For a long time many of us have been discussing American foreign policy with regards to our wars in both Iraq and Afganistan. We have discussed whether we are right or wrong, whether our being there will end terrorism, and whether or not it was the right thing to do. All good discussions, but to a certain degree, all moot points. Like it or not, we are there, that is the reality. No matter what your point of view, I think we all agree, it is a most unfortunate situation, but we are there.

That having been said, the next, and maybe most relevant question is how do we resolve the problem. How do we bring the wars to an end and get the American troops home. How do we end the terrorism, bloodshed, and hate. How do we finish what got started?

 

Rob,

Sadly, I don't know. This song was written almost half a century ago and still applies.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE
words and music by Pete Seeger

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?

Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ralper

That having been said, the next, and maybe most relevant question is how do we resolve the problem.

 

Utopia

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.


Writen by: John Lennon

 

How many times did I hear before we invaded, that one of the primary reasons was to free the Iraqi people from their evil leader so they can live a decent life? Now we will see how much truth there was to that.

Iraqi professionals and intellectuals are being murdered by the hundreds. You read about the suicide bombings day after day. Surely our elected leader realized this would be the consequence of his actions and has a plan. If he pulls out before the situation is under control he should draw the wrath of the world.

 

I don't believe that the "situation" in Iraq will ever be under control. To invade Iraq as we did, with almost no international support was a hugh mistake. We will be there forever.

 

As my Daddy would say you can't be half pregnant. Either we need to fully commit, ala Isreal dealing with the Hommas, or just pull out. Anything else is just a rerun of Viet Nam.

For a flavor of what I mean look at this link of Sharon's most recent interview.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4614743/

If you wanted to put into movies you would just need to replay the scene from the Untouchables were Sean Connery is telling Kevin Costner the facts of life about dealing with the mob.

Malone:

You wanna know how you do it? Here's how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send on of his to the morgue! That's the Chicago way, and that's how you get Capone! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mns2k
As my Daddy would say you can't be half pregnant.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PokS2k
Utopia

Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

 

I'm not sure if I should answer about what we should do, or what I think will happen.

I believe we will be out of Iraq within two years. We will assist in the establishment of a government, leave, and that government will fall apart shortly thereafter. Civil war will break out and the country will be divided into regions of Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites. Only then will we see what influence Iran has over the Iraqi Shiites...

What should we do? Get out now. The result is going to be the same anyway. Look at what happened to eastern europe after decades of Soviet control. The people may bend to the hand of the invader, but they never forget their roots. Not over there.