Are you saying Islam is a disease? I'd have to disagree, my Dear Sir.
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Would I believe any positive news on Iraq? Of course. Whether that news is just a blip in the natural ebbs and flows of a generally intractable situation, or whether it reflects substantive moves towards long-term stability and recovery is another matter entirely. In the last four years, the overall trend has not been good. As derrida says, the increased presence has hardly stanched the number of attacks, and moreover, public opinion of the American presence there is dismal.
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But General Petraeus hasn't been there for four years. So the administration capitulates and changes leadership on the ground in Iraq, and you say "well so what so what!? Things have BEEN bad!"
Does that make any sense? This is why I think a great deal of war criticism is actually a political decision, not a military one (anybody get the reference!!?). For example, the Speaker of the House wouldn't attend the briefing on Iraq's status given by the general last week due to
"scheduling conflicts." This is the comander of your Iraqi operation, and all your going to do is give him a 30 minute phone call (as was Pelosi's excuse)? How long do you think her meeting with President Assad went?
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As derrida says, the increased presence has hardly stanched the number of attacks, and moreover, public opinion of the American presence there is dismal
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Of course a country doesn't want to be occupied. But we didn't invade them to take a public opinion poll, did we? All I ever hear is that the Middle East can't be thrust into democracy, yet somebody takes a public opinion poll and you guys jump on it.
If our mission is truly consistent with stabilizing a truly unstable regime, toppling a dictator, and (now) preventing another radical islamic regime from growing and funding extremism, than we need to stay and finish, despite the opinion on our presence.
However, Tommy Thompson has an interesting proposal-- let the iraqi govt. vote on whether or not we should stay there. Any takers?