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How long should we stay in Iraq?

How long should we stay in Iraq?

  • We should withdraw immediately

    Votes: 9 33.3%

  • Set a timetable and get out in about 2 years.

    Votes: 5 18.5%

  • Stay up to ten years.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • However long it takes to make it stable, even if we have to stay 20 or more years.

    Votes: 13 48.1%
  • Total voters
    27
Dav said:
Both wars combined take up about 5% of the federal budget.
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And over the last 8 years both wars combined have cost us close to 1 Trillion Dollars. Just imagine what we could have done with that money. For starters we could have simply kept it in the bank accounts of the tax payers. A place where I would have been free to decide how to spend it instead of having the government decide for me.

Wouldn't that be better?
 
Winnb said:
And over the last 8 years both wars combined have cost us close to 1 Trillion Dollars. Just imagine what we could have done with that money. For starters we could have simply kept it in the bank accounts of the tax payers. A place where I would have been free to decide how to spend it instead of having the government decide for me.

Wouldn't that be better?
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It cost a lot but it was worth it to bring democracy to that part of the world. We have done a GREAT thing.
 
reefedjib said:
It cost a lot but it was worth it to bring democracy to that part of the world. We have done a GREAT thing.
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We haven't brought Democracy to either of those countries. We dropped a Trillion and made defense contractors richer.

You don't take countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, invade them, spend a bunch of money, and then force them to go from the 15th Century into the 21st Century.
 
Luna Tick said:
How long should we stay in Iraq? Note: Poll is only about Iraq, not Afghanistan.
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I actually believe we should have given the Iraqis a timeline, helped them to establish their government and constitution...trained their police and soldiers...and all the while informed them that if they REALLY want to let the extremists rule their country and turn that place into a fiery hellhole...fine by us. We should have been gone by 2007/2008 at the latest.

Even though we stayed in Germany and Japan...those countries and the situation is RADICALLY different. Their people were by and large invested in their own country and success. And while our soldiers were exposed to the occasional pot shots in Germany for 15 years...by and large that was due to the separation of Germany...not the direction the West Germans were headed.
 
Winnb said:
And over the last 8 years both wars combined have cost us close to 1 Trillion Dollars. Just imagine what we could have done with that money. For starters we could have simply kept it in the bank accounts of the tax payers. A place where I would have been free to decide how to spend it instead of having the government decide for me.

Wouldn't that be better?
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We could have spent it on social programs and reform-kept it in the hands of the government...right?

Always curious...does that mean if it HADNT cost so much it would be the right thing to do? Is right or wrong based on a dollar figure?

That 'trillion dollars'...where do you think the vast majority of that money went? Right back into the hands of consumers.

BTW...the cost of the war is GREATLY misunderstood. The reality is those troops would be paid whether they were in Iraq or their bases in the US and around the world. The ordinance would have been expended. And MOST of the money is going to American contractors with American employees who's families still live in the US and are still spending the money here.
 
Winnb said:
We haven't brought Democracy to either of those countries. We dropped a Trillion and made defense contractors richer.

You don't take countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, invade them, spend a bunch of money, and then force them to go from the 15th Century into the 21st Century.
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I'll focus on Iraq, since Afghanistan has a set of problems inhibiting good governance.

We did bring Democracy to Iraq. Did you miss the provincial elections last year? Keep your eyes peeled for the National elections in March. It will be easy to miss since the press doesn't cover Iraq anymore. I will be sure to post some things about it.

We absolutely did take a country, Iraq, invaded it, spent money, and forced them to become a Democracy. They already had an economy and a high literacy and pre-existing political parties, so that all helped. They are currently a functioning democracy. That is HUGE!
 
Winnb said:
And over the last 8 years both wars combined have cost us close to 1 Trillion Dollars. Just imagine what we could have done with that money. For starters we could have simply kept it in the bank accounts of the tax payers. A place where I would have been free to decide how to spend it instead of having the government decide for me.

Wouldn't that be better?
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For some reason I do not think the government would have done that,they would have found something else to blow that money on and it most certainly would not have been the tax payers.
 
jr602az said:
Finally Obama will end the war in Iraq on August 31st 2010, if you don't believe than watch this video.
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He can say whatever he wants, I'll believe it when the last combat troops get on transports and leave Iraqi airspace. Obama is a politician, you know he's lying because his lips are moving.
 
Winnb said:
And over the last 8 years both wars combined have cost us close to 1 Trillion Dollars. Just imagine what we could have done with that money. For starters we could have simply kept it in the bank accounts of the tax payers. A place where I would have been free to decide how to spend it instead of having the government decide for me.

Wouldn't that be better?
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Military decisions, especially the decision to go to war, are NEVER made with fiscal concerns in mind, nor should they be. Whether or not we should have gone into Iraq can be argued, but the money part is completely irrelevant to that argument.

Especially since, as I said, it takes up less than 5% of the federal budget. How ironic that people who before were arguing "Iraq is too expensive!!" now advocate a trillion dollar stimulus, a trillion dollar health care bill, a who-knows-how-expensive "jobs" bill, etc.
 
Dav said:
Military decisions, especially the decision to go to war, are NEVER made with fiscal concerns in mind, nor should they be. Whether or not we should have gone into Iraq can be argued, but the money part is completely irrelevant to that argument.

Especially since, as I said, it takes up less than 5% of the federal budget. How ironic that people who before were arguing "Iraq is too expensive!!" now advocate a trillion dollar stimulus, a trillion dollar health care bill, a who-knows-how-expensive "jobs" bill, etc.
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Bush and Congress started 2 wars and then cut taxes. Are you telling me that wasn't a fiscal decision? It was. And it was a bad one.

Who the hell starts 2 wars and cuts taxes? Let that sink in....

Money is always relevant to a discussion involving our government. Our taxes pay for those wars. Every penny of it. Money is always relevant.
 
:yawn:




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Once we get over the fact that we have no business there to begin with, then I say We should stay for ever and ever. we need to make sure their economy, and Gubment are up and running, while ours goes down the crapper. we need to secure their borders, while our own borders are left wide open for a constant invasion. ---but Irag's needs should come before America's needs. Because we are all about invading a people, killiin off a mess of them, an then spending a fortune rebuilding what we just blew up. We the American People, just provide the money, but should have no say in how it is spent it seems. Plus look at all the good we have done there, once we found they had no WMD. --and for only the cost how many thousands of American Lives. Sure, let's just move in, and stay forever. why not. :2wave:
 
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Skateguy said:
We should stay for ever and ever. we need to make sure their economy, and Gubment are up and running, while ours goes down the crapper. we need to secure their borders, while our own borders are left wide open for a constant invasion. ---but Irag's needs should come before America's needs. Because we are all about invading a people, killiin off a mess of them, an then spending a fortune rebuilding what we just blew up. We the American People, just provide the money, but should have no say in how it is spent it seems. Plus look at all the good we have done there, once we found they had no WMD. --and for only how many thousands of american Lives. Sure, let just move in, and stay forever. why not. :2wave:
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Facetious, are we?
 
kansaswhig said:
Facetious, are we?
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Ya, a little bit--I'm just not the kind of guy that will give someone the shirt off my back, when my Son is cold, and could use it. I care less then nothing about what is happening on the other side of the world. I'm busy trying to keep the lights and gas on here at home. I don't have the luxury of saving all of mankind, --nor do I have any interest in doing so. Let them fend for themselves, as they have done for thousands of years. I got problems of my own.
 
reefedjib said:
I'll focus on Iraq, since Afghanistan has a set of problems inhibiting good governance.

We did bring Democracy to Iraq. Did you miss the provincial elections last year? Keep your eyes peeled for the National elections in March. It will be easy to miss since the press doesn't cover Iraq anymore. I will be sure to post some things about it.

We absolutely did take a country, Iraq, invaded it, spent money, and forced them to become a Democracy. They already had an economy and a high literacy and pre-existing political parties, so that all helped. They are currently a functioning democracy. That is HUGE!
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Yes. Bush did what the other Lefties said couldn't be done.

Then the lefties elected someone who doesn't believe it can be done.
 
Dav said:
Military decisions, especially the decision to go to war, are NEVER made with fiscal concerns in mind, nor should they be. Whether or not we should have gone into Iraq can be argued, but the money part is completely irrelevant to that argument.

Especially since, as I said, it takes up less than 5% of the federal budget. How ironic that people who before were arguing "Iraq is too expensive!!" now advocate a trillion dollar stimulus, a trillion dollar health care bill, a who-knows-how-expensive "jobs" bill, etc.
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Well, no.

One of the reasons I opposed invading Iraq was the obvious cost of the project.
 
Winnb said:
Bush and Congress started 2 wars and then cut taxes. Are you telling me that wasn't a fiscal decision? It was. And it was a bad one.

Who the hell starts 2 wars and cuts taxes? Let that sink in....
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And....oh, this burns so many people who just can't figure it out....AND the tax cuts increased government revenue.

So what's your problem with tax cuts again? You don't like them because they increase federal revenue?
 
Scarecrow Akhbar said:
And....oh, this burns so many people who just can't figure it out....AND the tax cuts increased government revenue.

So what's your problem with tax cuts again? You don't like them because they increase federal revenue?
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I love tax cuts. Even when they don't benefit me. But to start 2 wars, increase spending and THEN cut taxes? That's irresponsible governing.
 
Winnb said:
I love tax cuts. Even when they don't benefit me. But to start 2 wars, increase spending and THEN cut taxes? That's irresponsible governing.
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Bush started ONE war, not two.

Afghanistan started their war with us. I fully supported all efforts to bomb Afghanistan so thoroughly they'd have to pass through a Sand Age before they moved up to the Stone Age.

I opposed the invasion of Iraq, and, oh, by the way, did you notice the the Democrats in Congress voted en masse to approve the resolution to use force on Iraq? Just checking.

Bush and the GOP loved their pork. Just like the Democrats. We clearly need more Jewish and Islamic politicians.

Bush's tax cuts raised revenue.

I have no idea why you people keep ignoring this basic fact, but you do.

Explain, when the government is spending money like crazy, why you oppose the government doing something that raises federal revenues.
 
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