How should U.S. respond to escalating violence in Iraq?
People gather at the scene of a massive explosion outside the foreign ministry in a residential area close to the Green Zone in central Baghdad yesterday. (PHOTO CREDIT: ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The increasing violence in Iraq is raising new questions about the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Insurgents launched six-bombings that struck Baghdad within an hour yesterday - two of them targeting official buildings. The attacks killed at least 100-people and wounded more than 500-others. It was the deadliest day since U.S. troops pulled out of Iraqi cities on June 30.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is blaming Sunni insurgents linked to al Qaeda in Iraq... and the government is making quick moves to crack down on security.
They're adding more checkpoints in Baghdad, tougher vehicle searches and random security stops. Also - they arrested 11 high-ranking security officials from the Iraqi army and police... detaining them for questioning.
The attacks - followed today by a bicycle bomb at a restaurant killing two more people - are a huge blow to the government's attempt to return life to normal. Al-Maliki had just recently ordered the reopening of streets in Baghdad and the removal of concrete blast walls from the capital's main roads.
Meanwhile - there are worries about what these coordinated attacks say about the Iraqis' readiness to keep the country secure... especially heading into the upcoming elections. It's exactly what everyone feared would start happening once the U.S. role in Iraq was reduced.
Pres. Obama has ordered all U.S. combat troops out of Iraq by next August... and all remaining troops out by the end of 2011.
Here’s my question to you: How should the U.S. respond to the escalating violence in Iraq?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Kevin from California writes:
We need to admit that we can not stop a religious war between Sunni and Shiite Muslims that has been going on for 1,300 plus years and get the heck out of Iraq. Unless of course, we get all their oil.
Sam from Florida writes:
Jack, I know it sounds terrible but it seems like the only way Iraq runs smooth is under a dictatorship, like when Saddam was in charge. I can remember when our leaders saw nothing wrong with the way Iraq was being governed, as long as Iraq was at war with Iran… I think our military should leave Iraq and don't look back. If the Iraqi government can't take care of its problems by now, maybe it is going to take a civil war in that country to see who will prevail.
B. writes:
Jack, Iraq is a sovereign nation. We should respect that and stay out of their affairs. Obama has specified our exit schedule. We should stick to it, or accelerate it.
A.P. writes:
Don't we have enough problems back at home instead of worrying about problems in Iraq?
Skyler in Iraq writes:
Jack, I'm commenting from Iraq at the moment… I can tell you from experience doing multiple tours as an Intelligence Analyst, I see and brief these kinds of 'increases or decreases' in enemy activity… There is no doubt about the attacks that occurred recently but we must keep in mind that the Iraqi security forces have shown their capability and willingness to keep stability within their respective districts/cities.… At this point they should be left to do the job they are highly capable of conducting.
Darren writes:
We've already done enough damage there. We should continue withdrawing our troops and let them get back to their civil war, which we interrupted back in 2003.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
We should do what we needed to do back in 2005:
Declare victory, get the heck out, and start selling arms to the Sunni's.
Unless asked for assistance, we should stay back and allow the Iraqi's an opportunity to take charge of their own internal affairs.
Jack
Cyrus the Great conquered Iraq in the 6th millemem BC.
Alexander the Great conquered Iraq in the 4th Milleneum BC
George the Shoe guy conquered Iraq in the 2nd Milleneum AD , although were not sure why.
Safe to say these folks have cornered the market on civil unrest.
As Americans we should erect a memorial to the suicide bombers in downtown Baghdad a simple pedestal with smoke flowing from lt;s base and then leave forever. If they have been fighting for 8000 years I seriously doubt the USA will ever change Iraq......
We should get out of Iraq and let the loser Iraqis kill themselves.
Get the heck out of there. We are not responsible for world peace, no matter what our beauty queens say.
Start moving out today big time so they will all know what is going on. They never wanted what we offered and we are too dumb to understand. Maybe if we start moving big time, we will understand that it is time to go.
Since the Mossad is the organization causing most of the chaos, there's not much the US can do since the government is totally under the control of AIPAC.
I don't know who "everyone is", they must be from the same political party as "everybody says". But the older generation knows that once you bite off more than you can chew you are in a world of hurt. So maybe we had better send "everyone" over there who's bright idea it was to go to war in Iraq. And make sure no one misses the boat. Then maybe we'll get this "Mission Accomplished".
My answer to your Question is:Our reputation is already ruined so we might as well clean up our mess and leave. China might not want to loan us anymore money to fight this untruthful war. Then again they might.
Oregon
Quite simply, withdraw troops actively seeking top Taliban members by the date planned for, and keep or send more people on humanitarian grounds to help rebuild the city and forge a strong relation. Not only would this help trading negotiations, but it would fortify relations with other countries if they knew that American troops were helping to make a community stronger, instead of helping to create a bigger divide. – Yasser in Canada
Its really sad at what's happing thier, But at some point they have too be able to control there own country and stop this madness.
We need to admit that we can not stop a religious war between Sunni and Shiite Muslims that has been going on for 1300 plus years and get the heck out of Iraq ... unless of coarse, we get all their oil.
Common sense says there is nothing to win in Iraq and never was and never will be.
Keeping troops in Iraq does nothing more than appease the top brass in the military and line the pockets of the corporations at the expense of people's lives.
We should get out. Let the Iraqi people form some sort of stable government.
If they do not, THAT IS THEIR BUSINESS, and if they want to live the way they do, killing each other and waging endless war, let them do it.
We could fund ALL the health care reform we need if we just got out of Iraq.
And the same scenario should play out in Afghanistan! (we should get out)
By leaving faster. All the money that could be made has been made: The Carlyle Group got its money, Halliburton got its money, Exxon got its money, Rumsfeld got paid, Rice got paid, everybody got paid and a new "Free market economy" has emerged in Iraq for western capitalists to exploit. That's the "Mission Accomplished" everybody has wanted and it's in place so please start bringing my friends home from their 4th deployment for goodness sake.
After all these years, it's their problem now, not ours.
Keep on packing.
Jack,
Get out of Iraq, we did our job setting them free to do civil war. Saddam Hussein had a tight grip on the warring factions in Iraq, not to our satisfaction, but control he had. Ironically Iraq was quite westernized under Hussein, until Bush and company went in there and removed any hope of progress, indeed setting them back .
Leave it alone. This is part of the learning process for the Iraqi government – looks like they're learning the hard way. Seems a bit soon to be returning to normalcy.
They wanted us out, we want out, and we need to stay out.
Get the Hell out of there....Yes, we opened up this can of worms but at some point we have to say we will not be responsible anymore you have to be in charge of your own country. And the same to Afghanistan.
By doing what we've been doing and continue to pull out. They wanted us out so bad, well good it's there problem now. They need to finally get off their butts and stop relying on the US to do everything. I bet if their was a way for us to breathe for them they'd want that to...
Walk away...just walk away. This was a fool's errand, which shouldn't surprise anyone considering whose idea it was.
Roy
Texas
Tell Malawki to shut and order his soldiers to do the damn jobs they were trained for and are paid for.
Its about time they stood on their own two feet and took charge of their own destiny.
If they can't - then that's what they deserve us - just like what we got in this country.
Get the hell out of this screwed up country. Churchill could it doesn't work mixing tribual haterate. We need to be out of Afgan and Irac and bring out troops home, cut the cost of the war, and use the money on our own social programs, such as health care.
Stay on the withdrawal schedule. We should have never been there in the first place – thanks to the previous Administration.
By prematurely dismantling protective blast barriers Iraq is assuring itself of continued security problems and perpetual war related financing from the United States taxpayer. Along with responsible troop withdrawal the U.S. should put in place conditional security requirements in order for Iraq to continue receiving transitional funding.
As has been reported on CNN Iraqi Baathist violence is an internal religious affair and not necessarily relavent to America's War on Terror and should not be treated as such.
get out even sooner – we've lost enough American lives and spent enough taxpayer money – we can't root out all the insurgents and "politically" or with trade/commerce motives (for oil) we will never win a religious war that's gone on for centuries.
I don't think we should do anything in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Obama said the war on terrorism was over.
Therefore, we have nobody to fight with based on what Obama told us.
Unless we are specifically asked to intervene in the cities, we should do what we are doing. A child does not learn to walk on their own if their 'big brother' insists on carrying them everywhere. Neither does a government...
Pack up and get out.
We should definitely stay out of it! We spent years of blood, sweat, and money to leave a democracy for the people of Iraq. We have done that and there is nothing more we can do except to share what intelligence we have on Al Qaeda and provide heavy artillery and air support.. If enough Iraqis don't feel that a democracy is worth fighting for than they can go straight to whatever they call it in the Koran. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and so it will be with Iraq!
It's their civil war. Leave it to them.
Who ever wins will still sell oil to us, it just doesn't matter.
Jim
Colorado
It's not our country, Jack. We should respond any way the Iraqis ask us to and do absolutely nothing more. In fact, if they ask us to leave early, we need to do so. If the new Afghani leaders want us out, we need to leave there too. If the Pakistani leaders want us out we need to get our military out and let covert operatives go after Al Queda with extreme prejudice.
We should also leave the Arabian Penninsula, if only because there are many who don't want us there. If the Saudis want protection, they should ask someone who won't get shot at for doing so. Of course, considering how they treat both ethnic minorities, religious minorities and women, I don't think we should be protecting them – especially since their oil reserves are about gone.
Declare victory, turn everything over to the elected government of Iraq and leave.
First of all, we shouldn't be there in the first place. That being said, the President may have to bend again on his deadline of troop withdrawl, because right now, our counter insurgency forces are the only ones we KNOW we can trust to be 100% invested in Iraqi stability. It is clear that the current level of corruption & lack of counter-insurgency ability of the Iraqi security forces is not adequate. Gee, it seems to me that George H.W. was right when he said that there would be no clear exit strategy should the U.S. overthrow Saddam & force regime change in Iraq.
there is a great scene from the holy grail by monty python, where the army raises it swords and runs the opposite direction, screaming : run away run away. something like that
We should respond by continuing to train the Iraqi troops/police. Iraq has to keep taking responsibility for the safety of their own citizens. After all, they are a sovereign nation. We would not expect Iraqi troops to help the U.S. control town hall meetings, would we?
Gen. Petraeus asked at the outset of the war, "How does this end?"
It ends when either the existing Iraqi government or its replacement succeeds in establishing order.
Its time for us to get out. We can't afford to backstop an ineffective regime indefinitely.
Jack R Princeton NJ
Pam holt foley al. Accept the facts, it was a mistake to go against united nation charter warnings against going into those middle eastern countries waging war, because of their religious beliefs and custums. They were fighting for hundreds of years and will continue fighting. To a lot of Iraqis, it"s ji-had ,in the name of Allah. Surely if any of our presidents havn" t realized it by now, maybe obama will have enough sense to, iraquis are not going to listen to them , over Allah.
We should Ignore it. They want us out so we should get completely out.
How should the U.S. respond to the escalating violence in Iraq?
Allow the Iraqis to handle it themselves. It is their nation.
Jenna
Roseville CA
The U.S. should not take the bait. Let the Iraqis handle security in their cities as this is where these increased bombings are happening.
Brownwood, Texas
The U.S. should keep out of it. We can't control what they do to each other. There will always be civil unrest in Iraq, with our without our presence. Why sacrifice American lives? It will solve nothing.
Jack, I know it sounds terrible but it seems like the only way Iraq runs smooth is under a dictatorship like before when Sadam was in charge.. I can remember when our leaders saw nothing wrong with the way Iraq was being governed as long as Iraq was at war with Iran.
This war in Iraq has been a mess ever since Bush took us there.
I think our military should leave Iraq and don't look back. If the Iraqi government can't take care of their problems by now, maybe it is going to take a civil war in that country to see who will prevail.
When I watch the news, I see way too many able body Iraqi males walking around the streets when they could be helping their country.
It's time for our boys to come home.....
Offer and deliver and all help they ask for. We helped to create this mess, and need to be responsible for helping to clean up the mess. However, at this point we cannot force our help on them and must respect their decisions and actions.
maybe there worried about loosing there us military pay days the only job in town
By getting the hell out of there.
This question would never have to be asked if Bush hadn't gotten us into this mess to begin with. There is a lot of corruption in their government and does one really know how many members of the Taliban are in the Army or in the police force? Unfortunately, whatever we do will not be enough at this point.
By saying "The Iraqis wanted us to leave, and we knew it was time to leave. Every nation has to handle its own internal affairs: we handle ours and the Iraqis are more than welcome to handle theirs."
How should the US respond? Gee, too bad McCain isn't in the White House, because you wouldn't have to ask that question. Isn't it interesting that after those on the left do the wrong thing, they have to ask how to fix what they caused. Banking, business, defending America.... always the same crap. Screw it up then ask for help.
Yes we invaded your country under false pretenses! Yes lives were loss unfortunately! This is YOUR country and you wanted us out, we are out and now its up to you to manage YOUR country the best way you can because America is not coming back.
By departing post haste and not wasting one more American life defending a people intent on communal suicide.
We ought to get out... Right NOW... ASAP... Period!
We never should have been in there in the first place. We let a bunch of draft dodging chicken hawks lie us into a war that has taken more than 5,000 US lives and as many as a half million Iraqis killed wounded and missing. I will say it again Jack, out now!
Pablo
Arlington Texas
Leave–now.
Concerning the current, continuing violence in iraq, the US has already done enough damage to Iraq and what the US needs to do, now, is get out of Iraq. Iran, Iraq's neighbor, has demonstrated that muslims have the intellegence and collective power to address their own social problems and to govern themselves. No, we don't like some of their choices, but it is up to them, not us. So far, any act of terrorism, a criminal action, is policing mattter. If any nation, like Iraq or Iran, actually invaded the US, that becomes a different matter. The better US effort in those countries, now, would be to help them build schools, hospitals & clinics, farms, and power grids. Then, move such helpful efforts to Africa.
We need to keep removing our combat troops as requested by the Iraq gov. If we stayed 50 years the same thing would happen.
We should tell all the Iraqi factions that it is their nation to drag into the 21st century. Make them fully aware that if they break it, this time they pay for it.
Respond? Lets see Jack we send our guys in there based on fake Bush rantings of WMD's and Iraq's links to terrorists and we absolutely RUIN Iraq and keep shooting ourselves in the foot over there. If we go Iraq will be a mess and if we stay it will be a mess. Flip a coin, heads we lose, tails we lose and for sure the Iraqi's lose.
Since our Troops are supposed to leave by next August of 2010 and 2011 and come home. It is up to the Iraq forces and Security to solve the problem. Like all campaigns, the democrats ran a Campaign, I just said they were coming home, I really meant to say–Not Now and Not Then. They LIED!!
Let them go it alone. if they want peace in there region they have to take it upon theirself to make it happen .
wecant even pass a health care bill for this country , we have enough
work to do in the USA.
Iraq is apart of the last adidministration blunder .
its time for change , a new exceptants.
Kevin Riv. CA
k
There is no binding provision in the SOFA to come to the aid of Iraq in any form. The US is now only responsible for the defense and security of US forces. Security of infrastructure is the responsibility of Iraqi forces and police, not the US. If the game gets worse then the US can leave prior to 2012 and let the Iraqis sink or swim.
Jack, the US should get their job done, and remove the troops. The majority of American voters want the troops out. President Obama campaigned on getting the troops out. The US and Iraq signed an agreement stipulating the manner in which the troops would get out. SO, just do it!
Jack–
We have to stay out of Iraq's internal problems and let them deal with it. If Iraq is going to stand on its own two feet, they have to deal with their own internal problems.
You heard the Prez: We're out'a here
Go home.
Apologize for causing their problems, wish them well and get the hell out of there. Whether we leave now or a hundred years from now, the outcome will be the same disaster. Only a strong arm dictator could keep a country like Iraq from deteriorating into civil war. There is no winning, just the degree to which we lose. Afghanistan is the same story. Welcome to VietNam redux.
Wow, the question should be how do we get out of an impossible situation that we caused without causing more death and destruction ? One way or the other we will be living with this monumental mistake for decades.
We can't keep babysitting Iraq. If we do, we might as well take it over completely. It has been 8 years since we went in. If the Iraqis haven't learned how to defend and take care of themselves by now, they never will. We have our own problems in the US that we need to work on now.
We never had any business there to start with, Bush and his cronies wanted the oil, They never got it. A lot of people died for no good reason. I think we should pack up and leave right now. Leave both countries, and come home. Put that money toward health care, and our own country. Pres. Obama is doing a good job,but he needs to take one thing at a time. He's got 4 yrs. to change to country. Just bring our guys and gals home. It was never a place we should have been any way. I wouldn't call that losing, just being smart. Just wondering Jack, how many of your questions and answers do you think the Pres.and his staff see, and listen to us?
Mary
New Richmond Wisc.
Invest more money in time machine research?
It's high time for the Iraq's to take matters into their own hands. We've got enough problems of our own.
Well, we should watch it on TV like the rest of the world...Whenever we have ever invaded another country we seem to always leave it in a worse mess than when we go in.
Jack,
Our response should be to continue moving towards the removal of all U.S. combat forces as we have agreed to do. The sectarian violence going on now has been predicted by numerous U.S. commanders for many years. They knew that no real political solutions were occurring under Bush [and now Obama]. We cannot stop the tribalism and sectarianism if those involved do not want to stop...we can only delay the inevitable. We need to exit now.
Rich Green
San Clemente, Cal.
Do nothing..they are a democracy, right ?
Ask the Iraqis. We are doing what they ask and they have not changed their request. It's time for us to step away and leave the Iraqis to create their own nation and solve their own problems. It's what they want and what we should do.
looks like "sink or swim" time for Iraqi security to me, Jack.
it is my understanding that local ground security in Iraq is no longer our troops problem. we should give them helocopter gun ship air support, which can be a big difference maker, if asked but our ground forces should keep out of it.
Jack,
All I have to say is that it is obviously George Bush's fault.
The US should just let them be and leave! We have our own problems to deal with like the cost of two wars, healthcare reform and a bad economy. If the Iraqis want to blow each other up that's just fine with me..
It was going to happen whenever we left. Without being there forever, there is nothing to do about it.
Come home and leave them to control themselves.
We still should get out as scheduled! These people have been fighting for thousands of years. It's ludicrous to think the Iraqis will adopt a Democratic form of government for the long term!
It's not so easy to fix something once you've broken it, is it? How should we respond? Ask the "smart" people who got us into the mess in the first place.
One perfunctory outcome from enabling, eventually the one enabled must fall flat on their face in order to rise up.
It is then we can be compassionate and help them help themselves.
Haven't we lost enough blood and treasure in this war that was started with lies and deceit? It is far past time to bring our troops home and take care of business at home.
Let the Iraqis handle their own affairs.
We shouldn't respond, Jack. We've wasted enough money on this war. Let some other country do something about it. Americans have to begin to realize we are no longer THE super power - we can't save the world through our idealism. Actually, what we've done with our idealism is ruin our country's financial system AND we brought some other countries down with us! Super, huh?! It's time we set an example again. We need to build our country back up to the super power we once were. To that end, let's deal with the issues here at home first.
Delia
Katy, TX
Send in GW Bush. He started the whole affair, let him clean up his mess.
They wanted us to free them from Saddam Hussein. We did. Now they gave a time line to get out because they don’t want us there so we should do as they wish and let them duke it out between themselves.
Well gee, isn't it obvious? Bring back the draft and forget about the withdrawl. Just make sure the draftees are all the same patriotic republicans who favored the war so much way back when.
Why should we get involved and put our own soldiers lives in danger. The Iraqi government should take control of their own people and problems.
you broke it ....you fix it !
Tough question Jack. If America leaves too soon and all those who have died and all that has been accomplished comes to naught, what a horrible outcome. I think Amercia should stay to protect those Iraqis who sacrified so much for a new democracy.
We should bring our troops home and let the Iraqis kill each other. They are a violent society with a history of violence that goes back thousands of years. We can't change that and it's not our business to try. We have enough trouble at home - and the expense of keeping armed forces to fight battles that are NOT our own is ludicrous.
The U.S. should continue with the current withdrawal plan. It is imperative the leadership in Iraq take full responsibility for dealing with this and all future crises. If we step in and take over every time they have a bombing our troops will be there for eternity.
Leave.
Dear Jack: We've already given over total control to Iraqis - we need to keep our nose out of it. We've already stuck it in too much.
You don't always get what you want....................
The US should stay the course and get out of Iraq. Coddling their freely elected government will do nothing but to prolong the suffering of the Iraqi people.
Fighting in Iraq is pretty much guaranteed, probably for several decades to come. That's what those people do. They choose up religious sides and kill each other. What sense does it make for us to borrow a few more trillion from whomever will loan it to us and stand in between these factions who will let loose on each other just as soon as we step away? Let them have it out. We had our civil war, and Iraq should be allowed to have hers.
From a safe distance. Time for the Iraqi government to haul their own water.
Let the Iraq's deal with the violence after all the Amreicans and allies have spilled enought blood
just get out of the way...enough AMERICAN blood has been spilled for nothing ...
Let the Iraqis decide how they want to handle the situation. If the Iraqi government asks for US help, we can give them some measured assistance.
It's not our business what happens there. Sadly, they were killing each other long before we arrived & they will continue to kill each other long after we leave.
We have our own problems to deal with & we need to start focusing on them instead of the problems of every other country in the world.
Don't we have enough problems back at home to worry about problems in IRAQ?
Bring back Saddam Hussein. He had things in very good control there. Everyone knew where they stood, at all times. It was simple and effective.
The United States has basically destroyed Iraq, and is both directly and indirectly responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths of Iraqi citizens.
What a mess we've made there.
Untill it doesn't get worse, it doesn't get better. US should leave iraqis rely on themselves. Some help could be good, but bottom line leave them see where they are .....
Ignore it. We've done enough. If the Iraqi goverment can't take control of it's people and security by now, sad to say but, oh well.
We should not respond at all. It is thier country, let them deal with it. They wanted us out, we should stay out of it. We have our own problems to deal with.
We are following Iraq's wishes in pulling back our troops. They have to control their country.
Get out even faster. You didn't have to be a rocket scientist to know this was going to happen. Unfortunately, it is the USA that caused this mess by starting a stupid war that should never have been.
How respond...........(the dots mean "nothing"); we went, saved, then WHO doesnt want us??? No Mas!!!
Jack
Anybody with a half of a brain could have told you tjhis would happen. If we pulled out last week, next week, next yr.
What do we do, we get the hell out of there and let them kill each other.
We have killed and amimed enough men and women for a worthless cause. Those people have been fighting for 2000 yrs and they will be fighting for another 2000 yrs.
They have been killing each other for hundreds of years why try to stop them now. Get out and them fight it out.
Jack,
The U.S. should respond in SUPPORT of the Iraqi government and not the other way around. Iraq needs to handle it's own security or forfeit its sovereignty, honestly. No more American money or blood should be spent for a people that really don't want us there. It's really that simple.
-Brett
Crystal Lake, IL
Jack,
The United States should respond to the recent violence in Iraq by staying with Obama's time-table for withdrawal.
The people of Iraq have to work this out for themselves. We can stay another five, ten, twenty, etc. It won't make any difference.
Steve Deming
Get out quicker. . . . .
The Arabs have been killing each other for thousands of years and it's obviously not going to change. America needs to pull out, stop worrying about the oil, and let the chips, so to speak, fall where they may.
We set our policy and I think there is little we should do from a policy stand point.
Advise them to spend a billion or so of their oil money to hire mercenaries to fight the insurgents
Rae in Idaho
Jack,
I think the US can't do pretty much nothing when it comes to violence in Iraq. It's like the saying "You can take a horse to water but can't make it drink". If the Shias/Sunnis or any other group in the world can't learn how to live in peace nobody can help them.
The USA has more than enough in its hands right now. Our position in the world is weakened significantly financially and politically. I'd say pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq, and stop adding billions to the deficit.
Regards,
Ron
I think we did a good job making sure both sides are well armed... now let them have at it. Although I liked it better when they were fighting with Iran. What was the original objective of the Iraq War again?
Bring our troops home asap and let them have at each other over there. We will never stop their inherent hate for each other. It’s scary how familiar that sounds.
I suggest we send Donald Rumsfeld over to give some advice to the Iraqis on how to manage the mess he and his neo cons started.
Jack McGann, St. Augustine, FL
For crying out loud, we've been "responding" for 8 years.....how much longer are we going to step in and save these people from themselves? Why are we not used to this by now, as soon as we leave some mid-eastern country, violence once again breaks out. Get ready for part 2, for it will be "same day, same story" in Afganistan.
We shouldn't. Iraq should help Iraq, and we need to concentrate on America.
Jack,
I'm sorry we have shed enoughof America's blood in IRAQ. It's time they take care of themselves while we can provide humanitarian aid. It's time to go......
How about sending Dick Cheney to Iraq. Remember what he said: "we will be treated as liberators". My Foot. Bring'em home and secure the boarders here in the USA.
Steve Gaydos
Randolph, NJ
We should do nothing! It's their problem now. How else are they going to learn to take care of themselves?
who cares about the violence in Iraq I am more concerned about the nut jobs here carrying guns to town hall meeting with the president speaking and them calling us Nazi. Rome is falling again?
It's none of our business.
We have to just let the Iraq Police and Army handle it. I never thought it was time to pull out yet being a former marine but now we are commited to it. If we go back into the cities now we will be there forever and they will hate us for it. No, we're just going to have to bite the bullet and finish the pull out or we'll never get out.
Hasn't the US done enough already? We gave the Iraqi people the freedom they didn't ask for. Now let them enjoy their new-found freedom. If they can't handle it, then let's hope they find another Saddam H.
Who sent us there in the first place. I thing Iraq need anothe ruler like Saddam. Next time the U.S is going some where, they should try to understand the culture of the people. Democracy is not part of every society. I think the U.S should allow Iraqi to take care of their problem, everything will be just fine, it takes time.
They could not wait for us to leave. They nagged us to get out of their country. They told us we had invaded their country and they wanted us out. Well, now we are out and we should stay out. Ask the Wives, Mothers and children of the men and women who have returned in body bags, or who have returned with no arms and legs – ask them if we should still be there to protect them.
The U.S. should leave ASAP and send George W. Bush to fix the mess he created.
Jack, we should do nothing.
Iraqis didn't want us there and killed many of our troops in protest; other countries complained that we were "occupying" Iraq; and liberal extremists were grousing about our continued presence in Iraq.
They wanted us out. We're out. They can't have it both ways. It's up to the Iraqis to shore up their security and deal with the issue. If the government of Iraq wants our help, they can officially request it.
Leave them to sort things out themselves. Afterall Iraq is a sovereign nation, why should we dabble in their soveriegn responsibilities. This is an attempt to draw the U.S. back into the their mess and we should not play to that kind of gallery.
Bring the troops back home.
Run,dont walk as we leave the country in 2011.We will have a small presence in Iraq to aid them but as stated run like hell to get the vast majority of our out of Iraq–SOON
Get the hell out of there and don't let the door hit their backsides on the way out. We've done the best we could with an awful situation. As George W. Bush would say, "Mission Accomplished."
jeanne
Jack,
We should respond to the escalating violence in Iraq by leaving and let those people work out their issues amongst themselves. After all, Iraq (formerly known as Mesopotamia) is the oldest civilization known to man. What right do we have in forcing our ideology on them?
It's their country they want us out so let them have it. I think we've done enough!!!!!
jACK: We should not have been in Iraq to start with. Let them settle their own problems. If they don't have the guts for it, then we wasted a lot of lives and billions. It's time they step up to the plate. They don't want to know who is causing all the problems.
We should form a troop ring around the borders of Iraq, offer some kind of safety to regular people who want it, and then just let the rest of Iraq do whatever they want to do. Our troops would make sure that their violence does not spread outside the border of Iraq and turn into a regional conflict. I cannot think of anything more fair and reasonable for us to offer Iraq. Our doing nothing means that we will probably be in Iraq for many years as Thomas Ricks said.
Who sent us there in the first place. I thing Iraq need another ruler like Saddam. Next time the U.S is going some where, they should try to understand the culture of the people. Democracy is not part of every society. I think the U.S should allow Iraqi to take care of their problem, everything will be just fine, it takes time.
Ask Bush!
I guess it is time to reinstate the "Surge" that was acclaimed to be so successful. You will probably have to reinstate the draft to help with the "surge" soon to be needed in Afhganistan and possibly in Iran
Leave immediately, give them all the weapons they want, and let them blow themselves up 🙂
Fratricide is the Iraqui national pastime, it's their responsibility, Wilmington, NC
Continue with the pullout! We got through the civil rights struggle without their help, and they will figure theirs out!
we have an obligation to help these people form a nation where they can walk down the street without fear from terrorism since the u.s. played such a dominant role in eradicating their established government.
pulling troops out so quickly, after the destruction we helped bring about and without helping restore some semblance of order, will only increase anti-american sentiment in the middle east and make us more of a target in the future.
Jack
We should do what we should have done in the first place, nothing. What happens in Iraq is only the business of the Iraquis. If they choose to kill one another that to is their business. We had better not consider loosing another American life in that country. Going there was wrong, staying there when they don't want us there is even worse.
It is time for Iraq to take responsibility for itself.
I agree with A. Davis. Come home now and let them control their country. They don't want us there so let's give them what they want!
Unfortunately, this is a problem that we may never be rid of. The best thing we could do is to pull out, let their neighbors deal with it, and focus our money and time on our own problems. It's even more unfortunate, however, that such an approach is completely unrealistic. There are humanitarian, safety, and other ethical issues involved. Still, our investment in the global community seems increasingly detrimental to those within our own borders, as we're already spread so damn thin.
They don't need to hit the panic button and send more troops to Iraq. The Iraqi military needs to take care of its people now and stand up to the terrorists. All of our time and effort really didn't accomplish much, in my opinion, although Republicans would disagree!
We respond by getting out as soon as possible, before any more American lives are lost. Iraq's instability may continue for several years, lets declare victory again and bill them for our services.
Jack, I don't get the question? Didn't we pull out and leave Iraq...... um to the Iraqis? Even though we made ir our problem in the first place, it's not the U.S.'s problem anymore. The Iraqis proudly took back order of thier country. So our "response" should be to cheer the Iraqis on and hope for the best. We have done our part.
jack we should nothing
we need to bring our troops home, we are not going to stop the violence there....
Jack –
We should have never gone into Iraq in the first place, it was a scam to enrich Bush's campaign contributors. The unprovoked invasion of Iraq will go down in history as a disgrace to this great country and we can do nothing to help those poor people over there except get out of their country.
Rob S.
Jack, If I tell you the key to getting Al Queda in Iraq, do you promise to pass it on to the troops in Afghanistan?
Sadly, if you read it here, the terrorist sympathizers who monitor liberal media outlets will inform them so they can prepare.
The people of Iraq need to deal with there own issues now. We have lost too many good soldiers and enough of our money to pay for any healthcare reform. It's time for the Iraq people to decide what kind of country they wish to have.
So how many years now has there been war in the middle east? 2000? I mean really, if we stay in Iraq there will be war, if we leave Iraq there will be war. Either way there is blood shed, why should it be ours? I say let the middle east focus on each other and we can focus on "alternative energy" and saving "American lives"!
Jack:
President Obama should walk the talk. OUT IN 16 MONTHS!
"Let me be clear: there is no military solution in Iraq, and there never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq's leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year – now. We should enter into talks with the Iraqi government to discuss the process of our drawdown. We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first, and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later. But our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month. If we start now, all of our combat brigades should be out of Iraq by the end of next year." Senator Obama
Jack, It wouldn't matter how many years we stayed in Iraq, when we leave they will go back to killing each other as they have done for centuries. We have wasted over 4 thousand lives trying to civilize these people and we have failed. Bring our troops home before we lose anymore to a historically wasted effort.
Get out of Iraq and Affganistan. The U.S. has to get over thinking they must save the world. Obama has a good start repairing their reputation on the world scene. Bring everyone home and mind their own business.
I say let it play out. We can't keep propping up the Iraqis, they need to stand on their own. This is a serious issue for them, but an internal one.
We should just stay there forever. It certainly would make Blackwater, KBR, and Halliburton happy. It's all about profits. Keep that war going.
Though I really feel sorry for the troops who suffered there,I think the President should write the Iraq war off as another terrible mistake left over from the Bush administration and pull our troops out.
Leave they wanted it they should have it. Should not have been there the first place. Biggest misuse of our military power ever. Now we have to do the same in Afganistan
Pack it up. There will be no end to this war and just as there was no reason for us getting into this war of greed and false pride, there is no reason for us to remain there one day more. Then when all are home bring those responsible for forcing this war upon us to trial. Nothing has changed over there and nothing will ever change over there. Their wars are eternal. Lets not make them ours.
Thom Richer
Negaunee, MI
What have we accomplished in the last 6 months in Iraq? Stick to the timeline and get out. I know I should not have to say it, but we should not have been there. The people don't want us there, hamas is more popular. There simply is NO advantage, no accomplishment to be had by staying longer. Get out on time, then get out of Afghanistan.
The middle east has been fighting, before Jesus Christ was walking on this planet... and 2,000 years from now...they will still be fighting... We just need to leave and chalk it up to another failed policy.... and bring our boy's home!!
Let's review, a similar fate happened when we left Vietnam, so we really expected a different result? When we do the same thing expecting a different result, there is more of a problem with the country than what's going on in Iraq. Leaving is the best solution.
I say we pull our troops out and bring them home where they belong. The U.S. had no business there to begin with. I say that if the government believes someone should be there watching over the Iraqi government, then why not pull all of those Iraq War supporters and former President George W. Bush and his cronnies together, arm them, and drop there butts in harms way of Iraq. These groups have been at each other's throats for thousands and thousands of years, therefore there is nothing our brave American troops can do to help ease the violence. Bush was told this and even so, he ignored the future possibilities of having my American brothers and sisters in harms way and tore apart what little stability that country had. Now, if we leave, all hell will break loose and essentially breed the kind of danger that Bush built his whole presidency on. Bush is the blame for this and he should be held accountable for it!
I don't belive we need to be the world police, the Iraqi police and military need to take responsibility for their country.
Leave iraq now,let it descend into civil war, then nuke the country until itis as flat as a parkinglot.
In all fairness. WE BROKE IT so WE OWN IT, as Colin Powell predicted.
Get some of the Opium Obama is getting from Afghanistan,as the oil Bush was getting from Iraq,and share it with the terrorists,so they will mellow out.
What we shoul do Jack? We should finish what we went to do in the first place. If we ever get to know what it was...
By getting our troops the heck out of the way, and out of there, Jack!
There is no way any American can do anything that will stop the sectarian fighting between Islamic groups; the Sunnis and the Shiates have been fighting since their split in 632 of the Christian era. We do NOT belong there, interfering and letting our own flesh and blood be shed in the fighting.
The US should get up and leave immediately. It's long overdue. The Iraqis have no excuse not to get their act together. It's up to them to determine what they want to do with their country. If they cannot do that now, too bad for them. The insurgents live amongst them and they can defeat them. They cannot continue to rely on the US to run their country for them. They can no longer sit on the excuse that the US brought the situation on them. The mistake that was made more than six years ago should not cause the United States to be indebted to the Iraqis forever. If Iraqis want to sit by and watch their homeland destroyed by a bunch of criminals, that's their problem.
Hey, crazy idea! We can take all the money we plan to invest in military actions in Iraq and use it to build schools, hospitals,ect. for the Iraqi people. i think that would do quite a bit more for the Iraqi people and the region than continuing to kill them would. I mean whats exactly wrong with trying to help people instead of trying to kill them for the protection of our own "interests".
I think we should get out of Iraq, NOW... not wait until 2011. We could stay there 100 years, and just our presence alone would propagate more violence, and cause more losses of lives–ours and theirs. Better that the Iraqis settle their own differences without further interference from the country that tore down their stable (but imperfect) environment when we invaded without cause. Some cultures are better off with heavy-handed dictators, until as a whole, those nations are ready to be responsible democratic societies. Democracy should be a CHOICE, not a requirement, and certainly should not be mandated from a culture who has little understanding, and little care to understand primitive beliefs and tribal rule.
Iraq should be responsible for their own mess. We have our own problems here state side. Bring our soldiers home now.
How should the US respond? Just leave.
Redmond,WA
At some point and time we need to let the iraqis take care of their own country.We have too many of our soilders dying overseas, it's time to bring them home.
We should continue to withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq. We should never have been there in the first place; especially in the role of a police agency. How many more American lives are we willing to sacrifice in a conflict, that has nothing to do with America's interests or security, that was going on for years before our invasion and will continue, as evident by the events of the day, long after we are gone.
Jack, Iraq is a sovereign nation. We should respect that and stay out of their affairs. Obama has specified our exit schedule, we should stick to it, or accelerate it.
Hey Jack
We shouldn't do Jack! They're a sovereign country who wants us out they need to learn to deal with this on their own. We've dumped enough American lives and money just so they could try and enact the Bush Doctrine – time to see if it worked. Are we to stay there forever providing them a security force? I don't think so. There never was any "WMD" but this has been a "war of mass destruction" for those who have lost loved ones first and foremost but also in American $ – enough money to pay for health care for the next 10 yrs. Thousands of American lives and many many more untold numbers of Iraqis. Enough is too much allready!
The best and only way too deal with the violence is to get out of it's way! There is absolutely nothing more we can do for Iraq ( or sure I say to Iraq) that we haven't already done. There has always been violence in that part of the world and there always will be. Humpty dumpty sat on a wall and had a great fall, boy what a fall Iraq had, and theres nothing we can do to put it back together again.
Dave from NH.
I have lived in Iraq and I believe the time has come for Iraqis to secure themselves independently. The subsequent violence is unavoidable. This is an important process of democracy that needs to take place just as that process took place for the independence of the USA. There will be more and very intense violence but the fact that the people have a democratically elected government will help in eventually restore peace. It is unfortunate that human beings have to always fight violently before they get tired and come to agreement and peace.
Eatontown, Nj
GET OUT!! NOW!! This society is not worth another American life.
Hermann, MO
Jack,
I am one of the people that Pelosi calls Nazi and UnAmerican.
I feel that we should get out of both wars and bring our troops home.I, also feel that we should bring our troops home from Japan and Europe
We cannot afford to fight all the wars in the World.
If we do not take care of our Country, then we will not have resources to help anyone at any time.
"If they stand up,we'll step down"-remember? How long are we going to wait for them to stand up? Are they suffering from political arthritis?
After years of our blood and $$$, we need to leave them alone. We shed our own blood during the civil war. If they are not matured enough to settle their differences, then they are not worth dying for.
NOPE! Not anymore!
The white house had told us that there will still be violence as we pull out, so we were all aware this could happen. I believe that we need to hand back Iraq to end this horrible wrong turn. They will make mistakes as all new nations do. We can train, educate, and help rebuild, but nothing more than that. I say it's about time. Our service men and woman have done a great job, and continue to help rebuild their country. I say job well done, time to go after those that really attacked us..
The US military and other countries have done their part. The Iraqis cheered the US soldiers were being reduced and moved from the streets of Iraq. We should stay in an advisory role and let the Iraqis shoulder the responsibilities of eliminating their internal enemies. Only the Iraqis can save themselves from their own countrymen and inside jobs posing as enemies of Iraq and creating havic inside of Iraq. US soldiers can't save what the Iraqis aren't willing to sacrafice to eliminate – Internal enemies and senseless volience. I wish the Iraq people all the best but bring our troops home.
God Speed to the Iraqis and their government and God Bless Our Soldiers!
All war is economic. Sectarian violence in Iraq destabilizes oil prices, which is great for anyone holding futures. Therefore, it drives down the value of the Dollar. Is the US served by a devalued Dollar? We can't let this go to the point of civil war there. Too many US interests will be hurt. My guess then is that Blackwater contractors will become even better financed. The President must be seen to keep his word after all.
A serious concern is whether the global sovereign wealth funds (e.g., China) who fund US debt will weigh in on how they are best served. Now who is it again that's been accumulating commodities?
Incidentally... here is the winning strategy...
Liek the Tsunami that hit the coast of india, killing thousands of people, the US should "retreat" from the land... and then, like the tidal wave, come back with such devastating force that it is felt far, far inland.
In Iraq, that deathswell should go all the way to the borders of Iraq, and then that sandy sea should calm once again. The same strategy should be used in Afghanistan. The crest of that Tsunami should pass over the mountains of Tora bora in a concerted effort on all sides from all of ouir allies including those in Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Operation Afghani Tsunami should happen at night, and everyoen who deserves to know should have their own "lambs blood" type symbol to put on their doors.
I know I talk in romantic descriptions, but I think I'm making my point.
Trapper:
Not quite 2000 years - only about 1377 years, or since Mohammad died.
We've already done enough damage there. We should continie withdrawing our troops and let them get back to their civil war, which we interrupted back in 2003.
Send in Cheney/Bush. Remember it was supposed to be shock and awe....and we would be greeted with flowers. This has been going on longer than WWII. Should have kept out to begin with.....this war was a GWBush wanna have!
Jack I'm commenting from Iraq at the moment, I saw your question on the T.V. about how the U.S. should respond to the increase of violence in Iraq. I can tell you from experience doing multiple tours in Iraq as an Intelligence Analyst, I see and brief these kinds of 'increases or decreases' in enemy activity. We have talked about this since coalition forces left the cities and as the retrograde period started to begin. There is no doubt about the attacks that occurred recently but we must keep in mind that the Iraqi security forces have shown their capability and willingness to keep stability within their respective districts/cities. There is a lot to consider with the whole situation, so do I think the U.S. should continue the retrograde as planned? Absolutely. The government of Iraq has the ability or has the necessary tools to carry out what is necessary. At this point they should be left to do the job they are highly capable of conducting.
HA !!! Iraq !!! I said it in 2003 and I say it now. The people in Iraq will take anything that is handed to them. If some cowboy fool president will come in and spend billions cleaning up Iraq's streets and rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure then why should the Iraqi people do anything but sit back and scarf up on the hand out. So now that it is getting rough again they are waiting to see if Obama will soften up and spend the billions again. The American tax payers have been played for fools. Answer to the question: Pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan completely and cut our losses.
We should NOT respond! It is NOT our responsibility! It is the responsibility of the Iraqi Government.We CAN NOT hold their hands forever.Osama Bin Laden, our true enemy, is NOT in Iraq.Enough Said!
Americans voted for a president whom they thought would end the war. The surge worked because the warring factions were mostly bribed to stop. The war is not being fought for the benefit of ordinary Americans only vested interests, and America has little to lecture on values or democracy. Write it into the history books as yet another US victory over totalitarianism .. Then .Leave ...get out ... go home.
The US can not do much. The Iraqi government must be allowed to grow and mature in providing security for its own people. The US would not stay there forever so they should own up to their responsibilities.
I say send Bush over there; he started this disaster based on the lies he told all of us and is therefore responsible for all the death and distruction his war has caused, then and now.
Pack up and leave as soon as possible. There is going to be civil war, the only question is "When"? We did a terrible thing to the Iraqi people. It's time to apologize and leave, lest we make it even worst.
Mountain Home ID
I believe the U.S. should stay out of Iraqi problems it is their way of sorting out which way they will proceed . Conflicts in the middle east seems to be a way of life to them and some how a profitable one also.
With more Violence! USA! USA! USA!
Tell the CIA to stop interferring!
The prevailing theme seems to be let "those People" kill themselves.
Not really the compassion you would expect from liberals(REALLY??)
Thanks for the concern for our troops though, it's a shame you do not value their effort worth completing.
We should leave Iraq alone and just get out of there and just let the Iraqis deal with their own problems. Just like what Obama did with Iran, that was perfect. America doesn't need to save everyone, America doesn't need to act like the superman of the world.
Jack;
How should we react to Iraqi violence? By getting out. Now!
We do NOT have a dog in this fight.
It is time for us to develop wind, solar, and geothermal energy and get serious about conservation. We went to Iraq for their oil. It is still their oil. We need to leave and save millions of dollars a day.
Same for Viet-Ghanistan. Get out! Let them build their own gas lines.
US gov. will mostly say the gov there wanted us out, so we
will! But as far as I'm concerned it's sad we were ever involved
in a war that couldn't be won!
Jack,
We need Obama to keep his word and get us the hell out of that money sink hole they call Iraq. Send the war starter George Bush there to claim his Mission Accomplished speech, that will end the War. The United States needs to keep our noses out of other peoples business, and start worring about the people of the United States for a change. Think about how much money can be saved by leaving Iraq.
Carl in Illinois
Jack,
The only way for there not to be violence in the Middle East is called Operation Parking Lot –
Level the entire area, put up 3 gas pumps, unleaded, leaded and diesel – END
Get the hell out like we should have done years ago,not to mention the fact that we should have never made the assinine move in the first place.
Jack,
Real simple. Get the hell out and stay out. They want us out, so give them their wish.
Iraq doesn't want us there, we don't want to be there, let's get out.
Let bush/cheney/rove et al go over and finish their mess.
I don't have a cristal ball but just comon sens.
Malaky wanted US Army out, and now he can turn to his siblings, the Iran shia for help. This how I see it from where I am standing.
I have many other views, but may not be politicaly correct, and as I keept my mouth when I lived in a comunist country, I have to do it again. The presedential exteraordinary powers were not drop. For me is easy, is "deja vue". I don't know about you, not having my experience.
They shouldn't!
Jack, there is nothing more we can do that hasn't already been done. I say at this point in time we can walk away from that whole mess with our chins up. We have made a strong effort toward giving these people some sense of direction when it come to human rights.
The Iraqi culture is brutal and they taught us that they are an animal that cannot be tamed.
Jack, I feel like I am discriminating but I look at the evidence after all this time and I'm just angry, maybe not so much at the Iraqi's but at mans ability or lack of to evolve.
We should wring our hands over the plight of the Iraq people, encourage them to demand action from their own government and hope that when the people finally have enough of this crap they will stop the fighting. Every problem has an owner, and we no longer own this one.
We haven't seen this kind seen this kind of fury since Phnom Penh in March 1975.
The best hope is to get our people the hell out of there and seal off the borders so it doesn't spread.
We need to let Iraq handle these matters. The citizens of that country must stand up to the insurgents and al Qaeda themselves. The U.S. has spent billions to stabilize that country. They want us gone and we want to be gone. We've already given enough, and the price of our soldiers lives is too dear. Time to clean up the mess in Afghanistan and get out of there too.
We should leave Iraq and Afghanistan asap. Bush's wars are fast becoming Obama's.Are we planning to stay until 68000 are killed? We have learned nothing .
ENOUGH!!!! We have tried to help those people for years, sacrificed our troops, caused havoc in our economy, if war is what they want for their country let THEM fight it!!! Our young people have suffered too
much, some are home now but are in dire straits as the effects of this dasterdly war is still haunting them, the wounded, the horrible wounded, their minds, and more. Lets get them all home before we're stuck there again!!!
. . . get out.
The best answer to that question is to wait until the republicans take over the white house and invade another country in the middle east to promote their "Democraty" or war against terror.
Bush, cheney and Co are the one that broke that country because of big oil companies and army contractors who make their living off wars through supply of guns and amunition to both sides. It's big business.
This countries in the middle east has been ruled for hundred of years by Kings and Tyrans who impose and tell people what to do because their is to much religion extremists and only hard power can put control over this people.
I thought Obama had the answers. Sure sounded like it when he was telling everyone how he would fix Iraq during the election. It's still a war! Finish the job or you'll be back to address it again....
Jack....
I think it's a test on President Obama's ability to deal with it, and devise somekind of exit strategy.
John
Pampa,TX
The Iraqis have no excuse why they cannot get a hold of their country. If Saddam had merely died in office, would they have allowed their homeland to disintergrate? The US should not flinch about the violence. It is now the problem of Nuri Al-Malachi and his cohorts who have merely refused to stand up to their responsibilities.
This is Muslim sect against Muslim sect. . What possibly could be any sane reason to interfere with another country's religious disagreements. No matter what the rationale offered, tthe problem is theirs....NOT OURS. What do the US war mongers do if the Iraqis vote for us to get out a year early? Heck, I voted to never go there in the first place.
It's time for all of our boys to come back home. The people of Iraq do not want us there anyway. Why stay where you are not appreciated???
Jack, How about we all acknowledge that GW Bush was WRONG...wrong when he got us into this war with false intelligence, wrong when he said we should stay the course, wrong when the GOP villified the Dems everytime they tried to halt funding, and DEAD WRONG for all the servicemen sacrificed to make these politicos look good.
How about, since Halliburton made billions on this war, we hook them up with the Iraqi government as a private army IRAQ can pay for.
Most of the people of Iraq want our military out of their country, along
with the obama administration, therefore it is time we turned their
country back over to them, withdraw all troops and get the hell out,
without exposing our troops to more walking around like live targets!
These people were fighting each other prior to the invasion, and will
continue to do so after we leave, just as Israeli and Palestine have,
since the beginning of time!
Sounds like Vietnam to me. Only this happened when i was in the Navy, back in the 60's.Let them take care of their country like the Vietnamese did then.
As hard as I'm sure it is for both the U.S. government and the Iraqian parliament in seeing these bombings from the terrorists, who have somewhat been prevented from conducting casualties– it is importiant that both countries remain persistent on abiding by the timeline. Regardless of the terrorists obvious transparency in understanding when the prominent U.S. forces withdraw, and when the somewhat unstable Iraqian parliament regains full control. That being, the U.S. government must respond by meeting with Iraqi officials, and propose provincial checkpoints & governments. Instead of random checkpoints which give the terroists tactical leverage to create a plan.
Ultiamately, the U.S. government has long completed the plan to knock-out the dictator, and to try to promote peace within Iraq. Concluding the United States must implement what they have and what gives them greater tactical power than their counterparts.
They should respond appropriately from their present role – tell them how we did it. Our men & women fouight, bled, & died in their country on their soil, fighting insurgents, dismantling terrorist organizations, gaining & maintaining security throughout the country for the sole purpose that they could one day do it themselves. If they're having so many problems, they must not have pad close enough attentain.
Jack:
Absolutely nothing! We have spilled far too much of our brave men and women's precious blood, not to mention those wounded, seriously wounded and those whose lives have forever been changed! We train our elite forces in 8-weeks, and the Iraqis cannot prepare a competent police and military force in 6-years, their a poor excuse for preserving a democracy that we have paid so much for. Frankly, I believe we should speed-up our timetable for withdrawing our troops, then maybe they will take defending their democracy seriously.
Gary,
Lexington,KY
As I remember when we pulled out of the major cities on June 30th,
they declared that day to be a national holiday.
Let them celebrate on, while we leave all together.
It is time for the Iraqi's to stand on their own feet.
We have paid enough for a war that was a farce while they (Iraq) saved all the billions they've made from their oil.
Ines, CO
This is a tough one. But in a word No. We created the mess, but we can't legally do anything about it any more. It's up to the Iraqi's to secure their own country now.
Send Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Karl Rove over for some enhanced interrogation.
Jack,
If the U.S wavers in its commitment to get out now you'll be stuck there for decades....
No one can save that country from itself, not in 5 years or 50 years...
People in that region have a different mind set.
I worked North of Bagdad for several years and the people I met earned less than 2 thousand dollars a year...
They were content, happy even, and eternally resentful of all things Western......
John.
Toronto.
Let's round up the 100's of thousands of WMD hawks who raged for war, and send them into Iraq with George W. as the point man.
And, oh, borrow another few trillion from China to finace this new and improved surge.
Get Out and fix our country. I agree with about 90% of the other commenters. I wish the Government would really be so wise.
get the hell out let iraq burn use the money on healthcare
All Iraq has to do is arm their civilians and tell them where to strike. Good ole fashion militias always will get the job done in cases such as this. Leave them alone or make them pay back the money they owe us.
. Pull out ALL of our troops and send them a friut basket
I have a better question: why should we respond? The whole point of pulling back was to let the Iraqis take control of and responsibilty for their own country, as they made perfectly clear they wanted. There will always be problems in Iraq. If we continue to step in whenever a problem arises, they never get to run their own country and we never get to bring our people home.
Bring everyone home from Iraq and then set atime to get out of Afganistan.
Leave immediately and transfer the Iraq war budget to the health care reform budget. This would epitomize the change that Obama has brought to America.
Invite North Korea to assist them in security and as an advanced trade partner.
The United States: should attempt to back Muslim theology: by welcoming all religions to the whole of the American public: and using Islam as the respectable jurors of duty: character reference: making all Americans: publically associated to all religions: including Islam, while also allowing the freedom to abstain from involvement; yet still offering the freedom to use their provided services at any time.
So when is Irag going to pay us back the billions, if not Trillions from their future "Oil Sales" for this so called 'freedom" Bush has tried to give them?
Why does America go to war and then feel responsible to rebuild the countries we defeat? It's all political, I know. What would people think! Realistically speaking, their Oil Sales could have financed the efforts for the last serveral years.
I can say this, for 8 years I was embarrassed to say I was an American because of Bush. Now we stand a chance with Obama, after all, he can make a complete sentance all by himself.
The North Koreans are looking for a place to test their nuclear weapons, aren't they? Tell them we've found it.
Robert in SF, CA