No its not - it is a real live war - and reducing it to your chirlish analogy clearly indicates who is in need of some maturity.

I'll second that. We don't particularily care what the terrorists think. (Though we do care what people on the fence of becoming a terrorist think).

However the difference between a country acheiving stability and devolving into an anarchy where the nastiest bunch gains power is very real.

This is ridiculous. I hear people saying we're going to keep on fighting no matter how stupid it gets.

I don't think even the republicans plan to stay fighting at current level indefinitly. (Though they do plan an indefinite presence).

As much as it doesn't get hyped (though it better darn well be hyped if McCain wants to have a shot), a number of things in Iraq are moving along. There were the elections, the recent captured AQ documents that made the news. Also Iraq forces are coming online and responsibility is shifting to them. This is happening this year.

Here's a pic from november.


Granted those are the easier areas but they're getting experience and learning to do it on their own.

The point is that it's a changing situation.

However unless Al Queda is stupid expect them to step up attacks in Novermber and October. Already insurgents are known for trying to attack to be able to get their assaults in news stories. So maybe Obama will get to decide when people die when he makes his schedule.

Seriously though. Even if you're willing to retreat from a foe you don't tell them that! Imagine if you were playing poker and told the other person "If you raise twice more I'll fold because I'm out of cash" or tell a kid "If you keep hitting your sister I guess I'll have to just let you because I have work to do". You figure out when you're willing to throw in the towel but until you do you want them thinking that you're willing to go the distance and then some.

Good post

Now there have been a bill passed on regional authority under the federal system agreed to with Iraqs Constitution. This will cause elections in Iraq October 1st or around then.

(sunnyside-Its McCains primary issue. He won't ignore it or drop it(hell he has a kid there), That mere fact will cause the media to do much much more Iraq coverage. When the American people see what they in polls already agree is happenning. Flippant leaving will die hard. Iraq is going to be the issue IMO that gets McCain elected. As well as National Security in general)




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No... McCain is saying we will keep on fighting the enemy until they are defeated to a point that probably all the Iraqis will need 5 years from now will be air support.

If he draws down forces it wil be in an intelligent structured manner not some "I never supported it so I can make others lose it " blind yank out nonsense.

He is not going to say "on this date we win or I leave". Thats foolhardy nonsense.


In time he hopes to have a stable Iraq in which yes the US military can land planes or whatever and play with happy smiling allied Iraqis and no US casualties but the usual you get from the military existing.
OMG how horrible huh?....

Besides whose asinine idea is it that co-operating with an ally nation directly is bad?..shall we stop doing it with everyone? or does the anti-war crowd only have a special hatred for Iraq?


Democrats are trying to play his 100 years comment into an entire positon that is transparantly absurd and ridiculous. It won't work because he will address it directly and when he does it makes the use of it look childish and intentionally distorted..Americans don't like to be tricked intentionally like that.
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If they actually try it in a debate it will give McCain one of those pray you make a funny comment moments and if he does..death by debate. Its happenned before...


"There you go again"
That comment was like a bomb that election.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/debating...ws/reagan.html

__________________
McCain 2008
"We make war that we may live in peace"
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever."
"War critics can no longer credibly argue that we are losing in Iraq, so now they argue the war costs too much."
"Oderint dum metuant"
http://members.cox.net/neddy/bobhope_kerfuffles.wmv
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RnfflRNpwKA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j-QYIP7o2-A

Sadly for McCain the 100 years comment was not a great one. It's going to be taken out of context. And it's insinuates that we'll be fighting like we are for 100 years not that we'll be transitioning over and only keeping a small force present.

He probably will not be asked about it directly in debates to deny him the chance to elaborate without spending add dollars.

In short a very reasonable idea, but bad phrasing, and to some degree he'll pay for it. Just a matter of how much.

Its plan to see that we will be staying in Iraq for a great may years to come , so debating Mr. John Arcane's Ridiculous notion of Withdrawal = failure is all politics (We ant going no-where-Embassy/ Oil / Iran) . The Need to withdraw our combat troops is a real scenario that has to happen. We are stretched beyond the point where we would not be able to respond to A HOME LAND SECURITY CRISIS; but maybe that’s the desired result? To say out loud that Americans would not mind if we stayed for 100 years is so out of step with what the American people actually want. If there is someone on this board that thinks the money we are "WASTING" and the lives that are being lost is worth it ; you my friend as Mr. John Arcane would say are crazy.

Our very own personal Palestine Just what the doctor ordered. I will admit it was inevitable that we would become entangled in an Arab country soon or later ; whether it had been by design or necessity ; but we have destroyed this country ; don’t anyone dare say they destroyed themselves because that will show that you are un-informed and stupid. I do not want this destruction to be in my name or with my hard earned blood money. We need out and that’s that. If we want to feel like are still there then match the daily spending here at home to repair this country and secure our boarders - oh I forgot we wont have boarders soon (North American Union). God help us all!

See that's what I'm talking about the with post just above his. McCain thought he could get away with explaining what he meant in the sentence after he said "100 years". We tried pointing it out in this thread. We could continue until we're blue in the face. But the above is all a fair amount of the population is going to hear.

Actually as things are going there is some chance the Iraq government would be able to regain it's balance and stand on it's own if we pull the rug out from under them. But maybe not (probably not?). However despite some seriously poor planning on Bush's part initially (figuring the different groups would get along and play nice), it does look like we have a fair shot at getting a functional democratic Iraq.

We should NEVER withdraw from Iraq.

Please stop and smell the Nescafe, there is no way to take a direct statement out of context. He said that the American people could accept 10, 20, and 100 years if it meant no American causalities . How do you take that out of context and even if he didn’t mean what he actually said then how do you interpret what he said and please do not insert word into it that he did not say! Did he mean it metaphorically??