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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bruce L who wrote (145539)	9/13/2004 6:45:17 PM
From: michael97123	Respond to of 281500

Bruce, Thanks for that post. It was probably the best post i have ever read on this or any other board for that matter. I apparently overstated the casualties post nixon and for that i apologize. LBJ always was the real focus of my anger. I really dont know how great powers with big committments that fail or seemingly fail (even if because of a lack of national will to fight to the finish) extricate themselves from such situations. The fact that a majority of south vietnamese or iraqis dont want communists or baath/terrorists respectively doesnt make them the winner. Strong minorities of committed terrorists/communists/baathists can win and the problem is with helping the good guys is that thru a combination of collateral damage intended or not, cultural disconnects, rule by foreign military as well as a host of other reasons, the bad guys can win. So america cant really in all cases be the world policeman. We as a country dont have that makeup. So our leaders have to determine carefully what is most important to do re: national interest. Removing iraq and saddam seemed to be such a case however in the post war period we now have a vietnam style situation. SO: 1. Start aggressively killing the terrorists in falujah, samara, etc. and/or 2. Declare the victory we indeed had and set a timetable for our withdrawl so our allies and "neutrals" can deal with the reality of our departure. Neutrals and nationalists should know that talibanization of the triangle or re-baathification or a combo of both would be a disaster for them and their families. Of course we must fully supply the local forces. Worst case scenario is a free kurdish state and a somwhat representative if not free shiaa one. Of course the triangle will deteriorate into civil war, if good iraqi patriots do not step forward. We may have to live with that outcome or create a vietnam style domestic problem for ourselves. Mike