under the hole riddled SOFA agreement anyway? Yeah come to think of it he probably would, after all getting reelected is much more important than all those dead soldiers.

A lot of people believe Iraq will collapse without a US security force being left in place, but of course the President HAS to abide by that 10 page ironclad SOFA agreement. Besides he can always blame it on Bush if Iraq fails.

Do you think we should stay in Iraq longer?

I just thought it was funny that you thought the idea of getting out of Afghanistan by a certain date was such a bad idea but that is really why were getting out of Iraq now and you didn't seem to concerend about the "end date" for it.

And yes I know Obama could have kept troops there longer if he wanted to but I along with a majority of people always thought he should have ended it years ago so if you think ending it now is going to do him any favors come election time i just don't see it.

[Devils Horse]

Do you think we should stay in Iraq longer?

I just thought it was funny that you thought the idea of getting out of Afghanistan by a certain date was such a bad idea but that is really why were getting out of Iraq now and you didn't seem to concerend about the "end date" for it.

And yes I know Obama could have kept troops there longer if he wanted to but I along with a majority of people always thought he should have ended it years ago so if you think ending it now is going to do him any favors come election time i just don't see it.

I think we've had large numbers of troops in Iraq long enough. The question would be why military commanders felt we should keep a security force there, and Mr. Obama ignored them.

You don't see him taking credit for ending the Iraqi war as helping him with the election? I gave you more credit than that tooner. Wait till he really starts campaigning and see if he happens to bring it up.

[pontooner]

You don't see him taking credit for ending the Iraqi war as helping him with the election? I gave you more credit than that tooner. Wait till he really starts campaigning and see if he happens to bring it up.

Of course he's going to take credit for it (already has by the way) just like any politican will take credit for anything good that happens on their watch.

I just don't think it will work to his advantage like you think it will because like I said "a majority of people always thought he should have ended it years ago" and he did campaign on ending it asap if elected so I just don't see this as being something that would change a election in his favor.

If you think about it I would think it might hurt him more than help since he took this long to end it because of what he campaigned on. JMHO

[parker]

Ronald Reagen actually started this war. He gave iraq the weapons to fend off iran and sadam used what was left over on his own people. Then sadam threatened george jr dad and that in a nutshell is why our soldiers were there. Obama got them out and almost the end of the story. The US Soldiers won the war and get all the credit for doing what they were told! Congrats to men like C-Marshall who came back and a special thanks to the ones who did not! I have my freedom because of all US SOLDIERS! Politicians screw up everything and SOLDIERS have to straighten out the mess.

[Devils Horse]

Ronald Reagen actually started this war. He gave iraq the weapons to fend off iran and sadam used what was left over on his own people. Then sadam threatened george jr dad and that in a nutshell is why our soldiers were there. Obama got them out and almost the end of the story. The US Soldiers won the war and get all the credit for doing what they were told! Congrats to men like C-Marshall who came back and a special thanks to the ones who did not! I have my freedom because of all US SOLDIERS! Politicians screw up everything and SOLDIERS have to straighten out the mess.

Let me get this straight. Ronald Reagan started this war because he gave Saddam the mostly Russian weapons and nerve gas he used on his own people? He gave him the MIGs and HINDs that made up their air force? A bit of stretch...but if you insist. What about the training camps and support/sponsorship of terrorists Saddam provided? Did Mr. Reagan give him that too?

I agree 100% with your points about soldiers. I served, and have the utmost gratitude and respect for our armed forces.

President Obama did bring all of them home, and let's hope that's the end of the story. If Iraq collapses and returns to being a terrorist state, will that be Ronald Reagan's fault? George Bush's? It couldn't possibly be Mr. Obama's fault, the poor guy is just stuck cleaning up after those nasty Republicans.

If we just get out of the middle east and mind our own business they'll play nice, and not attack us anymore. Right? After that the war with terrorists is over. Right?

Just speaking rhetorically, because everyone knows once we're out of Irag and Afghanistan they'll leave us alone, but what if some more middle eastern psychopaths kill a few thousand more innocent Americans? What should we do about it?

Have Hillary Clinton apply the always highly effective diplomatic pressure? Kick some ass? Have Ron Paul give them a speech? What?

[Devils Horse]

Of course he's going to take credit for it (already has by the way) just like any politican will take credit for anything good that happens on their watch.

I just don't think it will work to his advantage like you think it will because like I said "a majority of people always thought he should have ended it years ago" and he did campaign on ending it asap if elected so I just don't see this as being something that would change a election in his favor.

If you think about it I would think it might hurt him more than help since he took this long to end it because of what he campaigned on. JMHO

Okay, we'll see how he handles it during his real campaign (not the one he's been running since he took office).