The "Official" end of Iraq war is today.

[jones4stangs]

I'm wondering how long it'll take before the infighting starts.

About 1 day!!

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middle...722518551.html

Iraq issues arrest warrant for vice-president

Shia-led government accuses Tareq al-Hashimi, Iraq's highest ranking Sunni official, of involvement in bomb plot.

[SlowLX]

I sure am glad the State Department and highups in the govt didn't waste a fucking decade of our time while we the military paid a heavy price physically securing the country they were supposed to reform.

[mikec]

I sure am glad the State Department and highups in the govt didn't waste a fucking decade of our time while we the military paid a heavy price physically securing the country they were supposed to reform.

Preach on brother. Preach on.


But, to be fair, the lives lost mean not a damned thing to those on the hill. Not one of them lost a loved one.

[JP135]

You know what pisses me off? Every stinking raghead Iraqi they interview has ONE common statement: We're so glad to be rid of the Americans.

I haven't heard a single person thankful for:
Capturing Saddam Hussein so THEIR courts could deal with him.
Allowing them to set up their own political process and elect their own leaders.
The security we provided.
Building schools, water/sewage treatment facilities.
Providing medical care.
Finding and disposing of explosives, mines, chemical weapons.
...and the list goes on and on.

All they can think of is being glad we're gone. I've got nothing for those worthless bastards. And ten years from now when they're either
a) still fighting their own civil war
b) under the control of the taliban or another dictator

I will laugh. Somebody else can pull 'em out of the fire next time.

[ceyko]

I will laugh. Somebody else can pull 'em out of the fire next time.

Although I do agree with you there are ones that were happy, but there is a 1001 reasons why they are glad we're gone.

It's really a lose-lose for the US and generally their population. The various terrorist groups really are strong enough to just destroy any positives. The citizens would be scared to talk positively on the news about the US.

If we stayed any longer, generally there will be people causing violence. Now that we've left, there will be violence. Either way, the US is going to be blamed for things that are just their way of life.

IMHO, it is nearly impossible to impose our way of life and general peaceful attitude on their culture. My biggest hope is that we learn from this going forward. If we have a problem with a leader in the future, we do our business and leave and may just throw them a pile of cash. It'll be cheaper than what we just tried to do.

A lot of good we've done was undone, by their locals or more so the little terrorist groups there. One thing we all tend to forget is that no one came in and bailed out our founders (not just the popular names the regular settlers too). It was the local population that stood up for what they wanted. That is a key difference between how it worked for us back in the day and what is sorely missing from everywhere else. They would not get in these situations in the first place if they stood up for what they believed in.

Even back in the day for the US, different folks, different backgrounds and different beliefs. They all had one common enemy though...

[JP135]

My biggest hope is that we learn from this going forward.

Like we learned from Korea, Vietnam, South America, Beruit, Desert Storm, Desert Shield?

Bullwinkle The Moose: "This time fer shure!!!"

[ceyko]

Like we learned from Korea, Vietnam, South America, Beruit, Desert Storm, Desert Shield?

Bullwinkle The Moose: "This time fer shure!!!"

I said hope.

[SMEGMA STENCH]

You know what pisses me off? Every stinking raghead Iraqi they interview has ONE common statement: We're so glad to be rid of the Americans.

I haven't heard a single person thankful for:
Capturing Saddam Hussein so THEIR courts could deal with him.
Allowing them to set up their own political process and elect their own leaders.
The security we provided.
Building schools, water/sewage treatment facilities.
Providing medical care.
Finding and disposing of explosives, mines, chemical weapons.
...and the list goes on and on.

All they can think of is being glad we're gone. I've got nothing for those worthless bastards. And ten years from now when they're either
a) still fighting their own civil war
b) under the control of the taliban or another dictator

I will laugh. Somebody else can pull 'em out of the fire next time.

There's probly plenty of 'em that are, they just don't dare say it due to the knife at their back...