The Iraq War retrospective Thread

[kandrathe]

Since enemy in Iraq that you would terrify by your savagery is drawn almost entirely from the population you are hoping to uplift, how do you inflict horror without simultaneously doing the enemy's recruiting for them?

Well, I'm not advocating savagery. If it is a fist fight, then one side shouldn't be required to wear boxing gloves. If it's a knife fight, then one side doesn't also get hand grenades. When terrorists convert old munitions into IEDs or drive explosives into crowded markets, you need a strategy of action, and not hand wringing or running away.

If you are saying that the all the Iraqi's, or a majority of Iraqi's support this kind of terrorism, then I think you are wrong. I think nearly all of them want the US and allies to leave, some now and some later. And, I think if the US was adamant and vocal that they will be leaving once things are no longer chaotic and the legitimate government feels the time is right, then I think many of the Iraqi's would be fine with that. The responsible thing now for the US to do would be to insure the central government of Iraq is prepared to deal with its own internal and external security threats.