Former US commander calls Iraq 'nightmare with no end'

**CVT** · October 14th, 2007 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by Jun aka Pekto

The Sunnis probably don't want the US to go because they know they're dead once the US leaves.

A divided Iraq? Hhhmmmm.....

4101:victory:

**Jun aka Pekto** · October 15th, 2007 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by CVT

A divided Iraq? Hhhmmmm.....

4101:victory:

I doubt Iraq will be divided. There just won't be any Sunnis left if the Shiites have it their way.

Even Saddam thanked his American captors for the good treatment he got. But, he had nothing but contempt for the Shiites. The bad blood between Shiites and Sunnis runs really deep.

Under Saddam, the Shiites were suffering. Then the US kicks Saddam out and can be blamed for the current situation in Iraq. But what's the alternative?

Leave Saddam in power? That's not really a good alternative.

Carve up Iraq into 3 distinct areas (Kurdish, Sunni, Shiite)? Turkey would have a fit if a Kurdish nation emerged along its border.

Having separate enclaves would not guarantee the Sunnis and Shiites being at peace with each other, so long as both sides cry for revenge.

Then there's Al Qaeda. They'll do anything to stop a lasting peace in Iraq to the point of killing fellow Muslims.

Personally, I'm not sure what the solution is. It really is a nightmare. But, I thought everyone knew that already.

**juntzo** · October 15th, 2007 09:25 AM

another vietnam? no... i don't think so. what happened in vietnam after the americans left is in a way better. now that country is eager to have american investors. do you think that will ever happen in iraq when the US leave?

**redorange** · October 15th, 2007 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by juntzo

another vietnam? no... i don't think so. what happened in vietnam after the americans left is in a way better. now that country is eager to have american investors. do you think that will ever happen in iraq when the US leave?

Another Vietnam? Yes. Not in the manner of what Vietnam has become but in the same way that the US had to admit defeat. In Vietnam US soldiers fought with and against the Vietnamese, your enemies looked and spoke just like your allies. In Iraq US soldiers fight with and against Iraqis, your enemy looks and speaks exactly like your friend. How do you know who is your enemy? In guerilla warfare this is an advantage for the other side not the US soldier. About 50% of the people I work with have done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the military or part of the agency I work with and they all say the same thing, your enemy looks like the guy next to you. Hell even the Brits will be leaving the US in Iraq. The war on terror will be like the war on drugs(declared by Nixon) you can't win it you just slow it down as much as you can since it's their game and it's their rules and they change the rules whenever they want and they decide when it will end.

**redorange** · October 15th, 2007 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jun aka Pekto

I doubt Iraq will be divided. There just won't be any Sunnis left if the Shiites have it their way.

Even Saddam thanked his American captors for the good treatment he got. But, he had nothing but contempt for the Shiites. The bad blood between Shiites and Sunnis runs really deep.

Under Saddam, the Shiites were suffering. Then the US kicks Saddam out and can be blamed for the current situation in Iraq. But what's the alternative?

Leave Saddam in power? That's not really a good alternative.

Carve up Iraq into 3 distinct areas (Kurdish, Sunni, Shiite)? Turkey would have a fit if a Kurdish nation emerged along its border.

Having separate enclaves would not guarantee the Sunnis and Shiites being at peace with each other, so long as both sides cry for revenge.

Then there's Al Qaeda. They'll do anything to stop a lasting peace in Iraq to the point of killing fellow Muslims.

Personally, I'm not sure what the solution is. It really is a nightmare. But, I thought everyone knew that already.

I think we should have left Saddam in power since he was the one figure that could control the country. I believe that not all countries and cultures are mature enough to handle a democracy similar to the United States. It's time that the US admit that and stop attempting to convert every country to a similar democracy. Correction the US needs to stop converting countries with oil to a similar democracy since other places have dictators also and the US has never attempted to convert them to a democracy.

I guess I'm just tired of watching people I grew up and went to school with come home in coffins to fight a war that didn't need to happen.