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Last US Combat Troops Leave Iraq

I know right it sucks that Saddam is still not in power.


I have nothing against the ouster of Saddam, but the subsequent occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan to bring democracy to the Islamic world was about as retarded as it gets, which is why it inevitably miserably failed.
 
This is correct in terms of the solders and their equipment, though the units themsevles do not have the armored assets that the combat brigades have.

They still have armored humvees and MRAPs (to some extent) but not M2/3 Bradleys, Abrams and Strykers.

As an aside: Whoever came up with the name "Stryker" shoud be hung.


What is the meaning of Stryker?

In: Definitions and Word Differences [Edit categories]
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when your mom hits your dad in the balls . :mrgreen:

WikiAnswers - What is the meaning of Stryker
 
Okay where are all the M2/3 Bradleys, Abrams and Strykers?

Fine, they don't have the mechanized armor. But they absolutely DO have "meaningful" combat capability, which if you'll note is what I was responding to.

There are a lot of people who seem to be under the impression that there will be no more US combat in Iraq. This is, as I said, another "Mission Accomplished" moment.
 
Fine, they don't have the mechanized armor. But they absolutely DO have "meaningful" combat capability, which if you'll note is what I was responding to.

There are a lot of people who seem to be under the impression that there will be no more US combat in Iraq. This is, as I said, another "Mission Accomplished" moment.
Actually it appears that they will have some heavy armor on hand:

Key Iraq Training Units Still Being Developed « The Washington Independent

Nagl did not expect the composition of the Brigade Combat Teams to change very much as the Army creates the new AABs. “It is my understanding that the Army will modify existing Brigade Combat Teams by giving them a new mission and some additional senior personnel to focus on advising,” he said
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

Except for the 50K+ troops who still remain.

Are you suggesting the 50K+ troops were left behind to be slaughtered?
 
Fine, they don't have the mechanized armor. But they absolutely DO have "meaningful" combat capability, which if you'll note is what I was responding to.

There are a lot of people who seem to be under the impression that there will be no more US combat in Iraq. This is, as I said, another "Mission Accomplished" moment.
The impression I have is that the troops left behind are not "just" combat troops that have only one purpose, to engage in combat with the enemy. Apparently, they have other directives and skills more suitable to helping Iraq rebuild itself, such as training and planning. And, they are also under the State Department's control and not the DoD. So it is pretty clear they were not left behind to engage in combat.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

No, probably not as momentus as Saigon. But at least we left with some dignity and didn't leave tens of thousands behind to get slaughtered.

The point is that we didn't "leave." There are 50,000 troops in Iraq that are heavily armed and will continue to shoot and be shot at. There will still be casualties. There will still be tens (hundreds?) of billions of dollars spent on the war.

How many troops did we leave behind when we left Saigon?
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

The point is that we didn't "leave." There are 50,000 troops in Iraq that are heavily armed and will continue to shoot and be shot at. There will still be casualties. There will still be tens (hundreds?) of billions of dollars spent on the war.

How many troops did we leave behind when we left Saigon?
We left many Vietnamese troops and civilians who were our allies without any means of protecting themselves to die at the hands of the Vietcong .

Well, for one thing the 50,000 left behind are not all or just military troops. Some, if not most are advisors, trainers, civilians, negotiators, planners, co-ordinators, teachers, experts, diplomats, liasons, translators, and whatever and whoever is needed to help Iraqi's build a new government for themselves. For another thing, the 50K are under the State Department control, not the DoD, and the State Department gets a fraction of the funding compared to the military. So the notion they are left behind to merely engage the enemy is nonsense. For if there were still an enemy to engage, the combat troops wouldn't have left, let alone leave EARLY. Yes, there it is going to still be violence, but the violence is directed at the Iraqis by Iraqis and it will the Iraqi forces who will have to deal with it. It is estimated that every week, 150 Iraqis are joining the Iraqi forces.

Building a new government with many competing interests doesn't happen over night, so we can not expect instant results. They will have to build a coalition government and that takes time. But it has only been seven months since their last election and it took the Dutch at least nine months to build their coalition government. So be patient, child.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

Well, for one thing the 50,000 left behind are not all or just military troops.

There are 50K+ troops still there. Armed.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

There are 50K+ troops still there. Armed.
I am armed too and I live in America. They have the right to protect themselves just the same as you and I do. Iraq is probably no more violent than the US.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

I am armed too and I live in America. They have the right to protect themselves just the same as you and I do. Iraq is probably no more violent than the US.

That's nice. They're 50K+ armed military troops.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

That's nice. They're 50K+ armed military troops.

Yes, 50K armed military troops....it would be stupid to leave them unarmed, don't you think?

Last full U.S. combat brigade leaves Iraq

"...Obama said, about 50,000 U.S. troops will remain in the country, in a non-combat role providing support and training for the Iraqi military....."
Last full U.S. combat brigade pulls out of Iraq - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - msnbc.com
 
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Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

Yes, 50K armed military troops....it would be stupid to leave them unarmed, don't you think?

Last full U.S. combat brigade leaves Iraq

"...Obama said, about 50,000 U.S. troops will remain in the country, in a non-combat role providing support and training for the Iraqi military....."
Last full U.S. combat brigade pulls out of Iraq - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - msnbc.com

Do you even remember what you're arguing anymore?

According to you . . .

First, we weren't leaving anyone behind.

Then we were leaving behind a few troops, but mostly civilians, advisors, etc.

Now, we're leaving behind troops.

And you've come full circle and posted something everyone in the thread is already fully aware of.

So, seriously -- what exactly are you saying?
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

Do you even remember what you're arguing anymore?

According to you . . .

First, we weren't leaving anyone behind.
Thats not what I said and that isn't my argument.

Then we were leaving behind a few troops, but mostly civilians, advisors, etc.
Yes, I did say that because many of the troops are also advisors, trainers, translators, negotiators, support, etc.

Now, we're leaving behind troops.
Yes. But we aren't leaving them behind to get slaughtered and the exit of the last combat brigade was not anything like the fall of Saigon. You seem disappointed that it wasn't.

And you've come full circle and posted something everyone in the thread is already fully aware of.
Sorry, you must have my argument confused with your own circular argument.

So, seriously -- what exactly are you saying?
I'm saying the combat phase of the war is over. HOORAY!!!!
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

This is the ol' let's leave some troops there but call it a peace keeping operation so we can get votes and credit for pulling out of Iraq even though we didn't.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

I'm saying the combat phase of the war is over. HOORAY!!!!

It's been over since 2008, when we transitioned security to the Iraqis.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

You seem disappointed that it wasn't.

And, back on Earth . . .


I'm saying the combat phase of the war is over. HOORAY!!!!

:roll:

Yes, that was said before. In fact, there are pictures:

Mission-accomplished.jpg


Which is MY point.
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

And, back on Earth . . .
Say, is that the Starship Enterprise in your avatar?

:roll:

Yes, that was said before. In fact, there are pictures:

Mission-accomplished.jpg


Which is MY point.

LOL Your point is taken. Now show me the combat brigade withdrawal that went that "mission accomplished".
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

It's been over since 2008, when we transitioned security to the Iraqis.

Seems like they've been trying to transition security to the Iraqis since 2005.
IRAQ: Training Iraqi Forces - Council on Foreign Relations

Guess they didn't want to leave Iraq without a plan for withdrawal, like they did in Vietnam....
Training to leave a war, however, is a delicate mission.

Retired Gen. John Hendrix, who used to command the 3rd Infantry Division and the Army's Forces Command, said military planners probably did not have a good idea of what would happen when U.S. troops pulled out of Saigon in April 1975, months before the North Vietnamese takeover.

Military historians say the Army's overall strategy during the Vietnam War failed precisely because it did not understand the nature of the society. It's not a lesson the Army wants to repeat in Iraq, with its rich oil fields and strategic location in the Mideast that will be an important U.S. interest for years to come.

"We never got at the strategic problem in Vietnam. We were not nearly as prepared then as we are now," Hendrix said in an interview. "When that decision was made, we didn't have nearly as good a plan as how we were going to come out. These guys do have a little bit more of a challenge — they'll do the last handshake and the Iraqis will look around and there'll be no one there." ....."
Army's new mission: To exit Iraq - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - Conflict in Iraq - msnbc.com
 
Anyone want to start a pool on how long it will be, before we go back in, full bore, with a brand new batch of shavetails, to start all over from scratch?

Then, when the letters are written to their families, expressing the deepest regrets that their baby died on some far away battlefield, it can be included, "If we had only stayed and done things right, vice giving into someone's political agenda".

If you really believe this, and don't want us to go back in, start howling when you see the pre-war signs, similar to these:

Alternative Intelligence (hahaha)
Buzzphrases that strike fear, like "mushroom cloud" and "weapons of mass destruction," and other dramatic hyperbole
Dubious sources of intelligence, like "curveball"
Impossible claims of easy success: "We won't need more than 50,000 or 60,000 troops..."
 
Re: Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

Say, is that the Starship Enterprise in your avatar?

Actually, no. But close.

LOL Your point is taken. Now show me the combat brigade withdrawal that went that "mission accomplished".

The point is (I almost wrote "the point is, Moot"), declaring combat over is another Mission Accomplished moment, because there will be more combat. They don't care what we call those troops; they're troops; they'll be attacked. There will almost certainly be more combat casualties. And then, the natural question will be, "wasn't combat over? Didn't all the combat troops leave?"
 
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