Why Shouldn't ALL Our Troops Immediately Leave Iraq?

[Monksailor]

I agree, let's do that. Let's do exactly that.

Please reread the previous sentence I offered to contemplate. I do hope that there aren't many thinking that such is not possible, but if so it would explain why the US isn't mentioned in prophecy of the later days.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Way back before the Internet, Marshall McLuhan spoke of the "global village" and how interconnected we would become. The fact of this has forced us out of being able to do what you suggested above. Too late. Wish we could.

Being interconnected and being interventionist are not equivalent. I do not have to station someone from my family in your living room in order to be connected to you.

 

[Monksailor]

The number of contradictory ideas that must be held simultaneously for this to make sense...

Contradictory or not this is what we soldiers were told about our being stationed in another country by our superiors. You should be thankful and not sarcastic.

 

[Desk trauma]

Contradictory or not this is what we soldiers were told about our being stationed in another country by our superiors.

It being the party line does not change its contradictory nature by decree.

You should be thankful and not sarcastic.

Thankful for what? Thousands of lives and trillions of dollars wasted on ham fisted overseas adventures that I do not feel served our nation interests? I think not.

 

[usexpat97]

Please reread the previous sentence I offered to contemplate. I do hope that there aren't many thinking that such is not possible, but if so it would explain why the US isn't mentioned in prophecy of the later days.

No, no more "contemplating". There are a lot of people--Iraq being one, and you are in THEIR country--who have already made up their minds, and you are not wanted. You need to respect their national sovereignty and leave. At this point, if you don't, you are nothing more than bullies. No, not the "terrorists". YOU. They said leave their country, and you are pointing M1 Abrams tanks down their throats and ignoring them.

 

[rjs330]

It has always been the idea. That is the point. That is why we have all of the sky scrapers, mighty dams, and long, exorbitantly expensive bridges we do. Since our independence from Britain and excluding our own civil war we have not ever had the enemy fighting outright war on our turf till 9/11 if you want to count that as a "war." By maintaining our military presence in other countries we not only help them but ourselves by keeping those who would war against us fighting us on their or our allies' turf. If we pull all of our forces back to the US our allies lose our military power to protect them which simultaneously ensures our legitimate interest abroad which enables the advantage of a more timely and effective preemptive counter to an attack upon our soil where our children and heritage and wealth lie. Can you imagine all of the bombed out horror pictures you have seen abroad being your own neighborhood? Pull all of the military forces back to the US and see what happens.

You know that has been a concern. But I'm not so sure it's valid. Much of what happens in the middle East in regards to that is armies or large groups of enemies being able to atck and aoink back into the populations or cross borders. You don't have that here. They often fight against each other and I suspect removing our troops would just cause them to concentrate more on each other rather than here. They haven't been able to pull off another 911 since and I don't think it's just because we are there.

I could be wrong of course, but they have yet to show me they can really do a lot here. Not that 911 wasn't enough. I'm just not seeing where they could cause the devastation they cause over there to come to our neighborhoods.

 

[Speedwell]

You know that has been a concern. But I'm not so sure it's valid. Much of what happens in the middle East in regards to that is armies or large groups of enemies being able to atck and aoink back into the populations or cross borders. You don't have that here. They often fight against each other and I suspect removing our troops would just cause them to concentrate more on each other rather than here. They haven't been able to pull off another 911 since and I don't think it's just because we are there.

I could be wrong of course, but they have yet to show me they can really do a lot here. Not that 911 wasn't enough. I'm just not seeing where they could cause the devastation they cause over there to come to our neighborhoods.

Which they wouldn't bother to do anyway if we weren't over there. But it's a religious war they're waging, proxy wars in places like Yemen, terrorist organizations, etc. Shia vs Sunni is their primary concern. Why we have decided to side with Saudi Arabia and the Sunnis in that fight is beyond me.

 

[jgarden]

Why Shouldn't ALL Our Troops Immediately Leave Iraq?

Only the Trump Administration would abandon their allies the Kurds in Syria, to the tender mercies of the Turks, Syrians and Russians and is now forced to send 1000's of additional troops to Iraq, a country who has just asked them to leave!

The Kurds had wanted an American presence and as loyal partners were willing to do the "heavy lifting" to defeat ISIS at a cost of over 10000 casualties, but once they served their purpose, this President, in his infinite wisdom, decided to unceremoniously abandon them!

Later Trump had the brilliant idea of ordering the assassination Iran's leading general near the Baghdad Airport without consulting with the Iraqi government, his NORAD allies nor congressional leaders - albeit that the explanation changes by the day!

Now America finds herself isolated and alone in the Middle East without the military and political support of her traditional friends and allies, because this President has systematically alienated and abandoned them!

 

[rjs330]

Which they wouldn't bother to do anyway if we weren't over there. But it's a religious war they're waging, proxy wars in places like Yemen, terrorist organizations, etc. Shia vs Sunni is their primary concern. Why we have decided to side with Saudi Arabia and the Sunnis in that fight is beyond me.

I think a lot of them would still want to come here and kill us even if we weren't there. But I don't believe overall they would have much success anymore. I think it's time we get out and let them hash it out. If any country needs help from another one they can ask the United Nations or join NATO.

As far as Saudi Arabia is concerned I understand why. Oil. And that's our own fault for not attaining oil Independence. It makes zero sense for us be e dependent on another country for oil when we could be independent. All being dendent dies is force us to get into bed with countries like Saudi Arabia.

 

[wing2000]

In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked the United States send a delegation to Iraq to set up a mechanism for U.S. troop withdrawal from the country, a statement from the prime minister's office said Friday.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...4058ea-32f8-11ea-971b-43bec3ff9860_story.html

 

[rjs330]

In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked the United States send a delegation to Iraq to set up a mechanism for U.S. troop withdrawal from the country, a statement from the prime minister's office said Friday.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...4058ea-32f8-11ea-971b-43bec3ff9860_story.html

Great let's make it happen!