Iraq-How do you feel after four years?
Ok…this is a topic I don't plan to talk about on a regular basis. As a matter of fact, this may be the only time I bring this up unless it just turns out really well.
I'm going to bring up…the war.
In March of 2003, when we invaded Iraq, I could not have been a bigger supporter. Still in the post-9/11 patriotic phase we all jumped into, I really felt like it was the right thing to do. As a matter of fact, I couldn't believe we had waited so long to go.
I had no doubt in my mind that WMDs were everywhere in Iraq and we were the saviors of the Middle East. An Iraq - Al-Qaeda tie seemed obvious and it was time to take care of business.
Now, four years later, I've had a bit of a change of heart. In retrospect, it's easy to see how quickly we jump to conclusions.
As time has passed, I just don't see the changes I felt like would come after we kicked them back a few centuries.
I don't believe you can ever "win" a war when you are fighting against a culture, religion or belief system. I don't necessarily believe we have made conditions worse for the Iragi's, but I don't believe we have improved them to the extent we had hoped, shy of ousting Saddam. Regardless of why we went, it was time that he was removed.
Despite that, I have changed course and I really believe it's time to come home. I don't see major changes and I don't believe we are going to stop car bombings and domestic terrorism within Iraq. Even Republican support seems to be dwindling. At the very least, our stake in the war needs to be re-evaluated.
Do you feel like the U.S. is less or more likely to suffer another terrorist attack now that more than 5 years have passed since 9/11.
At some point, we have to chalk it up to experience and move on.
I also want it known that I do support our troops, the ideas behind their mission and I wish their safe returns. I just don't see the mission as realistic. It's strange how a little time to reflect can so drastically change one's beliefs.
How do you feel about the war? Have your thoughts changed over the years or have you stood by your initial opinion? Is it possible to make the Middle East, and the U.S., safe from terrorism? Just some food for thought.
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Thanks for reading.
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Why is that?
By not believing in the mission, I did not mean that I hope for failure. I sincerely hope they can win this, I just have a hard time seeing it happen. I hope each and every one of them makes it home safely to be with their families and I do appreciate their sacrifices.
I have no doubt we would be punished for this conversation over there. That sad part is that those Middle Eastern countries will never move out of that mindset. I don't think things in that part of the world will be any different 1,000 years from now. No amount of wars or political uprisings is going to change that.
It said $36 million for Cape Girardeau alone.
The pork issue is no joke at all. It absolutely disgusts me the way items are pushed through and votes are bought by tacking these things on to bills. It's common on both sides of the aisle and considered acceptable by those who run the country.
It came from Americans Against Escalation in Iraq and is titles Senators Bond & McCaskill: Stand with the majority and bring the troops home.
Bond is quoted as saying "The strategy we have is not the right strategy." It asks Bond and McCaskill to support the Levin/Reed amendment to the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill.
If approved the measure would begin reduction of troops no later than 120 after the enactment, would begin the reduction as part of a "comprehensive, diplomatic, political and economic strategy that includes engaging Iraq's neighbors and the international community, and complete the "transition of mission" and troop deployment by April 30, 2008.
Take from this what you wish. We get a lot of these things, but quite often they aren't about our senators.
That being said, this blog is for all of us. If anyone has any ideas, tips or suggestions feel free to shoot me an email anytime at cnoles@dailystatesman.com