polgara
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2013
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- NE Ohio
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I didn't know you were running. Setting a time limit for any war or operation is wrong. They take as long as they take. With Vietnam, LBJ although he never said it, was always giving the impression the war would be over in a year or two. When it wasn't, the American people began to have doubts and the rest is history as they say. It will take time to rebuild the Iraqi forces, but a stalemate isn't too bad a thing is one can contain it to that. But once that happens I am sure the leaders of ISIS will be looking for other targets of opportunity to try to regain their momentum. Those targets may not be in the middle east.
I think we, the good old USA needs to decide which is worst, ISIS or Assad. If the strategy is to succeed, we need forces on the ground in both Syria and Iraq. Assad has the army that along with our air power could really defeat ISIS or the bulk of ISIS in a relative short time. But that would mean making nice to Assad. It is my opinion that Assad is the only one who can bring stability back to Syria. On another note, did you see this?
ISIS has between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters, CIA says - CNN.com
:lamo: Pero, there is not enough money in the world for me to run for any political office - I'm not that shrewd.
Setting political timelines is rarely a good move, IMO. If you don't succeed by your own estimates, people begin to wonder if you've bit off more than you can chew, and that's not a good position for a leader to be in. And of course there is also the opposition to consider. They may just decide to wait you out, and that's no good either, because that could like maybe they weren't the bad guys you painted them as being in the first place, since they aren't causing any trouble at all, and what on earth were you thinking! You can't win either way.
I agree that Desert Storm was beautifully handled by Bush1. General Schwarzkopf was disappointed that he wasn't permitted to advance further since they were already there, as I recall, but he obeyed orders and withdrew, and that was that. We never heard any further questions from him on that subject. Honorable man, and a good soldier.
I'll choose Assad over ISIS any day. I believe he has Syria's best interests at heart, and I like that. ISIS just wants to control the region, and they are showing their contempt for us by beheading our people which makes them brutal savages who shouldn't be in charge of anything, ever. I pity the people they would rule.