Your Forgein Policy

[cnredd]

Of course there were screw ups. You're right that everyone thought we would lose...which is exactly my point! A small army of American farmers defeated the biggest empire in the world, exceeding all expectations. I don't think we've exceeded (or even met) all expectations in Iraq. WE are now the biggest empire in the world and can't even defeat a small third-world insurgency numbering in the mere tens of thousands with no popular support.

That is because we live in a world where if it's not done in ten minutes, it's not worth it...

We've been in Iraq less than 3 years and are facing some opposition...

We were in Japan 6 years when we've faced minimal opposition...

The reason we are having trouble defeating "a small third-world insurgency" is because of the new "moral rules" that are placed on war in this day & age...

60 years ago, the plan would be to carpetbomb the country and obliterate the enemy and everything within 200 yards of them...With the technology we have today, the war would take 20 minutes and our soldiers would be home in time for dinner...

But instead, we get criticized for everything from shooting at a Mosque filled with hundreds of people who would like nothing more than to chop off heads down to flushing a book down a toilet...

There have been literally thousands of wars throughout time...everyone of them up until the last 40 years did not have to deal with political correctness...

It used to be "Object of war...win"

Now its "Object of war...win...but only within certain parameters"

 

[Tashah]

The point is that Saddam Hussein kept terrorists out of Iraq through brutal enforcement of anti-terrorism laws.

Not exactly true. Saddam was indeed touchy in this respect but did allow certain factions to opertate in Iraq such as Ansar al-Islam. There was also a terrorist training facility at Salman Pak sanctioned by Saddam and operated by the Iraqi Mukhabbarat.

I don't think we've exceeded (or even met) all expectations in Iraq. WE are now the biggest empire in the world and can't even defeat a small third-world insurgency numbering in the mere tens of thousands with no popular support.

This is true, but with a qualifier. General Shinseki was correct before the invasion in his assessment that Rumsfeld was trying to do this on the cheap. To date, US forces in Iraq still remain numerically insufficient to sucessfully prosecute the insurgency.

I would also add that military occupation is an extremely difficult endeavor. Simply ask any Israeli of the costs in blood and treasure... and the increasing strain on the fabric of society that an occupation exacts.

 

[George_Washington]

There have been literally thousands of wars throughout time...everyone of them up until the last 40 years did not have to deal with political correctness...{QUOTE]

That is very true; in the last 40 years, our attitudes towards war have changed greatly. When we bombed Hiroshima, the majorty of people were supportive. I'm not saying we were right in bombing them but it's definitely a shift in values. Nowadays if we bombed a country like that, the liberals would revolt and take over the government :rofl