Do you think it is time to set a timetable for returning our troops from Iraq?

T

travelgirl

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You may be right. But they MIGHT want us to keep a base off in the distance out of sight much like the Saudi royals did. And I am sure that President Bush wouldn't object since we have so much over there invested on the ground.
 
No. Placing a time-table would undoubtedly serve to encourage the insurgents.

And to be honest, the moment we leave Iraq by some time-table, will be the moment the insurgents can call it a victory.

I guess it really depenRAB on what kind of 'exit' we're talking about. If we leave Iraq completely, that is to say, giving up our bases in Iraq and any kind of presence we have there, then the Iraqi government will eventually collapse.
 
Er but the Iraqi people do want you to leave.

I can see US a dozen bases in Iraq in 10 years.Leave Iraq now and you really have lost.
 
There won't be a complete exit.Indeed any massive return of troops will simply heap unacceptable pressure on the new government.Your going nowhere.Anyway why would you want to leave?
 
I thought there was a time-table, didn't know what it was. I thought there was a time set (a couple of years) when we would turn Iraq over to Iraq. I think we should have a timetable just as a general goal, but if Iraq can't handle defending themselves and still want us there, it's our duty to stay and change the timetable. So we should have a very flexible timetable.
 
Its pretty simple.To reduce significant troops now would hurt the already weak government and heighten the possibility of the Baathists returning to power or gaining so much of a stranglehold that the government would not be able to operate in anyway.If this did happen then the US would lose everyting it fought for and find themselves a very unwelcome guest in what was the perfect base to launch attacks,if necessary,on Iran and Saudi Arabia.So the troops aren't withdrawing until the insurgency is eradicated.No withdrawal timetable i'm afraid...
 
I'm not sure if that was in response to me but in terms of timetable I wasn't talking about withdrawing troops, I was talking about setting a goal and if we didn't meet it trying to figure out better ways to help, but not withdrawing them until everything was peaceful or at least Iraq could defend themselves.
 
The problem with lacking a timetable is there is no accepted measure of success or accountability. The problem with a timetable as already been discussed.

Take your pick which is worse.
 
I do not suggest that we drag our feet but neither does it make sense to tell the same thugs that just got booted out of power that we will be leaving in a year or six months or whatever. They would simply blend back into society with a big smile until we cut out and no sooner than we could anchor in Norfolk to the grand homecoming....they would crawl out of their ratholes and wreak havoc, death and mayhem. We'd just have to turn around and start over. We learned this lesson back during Bush I.

Like it or not, the fact is that we are up to our eyeballs in it and we shouldn't leave the campsite until the ashes are extinguished, drenched with water and stirred again. Leave no stone unturned, root out those :xcensored and send them to Allah once and for all. The Iraqis will be able to take care of their own soon enough. The sooner the better.

Get 'er done.
 
The time table we set is simple..........We stay until the Iraqis can handle the security and the job is done..........

Thank God we have a president that will do just that.........
 
So VoR, are you okay with my suggestion? I think we all agree that we should be out of Iraq eventually. If we set a goal to try to get out we can try to meet it. If we don't meet it we re-evaluate and find out what went wrong and what we need to accomplish. We would then have some accountability instead of staying there forever, but the terrorists couldn't just wait it out until then because it isn't a set in stone date.
 
Yes we should never have gone into Iraq in the first place. That being said now that we are quagmired there it is time to stop and withdraw or have some plan and idea how long we will be in Iraq. Otherwise in 2100 we will still have troops in the country. Examples Germany, Japan, and Korea
 
I would go so far as to predict that we will have bases in Iraq for at least 20 more years.

That's really going to **** those people off. :p :p
 
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