Oh i agree entirely. And much to Basso's chagrin, i think this is where UN participation must be a part of the solution. If the radicals can continue to represent the US as a self-interested occupying nation the opposition, amongst certain factions, will continue and increase. While the UN may not have been geared to invade (and i'll leave the justification, timing and astuteness of that move to another discussion) it is certainly better positioned than the US alone to be involved in the rebuilding. Its perceived appeasement weakness may be a strength in bringing stability now that the previous leadership has been removed. However, the rebuilding and peaceful transfer of power must take precedence over 'getting the boys home.' To leave now, without a workable process in place would negate any benefit that may have been achieved. What's going on now may not be working, but to abandon it would be worse.
i think it's fair to say there's more resistance than is desirable and that 'a whole bunch' distrust the US presence and that this distrust will grow the longer the US continues to be the primary force.
IIRC, the last Iraq poll I saw had about 35% or so wanted the Americans to leave immediately. That puts the number at about eight million. I think basso posted it. Essentially the Kurds love us, the Sunnis hate us, and the Shiites are ambivalent, depending upon which part of the country.
Agree to that, but I think this kind of fierce resistance could be maintained by a couple of thousand dedicated loyalists. I just don't think there are millions of Iraqis who would be willing to die in their effort to drive the Americans out. We did okay by Germany and Japan-- and look at the horror that the Japanese inflicted on us in 1941. These Iraqi citizens didn't do any such thing.
It's a ballpark number. It was more like over sixty percent in the Sunni triangle IIRC. More grist for the mill. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4704883/ In Fallujah, ‘expect snipers on all minarets’ Marines who sought friendships now face elusive enemies . . . A different situation "The situation out there is totally different than anything we prepared for," says Kaifesh, with grim understatement. One of his men guffaws. "We call this aggressive civil affairs," he jokes. . . .
Why do people naively assume that things is spiral into chaos if US pulls out? Do you people really believe that? Maybe yopu been focusing on FoxNews and CNN waay to much. Even if the so called "experts" say so - don't buy it for a second. The United Nations will assume post immediately following the US exit. Of course there will be unrest and ethnic tensions but at this point, I have come to the conclussion that only a "united" Unitted Nations effort can have a lasting effect on Iraq. Also people like Kerry and Kennedy should stop using words like Vietnam in connection with this war because it hardens GWB and his cohorts hearts against a reasonable apology and pull-out strategy. It forces GWB's ego and myopic turnel-vission mentality to further get the USA stuck into a battle that she "can't" win. The best course to take in order to avert this slippery slop to to man-up and say you are/were wrong, and start tracing your steps back towards reconciliation, healing, restoration and sobriety.
Why do people naively assume that things is spiral into chaos if US pulls out? Do you people really believe that? Maybe yopu been focusing on FoxNews and CNN waay to much. Even if the so called "experts" say so - don't buy it for a second. The United Nations will assume post immediately following the US exit. Of course there will be unrest and ethnic tensions but at this point, I have come to the conclussion that only a "united" Unitted Nations effort can have a lasting effect on Iraq. Also people like Kerry and Kennedy should stop using words like Vietnam in connection with this war because it hardens GWB and his cohorts hearts against a reasonable apology and pull-out strategy. It forces GWB's ego and myopic turnel-vission mentality to further get the USA stuck into a battle that she "can't" win. The best course to take in order to avert this slippery slop to to man-up and say you are/were wrong, and start tracing your steps back towards reconciliation, healing, restoration and sobriety.
