[Spirit100]

It was just a matter of time before some radical faction was to fill the empty void left by the United States Military moving out of Iraq. Before we crap all over this party and that regime the truth of the matter is the rival religious factions throughout the entire region really don't like each other at all. The sunnis and shiites have been killing one other for a long time. It's always been about tribal power and influence within both factions. And the sunnis want to gain control over the know shiite region. Saddams old cronies have already provided their sunni support.

And for us to think we would leave a region, with a very loose influence politically, and all would "sort itself out" is beyond laughable. I entitled this thread accordingly due to the anger and frustration I feel over the efforts, sacrifices, and inroads made to help the Iraq people by our boots on the ground, literally being pissed away in a NY minute. I would have thought there would be enough stability and consensus building to preserve a young democracy. This certainly is not the case!

The fact the current administration didn't ensure enough military influence to remain, in whatever form necessary, and to let a small group of radical insurgents to run rough shot and literally take over the resources we provided the "trained" Iraq army ( tanks, humvees, etc…. ) should anger all of us regardless of what side of the aisle you are on.

The "trained" Iraq military has tucked tail and run. And we wonder why the insurgents first major target was Iraqs largest oil refinery $$$$$$. Strap on a helmet folks and get ready for a new mess in Iraq. Hoping and praying we have established enough covert relationships within both factions to ID future threats to our country and eliminate them before it's too late.

I'm normally pretty quiet when it comes to the political side of bgr, however, the recent weeks events should concern all of us. As for the political black eye, the current administration owes the American people a huge apology, as well as, the families of all US Military personel who simply followed orders to serve their country.

Those efforts are being dismantled piece by piece and it's a crying shame!!!

May God Bless America and the hearts of the US Military who served in the Middle East…

Thoughts?

[TheRealThing]

Well, if you were to ask a think tanker from within Obama's inner circle, he'd tell you they (the Arab World zealots) would leave us alone if we leave them alone. Even if rational folks didn't already know how naïve that rationale really is, they should be able to figure it out since the advent of the "red line" message sent to Assad. The point is this. The US has prosecuted a new kind of foreign policy since 2008. That new policy in a nut shell, assumes that we live in a time when man has evolved, that is to say, he has moved past war. And, the dawn is breaking on a new and enlightened brotherhood of man. It follows that all nations then, are in a sort of queue, awaiting the right leadership to set the example for universal brotherhood. Liberals believe the US is the right leader, at the right time in history to show mankind how to lay down his burdens.

That's why we as a country, are presently in a downwardly mobile realignment, ala the vision of the great liberal thinkers of our time. We have come down off our lofty throne and are therefore in the process of assuming a position of equality among the nations. To do that, we must prove our commitment to the world by pulling in our military outreach and undergo the administration led purging of any remaining American exceptionalism. We will therefore downsize our military to a level that leaves us barely able to mount an adequate national defense. We've pulled in our horns with NATO, walked off and left Iraq, and are presently about to do the same in Afghanistan. We are big buddies with Russia and the rogue states they represent, whose bent it is to do harm in the world.

This willingness to be vulnerable, is very likely what happened in Benghazi IMHO. We were proving our commitment by baring our neck to the wolf and instead of newfound respect or the milk of human kindness, we got the fang.

But, I agree with you completely. That region has been in the throes of mutual annihilation since Abraham had to run off Ismael for the sake of Isaac's inheritance. The only way war will fade from existence in the Middle East or their brand of exported violence will cease to terrorize the world, is when the Prince of Peace come back and defeats His enemies at Armageddon. That's not to say we couldn't substantially curtail terror's reign but, who's to say that the blindness government seems to be suffering from, is not divinely appointed? We are in the last days, are we not?

[RunItUpTheGut]

Some may not like it, but its times to become an isolated nation that worries for ourselves with few exception. For different reasons, we should always help protect all of the UK, Isreal, and Japan, but only for our own selfish reasons.
We can no longer afford to keep printing money to pay for wars that have nothing to do with us. I truly feel bad for those innocent lives in places like Iraq that just want to live there lives, work, have families, etc, and cant because of radical freaks whos soul purpose on this earth is to be brainwashed into the extreme sunni type radicalism that we are seeing today. If we need something, we should take it, if not, leave them alone. For instance, if we need oil, trust me, we can take anybodys oil, if we need to shut someone up, I have full faith we can do that with swift force, no matter what country, or countries decide to test us.
Its time for the here and now. Americans are sick of doing so much for everyone else when we cant employ and feed the people we have here.

[64SUR]

Some may not like it, but its times to become an isolated nation that worries for ourselves with few exception. For different reasons, we should always help protect all of the UK, Isreal, and Japan, but only for our own selfish reasons.
We can no longer afford to keep printing money to pay for wars that have nothing to do with us. I truly feel bad for those innocent lives in places like Iraq that just want to live there lives, work, have families, etc, and cant because of radical freaks whos soul purpose on this earth is to be brainwashed into the extreme sunni type radicalism that we are seeing today. If we need something, we should take it, if not, leave them alone. For instance, if we need oil, trust me, we can take anybodys oil, if we need to shut someone up, I have full faith we can do that with swift force, no matter what country, or countries decide to test us.
Its time for the here and now. Americans are sick of doing so much for everyone else when we cant employ and feed the people we have here.

Amen

[TheRealThing]

Some may not like it, but its times to become an isolated nation that worries for ourselves with few exception. For different reasons, we should always help protect all of the UK, Isreal, and Japan, but only for our own selfish reasons.
We can no longer afford to keep printing money to pay for wars that have nothing to do with us. I truly feel bad for those innocent lives in places like Iraq that just want to live there lives, work, have families, etc, and cant because of radical freaks whos soul purpose on this earth is to be brainwashed into the extreme sunni type radicalism that we are seeing today. If we need something, we should take it, if not, leave them alone. For instance, if we need oil, trust me, we can take anybodys oil, if we need to shut someone up, I have full faith we can do that with swift force, no matter what country, or countries decide to test us.
Its time for the here and now. Americans are sick of doing so much for everyone else when we cant employ and feed the people we have here.

I would rather see us maintain military bases under a SOFA in Iraq, than to run the risk of having to go through another 911 style terror attack. Fighting these guys on their own soil is a much better idea than fighting them over here. Don't forget, these guys have sworn an oath to destroy America. They'll never stop coming and heaven help us if Iran gets the capability to export nuclear terror to our shores.

Yeah, foreign policy is a very complex matter and that's why I was attempting to point out how amateurs have no business forging US foreign policy. Just maintaining a couple of bases within the borders of Iraq would have done the trick. I mean, we were already there, the equipment was already there, the infrastructure was already there and it was all paid for.

But, I'm with you. Just as in the case of runaway illegal immigration. We can't possibly take in the whole world, and so the question begs to be asked. At what point do we draw the line? Heck, that's why the sage leaders of our past enacted immigration laws in the first place. We just cannot help everybody who has the need. Additionally, we must pick and choose with cautious gravity who we try to protect in this world. Most must fight their own battles and I'm not suggesting for one second that we should jump back into Iraq and take on the Sunnis. Let them fight it out. All I'm saying is they got up a real head of steam because of our absence resulting in a force and a renewed will to again, kill the infidel Americans. And, it will cost a fortune to try to take them on if we have to do it from a base or bases in Germany or somewhere.

The argument could easily be made in support of the idea of saving money in such a scenario. Once facilities, aircraft, all kinds of ordinance, equipment such as armored troop carriers, tanks, trucks, Humvees and all the rest are in place, it actually costs more money to remove, destroy and otherwise mothball these bases than it does to maintain a continuing military presence. And, just as one is reluctant to key the side of a car while the cops are watching, those who visit terror on defenseless cities are reluctant to take on the US military. One of the greatest losses we have experienced since we walked off from Iraq is in intelligence.

BTW Run, I put this post together in a rush and it was my intent to agree with you, not disagree. :biggrin: