Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lastat06513]

According to an article I've read in Yahoo, the only reason American troops are in Iraq is to keep them from fanning across the globe and from confronting American troops in Afghanistan and possibly from attacking the US.

First, I believe the only reason we are in Iraq now is because Bush doesn't want to admit defeat during his tenure, instead, he wants to pass the buck to the next administration, and he doesn't want to go down in history as one of the presidents that lead the US into a failure, such as the way LBJ did by starting and escalating the Vietnam conflict.

Second, I believe that if we were to pullout now, nothing would happen. The insurgents enjoy a mellow "neutrality" of Europe and the UN as both refuse to interfere in this mess the US created, and they both fear that if any response it given, the insurgents would take it as a sign of aiding the American effort, putting both EU and UN nations at risk of a terrorist attack (IE, Spain [2004], England [2005],etc). So if the US pulls out and everyone left the Iraqis to fend for themselves, no harm no foul...

Third and this one is personal, I just had a friend medevaced back to the US after being involved in a SECOND IED bombing. He is now lying in a hospital with only a purple heart to show for his troubles...

Finally, if a terrorist attack was to occur in the US again, the US has been mandated to go after them with full and unprejucated force, something that hasn't been done since Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Iran/Pakistan/Syria take note)

I believe, as many Americans do, that this war is pointless and I would rather not participate in such foolishness...

[bjonothan]

Are you out of your mind? The whole reason 9/11 happened is because the muslims need a good kicking from the US of A. To leave now would make the insurgents look like they won. That is something we don't want. I am from Australia and even though I don't particularly like bush, I support him all the way killing muslim extremists over there. I hope that Iran keeps pushing the Americans and they attack Iran as well. Every time they get away with things, it helps their propaganda spreaders make more suicide bombers and beleivers in what I would call a cult at best. Wake up people! Muslims hate you because of what you stand in and one day you will regret not having supported the US in curbing that problem now. Does it take another 9/11 for people to realise that the Muslim issue needs to be addressed?

[seoulunitarian]

[poet13]

Sadly, I think invading Iran is exactly what Bush wants. I think it would be a horrible, horrible mistake.
Since Desert Shield, I have lost many friends.
First, I too feel that the Bush administration manufactured the rationale for invading Iraq. (Kuwait was about oil, I won't even go there.) That I believe has since been more than adequately exposed.
Second. GTMO or "Gitmo". IMHO, the lack of basic human rights, the allegations of torture, the creative use of the "unlawful combatant" designation, by which the US government can claim they are not P.O.W.s, and therefore not entitled the privileges afforded by the Geneva Convention, and the acknowledgement that they are holding about 250 people who they have no expectation of charging with any crime, is a war crime.
Third. ER's, or Extraordinary Renditions. It involves country A snatching a person from country B from the territory of country C, often transporting them through country D to country E. In other words, CIA agents go to another country, grab a national from a third country, and take them to yet another country so they can be interrogated for months on end. Italy has issued arrest warrants for many CIA agents as well as agents from other branches. I think the person who authorized such actions should be arrested (Impeached would be more appropriate I think) for violating the National Sovreignty of the offended countries.

Just think, what would happen if Iranian agents came to Korea, grabbed a US citizen off the street, took him or her to Libya, and tortured him or her for six months? Do you think the US would roll over or accept that countries claim that it was "necessary"? Hell no.

[twg]

[RACETRAITOR]

Invading Iraq made more extremists than it killed. I have the feeling that the US (and allies) is doing exactly what Al Qaeda wants them to do.

[canuckistan]

seoulunitarian wrote:

[lastat06513]

Actually, world history is a repeating attempt to always settle old scores,

~ the British did that when they took Palestine from the Ottomans in WWI and when the Allies gave it to the Jews after WWII (which was the preude to this whole conflict that we see today)

....just one of aeons of examples on the subject.

From an objective point of view, sending soldiers to battle might seem cool on TV (I thought it was awesome to see soldiers marching around on TV during Desert Shield/Storm).

But if you are a soldier and your friends are over there and they become casualties or worse, you start to look at things from a different standpoint.

Am I anti-war, no. I think there has to be a concrete mission or objective to fight a war.

~ Fighting against Fascism or communism or to liberate an oppressed nation would be noble objectives to fight a war.

But if the people can care less about getting your help or are unwilling to help you, then all you can do is throw up your hands in frustration.

Soldiers are not pawns, at least in this day and age.
If they want pawns, then start the draft, but that is a whole other thread....

[antoniothegreat]