To: TimF who wrote (4067 ) 11/2/2006 3:43:31 PM From: DuckTapeSunroof Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 10087 [Which set of fighters?????????????????] Re: "Every set that is strongly opposed to the US. Most esp. the Sunnis, but the radical Shia would perceive it as the US being weak as well." (You think that having Uncle Sucker around to do their work for them doesn't reduce the 'respect' Shiites supposedly have for the US? :-) [You can't *possibly* think that this civil war is going to do ANYTHING but hot up once Uncle Sucker removes himself from the crossfire....] Re: "Sure it will "hot up", but that doesn't mean that the radicals won't think they have had a victory," You believe they will still think that after another million or so are killed in a reprise of the decade-long Iran/Iraq War? Or after ethnic cleansings by death squads has totally remapped the demographics of 'Iraq', and a 'federalism' approach has given way to outright partition into THREE new 'statelets': The Islamic Republic of (Shiite) Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Kurdistan, and a new Trans-Jordan or 'outer Saudi Arabia' incorporating the Sunni tribal areas of West Iraq????????????? It might well go down in history as a VICTORY for ethnic self-determination, a VICTORY for nationalism, even a victory for Democracy --- but that *don't* guarantee it will be regarded as a 'victory' 'over the US'. Unless, perhaps, Uncle Sucker is foolish enough to try hanging around in the middle of the civil war for another decade or so, and tries to force the political developments... then I'd be willing to bet that it *would* go down in the history books as a 'victory' over the US. All the more reason to wise-up and quit shooting ourselves in the foot as soon as possible... quit playing into the radical's hands! Re: "The war "hotting up" could fairly directly lead to them becoming stronger." The day pigs are flying, Tim....