[Grovenet] Questions About Our Intentions in Iraq...

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

To answer your two questions:

1) The government of the USA sent our armed forces to Iraq. 

(We can debate endlessly who within our government may have committed
illegal acts in getting Congress to approve the war. Our Senators and
Congressmen are the ones in a position to get answers. In terms of doing the
right thing for the people of Iraq today, does why we invaded matter? If
Saddam had stockpiles of WMD, would it have been proper for us to cart them
off then leave the country in the hands of the thugs who are terrorizing the
people there now? Most people in Iraq lived quite well and securely under
Saddam's dictatorship. Those people deserve nothing less today. It's what we
promised them. Do we not keep our promises?) 

2) A "defeat" is what the people perceive it to be (sort of like debating
the meaning of "was"). I define defeat as our enemies getting things their
way. In this case, the insurgency wants us to pack up and leave the country
to them. If we pack up and leave, they won. The "not-winner" was defeated.
That would be us. 

(Note that I'm not looking for the USA to step forward and do it alone. We
could, but the costs might well bankrupt us even if the American people
allowed it. It's quite possible that no US troops should be in the country
today. Perhaps no non-Islamic people, troops or contractors, should be
there. But we are responsible for what happens there. It's time to change
tactics, all right. It's time to engage people all over the world to help
fix the mess we made starting with the U.N. A prosperous, safe Iraq free of
the insurgency, even if not under a "democratic" government, would be a
victory for everyone except the insurgents. I think that if we could do such
a thing, it'd be a victory with huge rewards for us; it'd change the USA
from a frightening bully who threatens others to a leader among nations who
inspires others.)

Ron D'Eau Claire

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Ed Davie
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 2:00 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Questions About Our Intentions in Iraq...


To answer that, ask how we got into Iraq?
And what, exactly, would constitute a "defeat"?
Ed

  If we leave, then, isn't that another defeat for 
America? Should we allow
  ourselves to be run out of Iraq?

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