• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!
  • Welcome to our archives. No new posts are allowed here.

Economists: Iraq No Longer in American Interest

danarhea

Slayer of the DP Newsbot
DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Messages
43,602
Reaction score
26,256
Location
Houston, TX
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Conservative
For those who refuse to see the moral justification for leaving Iraq, the economic reasons should convince you, that is, if you truly believe in Capitalism, and dont have some kind of Socialist agenda backing your reasons to stay there.

I know, I know, some Liberals here are going to dishonestly build a straw man and start calling me cold-hearted for taking this approach, and some Neocons are going to attack me on emotional grounds (they want to win of course, and are willing to prosecute this war to the last drop of other peoples' blood), but it matters not whether or not I care about the Iraqi people, or whether or not I choose to buy into the notion that the United States is the policeman of the world. The fact is, if you believe that Capitalism is best for the American economy (and I have always believed this), then the bottom line is telling us that leaving is the best decision we can make. After all, if you are backing corporate rule in America, then you should listen to what the corporate elites have to say in the matter, wouldnt you think? It is worthy to note that, in addition to this argument, I also care about the unnecessary killing that is going on in Iraq, and therefore oppose the war on moral and Biblical grounds as well. However, the argument I am making is based, not on emotion, nor on the Bible, but on the cold, hard, monetary facts of economics.

It is time to face the fact that citizens who live in the Middle East have put a poison pill in our one sided negotiations to be the CEO of that area, and have gotten together and voted out our hostile takeover of the region. It is also a fact that the people of the Middle East own more stock in their nations than we do, and as long as they are the majorityholders of their interests, and continue to vote with their hearts, as well as with their weapons, the ouster of the United States as Chief Executive Officer, then the Chief Financial Officers of our nation (which are the corporate economists), will have no problems convincing our own shareholders (which is we the people), that the proposed merger and takeover of Iraq is not in the best financial or corporate interests of America. In spite of the attempts of our own Arthur Andersons (which is Cheney, Rumsfeld, PNAC, et al) to cook the books on this takeover, while telling us that we are making money hand over fist in Iraq, sound financial planning is now entering back into our reasoned way of thinking, in looking out for our best financial and corporate interests. In the end, Iraq is just a white elephant which we must divest, lest it eventually drag our profits down, and ultimately turn the United States of America into a penny stock.

Lets see what happens with our upcoming shareholder meeting this November.

Based on this article.
 
Last edited:
The article fails to address the costs of running away.

That will have to include:

The inevitability of a civil war in Iraq, something that has a very strong potential to expand into a major regional conflict. Can anyone outhere estimate the cost to America when the Middle Easter oil fields are destroyed?

There's the cost of painting the double yellow stripe across the American flag. The emotional scars from our forced abandonment of Vietnam almost cost us the Cold War. Our cowardly treatment of Vietnam encouraged the Soviet Union to steal Afghanistan, with known results.

American travellers will be at even greater risk when criminals in other countries know the United States is afraid of acting against them. American international assets will be at increased risk for the same reason. The perception of America as weak will also lead to increased pressure to vacate overseas bases, with a further erosion of power. That cost, too, is not included in that study.

Certainly the knowledge that the US lacks the guts to stand up for it's principles will embolden peace loving states like China to push the boundaries of it's own sphere against ours.

Can anyone name a definitely good thing ("good" = advantageous to the US) to come out of running away from Iraq with turds dropping out of our pants cuffs?
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
The article fails to address the costs of running away.

That will have to include:

The inevitability of a civil war in Iraq, something that has a very strong potential to expand into a major regional conflict. Can anyone outhere estimate the cost to America when the Middle Easter oil fields are destroyed?

There's the cost of painting the double yellow stripe across the American flag. The emotional scars from our forced abandonment of Vietnam almost cost us the Cold War. Our cowardly treatment of Vietnam encouraged the Soviet Union to steal Afghanistan, with known results.

American travellers will be at even greater risk when criminals in other countries know the United States is afraid of acting against them. American international assets will be at increased risk for the same reason. The perception of America as weak will also lead to increased pressure to vacate overseas bases, with a further erosion of power. That cost, too, is not included in that study.

Certainly the knowledge that the US lacks the guts to stand up for it's principles will embolden peace loving states like China to push the boundaries of it's own sphere against ours.

Can anyone name a definitely good thing ("good" = advantageous to the US) to come out of running away from Iraq with turds dropping out of our pants cuffs?

I agree. Remember what Colin Powell said to Bush before the invasion, but he was too keen making battle plans to listen - "You break it, you buy it."

Anyway recently America cut off all money for Iraq rebuilding anyway. "Rebuilding Iraq was never in the long term interests of the United States."

The Neo-cons thought the money would be flowing by now and that Iraq will be able to rebuild itself. Ironically Iraq has to import oil. lol .:2funny: I love irony.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
The article fails to address the costs of running away.

That will have to include:

The inevitability of a civil war in Iraq, something that has a very strong potential to expand into a major regional conflict. Can anyone outhere estimate the cost to America when the Middle Easter oil fields are destroyed?

There's the cost of painting the double yellow stripe across the American flag. The emotional scars from our forced abandonment of Vietnam almost cost us the Cold War. Our cowardly treatment of Vietnam encouraged the Soviet Union to steal Afghanistan, with known results.

American travellers will be at even greater risk when criminals in other countries know the United States is afraid of acting against them. American international assets will be at increased risk for the same reason. The perception of America as weak will also lead to increased pressure to vacate overseas bases, with a further erosion of power. That cost, too, is not included in that study.

Certainly the knowledge that the US lacks the guts to stand up for it's principles will embolden peace loving states like China to push the boundaries of it's own sphere against ours.

Can anyone name a definitely good thing ("good" = advantageous to the US) to come out of running away from Iraq with turds dropping out of our pants cuffs?

You seem to be operating out of the assumptions that:

1. Civil War in Iraq is not highly likely even if we do stay.
2. Our staying in Iraq will result in a complete success.

Maybe that will be the case, and maybe not. However, either way it’s a lot of wishful thinking.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
You seem to be operating out of the assumptions that:

1. Civil War in Iraq is not highly likely even if we do stay.
2. Our staying in Iraq will result in a complete success.

Maybe that will be the case, and maybe not. However, either way it’s a lot of wishful thinking.


I'm operating on the assumption that a thinking person knows that civil war is inevitable if we leave, but that it may be avoided if we stay.

Given this assumption, is it moral to leave? No.

I don't know what a "complete success" means. Our complete success in Germany has led those ungrateful pigs to simultaneously villify the US in their petty local elections and cry loudly at any suggestion that the US might vacate now unnecessary bases in Germany. IMO, if they don't like us, they don't need our GI dollars. Perhaps we can send a bill for their share of what it cost US to protect them from Russia in the Cold War?

Iraq could easily turn out the same way, of course.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
I'm operating on the assumption that a thinking person knows that civil war is inevitable if we leave, but that it may be avoided if we stay.

Given this assumption, is it moral to leave? No.

I don't know what a "complete success" means. Our complete success in Germany has led those ungrateful pigs to simultaneously villify the US in their petty local elections and cry loudly at any suggestion that the US might vacate now unnecessary bases in Germany. IMO, if they don't like us, they don't need our GI dollars. Perhaps we can send a bill for their share of what it cost US to protect them from Russia in the Cold War?

Iraq could easily turn out the same way, of course.

Preemptive war by definition is immoral. This would be especially true from a Christian perspective.

Arguably, Iraq for all intents and purposes is in a state of civil war right now.

Complete success would be whether we meet the objectives we originally laid out.
 
Unless you are able to put a cut and run president in office, it isn't going to happen.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
Preemptive war by definition is immoral.

Don't be silly. If we know Canada was planning on invading, we'd be perfectly justified in attacking them first to prevent harm to ourselves.

SouthernDemocrat said:
This would be especially true from a Christian perspective.

Glad I'm not a Christian. My thinking's not clouded. I'm perfectly content with the notion that what matters is getting the bad guy before he gets you. Which way he's facing when the bullet goes through him is irrelevant.

SouthernDemocrat said:
Arguably, Iraq for all intents and purposes is in a state of civil war right now.

Perhaps. But nothing like it would definitely be if we up and ran away like the Surrender Monkey's want us to do.

SouthernDemocrat said:
Complete success would be whether we meet the objectives we originally laid out.

Anyone remember what those were?
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
Don't be silly. If we know Canada was planning on invading, we'd be perfectly justified in attacking them first to prevent harm to ourselves.



Glad I'm not a Christian. My thinking's not clouded. I'm perfectly content with the notion that what matters is getting the bad guy before he gets you. Which way he's facing when the bullet goes through him is irrelevant.



Perhaps. But nothing like it would definitely be if we up and ran away like the Surrender Monkey's want us to do.



Anyone remember what those were?

Iraq was about to attack us? Wow, maybe you should let the president know. That information would really help him in the polls.:lol:

Look, I am not disagreeing with you. I think it would be a big mistake to pack up and leave Iraq right now.
 
SouthernDemocrat said:
Iraq was about to attack us? Wow, maybe you should let the president know. That information would really help him in the polls.:lol:

Maybe you could spend time learning to distinguish the general from the specific? The generals where the stars.
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
Maybe you could spend time learning to distinguish the general from the specific? The generals where the stars.

What do specifics wear?
 
Back
Top Bottom