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Originally Posted by Azure
I do think Iraq can become sucessful by the end of 2007. But I guess I might be the local optimist who actually wants the US to suceed, instead of hoping they get their asses kicked all the way back to the US. Maybe thats the effect one gets from having family members serving there.
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Successful? I am not sure how you define 'success' but in order to justify 2 trillion+ dollars spent, thousands of American lives lost, tens of thousands of Iraqi lives lost, pre-emptive war and its disasterous effects on the global stage including the justification for the two most dangerous nations on earth to persue nuclear arms faster then otherwise, and the decades if not centuries it will take future generations of Americans to pay off those deficits it better be REALLY REALLY REALLY successful.
Now if you mean 'successs' as in being able to withdraw and hold relative peace from afar for ~1yr, until all hell breaks loose, but just long enough for the average American to forget about the people there just like they did in Vietnam then i agree with you it is a possibility but that is not success. And it is FAR more likely to happen in 2009/2010 then in 2007.
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I also think this war and the backlash too it will create a big change in how wars are fought. Notice how the US is holding off against Iran and letting the UN and others also step in? A positive sign IMO.
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Isn't that what Vietnam was for?
Or even Korea?
How many times does the lesson need to be taught?
And don't kid yourself about America v. Iran. (1) America is more bogged down then you seem to realize and IMHO would have to implement a draft in order to invade and hold Iran, (2) Iran is what, like twice the size with three times the population and 5 times the military of post-sanctions Iraq, (3) the economic consequences of invading Iran would grind America to a hault.
Not saying America wouldn't win, i think they would obviously win over the long term IF they had support of their people, but the costs would be FAR higher then the American people are KNOWINGLY willing to endure.
Claeren.