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stroller

The Tex melt-down continues...

stroller

Hmm.
For reasons unknown, the old obsolete Issues rules are still there as a sticky:
" We do not tolerate direct personal insults and foul language directed at members."
" We do not tolerate outright racist remarks nor religious or gender related slurs."

Texpat

^^ more of a warm up

^ Could you be any more hypocritical?

raycarey

dateline nakhon nowhere......

the war in iraq is over....in fact, it ended in 2003.

Texpat

Good to see you're finally coming around Corporal Carey.

What exists there is a complete mess. But it's not a war. You might buy into the term war on terror, but that's more of a concept or ideal. Not a war in the traditional sense. Do you consider fighting your TD deamons a war, Jason?

Don't denigrate the term war by comparing it with battles or skirmishes.

"Justice without force is a myth." -- Blaise Pascal

raycarey

stroller

Well, that's another mod outed.

Panda

OH, I see. So now the war in Iraq is merely a skirmish according to Tex.
Should be over by lunch time hey?

sabang

Obviously a slow news day in Iraq then.

Panda

Only a few dozen Iraqis dead including women and kids. But then again those dirty rag heads dont count. No Americans killed today. So its all good news.

So sad to see the Americans turn this country into a slaughterhouse of anarchy.
Liberation from a ruthless dictator has led only to vastly increased suffering for the people of Iraq. GWB has the blood of far more Iraqis on his hands than Saddam Hussein ever did. The bastard should be publicly hanged and go down in history along side Hitler and other war criminals for the crimes against humanity he has committed.

Boon Mee

Well, does Corporal Jason sound better?

stroller

A wee bit over the top there, perhaps?

Milkman

I think there are some countries - or the special interests within certain countries that want the US in these countries.

But in general it would be better for the US to focus on illegal immigration, reduce the wasteful cost of foreign placements overseas, and stop using the US presence in the theme lf "democracy" which is does not want. The US is overseas in countries of which it has an economic interest.

It's Machiavelian.

Nothing more; nothing less.

__________________
Military men are dumb, stupid animals, to be used as pawns for foreign policy

stroller

Sure.

And those who don't are "insignificant, morally vacant, washed-up, has-beens". I think I will need to spend some time doing research to establish if this well considered allegation is true in all, or at least the overwhelming majority of cases.

Texpat

It's going well. I even watched a report on BBC tonight that showed an Iraqi saying very positive things about his government and the situation on the ground.

Get your digs in now boys. Too bad you had to leave so soon (hehehe). Don't be angry at American successes. Just suck it up and try harder.

sabang

Too late to meaningfully argue that the invasion and occupation of Iraq was a success, but the sooner an element of stability can be reintroduced to the place the better. If it can't, well I think to say it's an embarassment for the US would be an understatement. Lets hope no civil war eventuates.

I believe however that it can- not perfectly, but at least to the extent where the US military occupation can scale down, and meaningful foreign investment can commence.

If the security situation becomes tenable, it is foreign investment that will provide the stimulus to bring Iraqi living standards and quality of life back to what they were, and surpass them in the long term. Mutual benefit you might say- a buck in it for 'us' a buck in it for them.

It was a tragic folly, but we have to deal with what is rather than what should have been. Little purpose would be served by a unilateral withdrawal at this point.

__________________
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

Texpat

Tragic folly?

The US Revolutionary War lasted far longer than 5 years and the US took another few decades to get it's shit together.

In 20 years Iraq will look back on this period fondly and continue to thank the United States of America.

In 100 years when Iraq is a superpower, those whose grandfathers chickened out will still be making digs, pissing and moaning and berating actions which they didn't have the intestinal fortitude to partake.

stroller

Yeah, I am sure they will come to their senses and appreciate having been a strategic target for US power-brokers and oil barons.

They might have cleared all the remaining active cluster bomb bits in 20 years as well.

sabang

Yes, tragic folly. But by all means continue to argue from your dwindling corner, you are an endangered species these days.

Hardly- have you ever visited Vietnam? Actually, most Iraqi's look back fondly on their quality of life 20 years ago- y'know, best standard of living in the Arab world and all that. In twenty years time however, Iraq will hopefully be a functioning nation- or what was Iraq will be three smaller nations if it doesn't go as we hope. Those many who were killed will be long dead, those who will be forever bitter will be aging and dying, and a younger generation ascendant.

Like I said-

bkkandrew

Great Superpower(?); when their oil has been all pumped out, what, exactly, is so great about the place?