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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (507351)	9/10/2012 1:41:12 PM
From: i-node	4 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

When I referred to the "surge", I was really talking about the entire strategic shift that occurred coincidentally with it; while I don't agree totally with your characterization, it clearly was more than just a change in the number of troops in Iraq. At any rate it was successful in curtailing the violence to a tolerable level. I don't agree with your characterization of Bush at all. I think they initially underestimated what they were up against, but in the end solved the problem. Yes, the administration built the case for the war. As it should have been; he was the president at the time and the decision was made -- which was correct IMO -- that it was necessary to go to war. So, it was incumbent on the administration to get the support of the American people as well as the Congress. Where I suspect we disagree is I don't believe anyone was misled about it; the intelligence was available to a lot of people with adverse interests and most of them drew the same conclusions. So, I don't buy into the "Bush Lied" mantra. I just think wars are highly unpredictable. In the end, Bush did what had to be done to solve the problem and hand his successor a stable situation in Iraq.

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (507351)	9/10/2012 2:53:42 PM
From: unclewest	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

That's misleading in terms of what actually "won" the war. Concur in part I would say we certainly did prevail in the 1st iraq war, but it really was a war to free Kuwait and we got that done. We certainly did not accomplish our war goals in the 2nd Iraq war. We are not winning in Afghan either. If winning there means the Taliban submit, we are not going to win. My biggest disappointment was when GWB announced victory, but forgot to tell our troops to come home. Obama has done no better in Afghan.