Iraq War a political mistake ?
86780
I am an Iraqi, And the war was not the main mistake that the US government did. The main mistake it made was that it supported Saddam in the 70s to get into power and when he did US government used him to attack Iran(A muslim country) and then attack Kuwait. And in the Golf War 1, they didnt bring him down because they wanted him to stay longer to destroy iraq further and make iraqis on their nees begging anyone to come and help them. So in 2003 when US government felt that Saddam was becoming a threat and the Iraqi people were on the edge and were willing to accept anyone to take over.\nThe US. Government Mistakes in Golf War 2:\n1. Didnt respect the Iraqi's culture and tridtion.\n2. Didnt Close the boarders right away, letting fornigers come in and out as they like.\n3. Didnt protect important places Like Libraries, Musiems, Schools, Universities.\n4. Didnt protect the people, esp. the important ones.\n5. Abusing iraqis in the jails.\n6. WATCHING theifs steal government places and schools and WORST OF ALL MUSIEMS!!!\nThose are just some simple things of why US army is failing to make effective progress.\n(Please forgive my spelling)
48676
Do you think that the commanders of the armed forces did a good job when they told bush before the war that they could totally secure, rebuild, and trasition Iraq to democracy with less then 200 billion dollars?\n\nHello!  The latest projections are 1-2 trillion dollars.  If you don't think that is a rediculously huge blunder on an unbelievable scale then I will tell you right now, forget a doctor, I will do all family's surgery for half price!  Even if I kill you you probably would think I'm doing a great job!\n\nEither the military totally screwed up this war or bush did, but you can't say that this was a military success.  We spend a billion for every $1000 that the enemy spends.  For that money the terrorist should be doing the half-time show at the superbowl where they unfurl a big "I'm sorry" banner and kill themselves to music.\n\nI wish those idiots had never sent our soldiers there.  I hope they can figure out how to get them back without causing a civil war or doubling the size of iran.\n\nAs for getting behind the commander in chief at wartime, you are a HORRIBLE leader if you bring your contry to war with only half the country behind you.  We liberals opposed the war when those soldiers were at home with their families.  To blame us for anything is the height of gall.
265548
The war in Iraq is going better than most people realize. We do not get the stories of the good things that are happening - just never ending liberal hype on the casualties and bombings. It just came out that Saddam said he got rid of the WMD's but kept it so secret even his own generals thought they still had them, so how the hell was President Bush and the rest of the world supposed to know otherwise? Did you hear about it in the media like when any liberal like Kerry, Clinton, Kennedy, or Dean opened their mouths to proclaim the President a liar? Of course not! It does not fit their agenda! The bottom line is this when it comes to my opinion on the war - we cannot allow these people in the press and capitol hill turn this into another Vietnam, which is exactly what they are trying to do (how many liberals have you heard say "quagmire"?). The saddest thing is that there are too many people that are buying into their anti-America, anti-troop propaganda (it's also my opinion that you cannot support the troops without supporting the war - it's the mission they are fighting for and it sends a bad and demoralizing message when people say we support you but what you're doing is illegal and sucks, right?).
369362
A higher probabilty.\n\nBecause in the 91 war, the war plans were drawn up properly with a complete set of goals in mind. IE- Push Iraq out of Kuwait. \n\nWith the war in Iraq now, the US government really messed up but won't admit it of course.
568452
I think the war in Iraq is a failure of the Bush adminastration. Iraqi's are engaged in a civil war and we are in the middle of it. Only way out is to get out and let them settle for themselves. I always wondered how many repugs were acturally fighting in the war. Now I know. It is a shame.
1158768
He started a war by mistake.  Big time OOPS!!
238002
No, we mean that it was a bad decision to go in, and it will go down in history as a political and military humiliation.  It does mean we want to lose the war, but rather that it was obvious from the start that we were going to.  Yes, we did over through the Iraqi government, but now we're stuck there with no indication of any viable way out.  And if you think we lost in Vietnam because people protested you should consider picking up a history book.\n\n_______________\nI believe I did not misspell anything.  Your spelling comment was both ignorant and unnecessary, as is your apparent believe that political ideology is absolute and is the defining characteristic of the individual.  Oh, and it would be "the liberal who," not "the liberal that."
539003
I think it was a mistake, at least they should have put Iraq's flag first and then USA flag. The message is very different.
820107
It is not the Liberals that oppose the war in Iraq.  It is the people that use their brains that oppose the war in Iraq.  It is not the war on terror that we should be fighting.  It has weakened the real war on terror and those of us that don't drink the kool aid , don't support a trumped up war.
378474
Great question, wrong supposition.  They failed to report the war accurately due to political correctness and because they (the press) are whores to the appeasement crowd.\n\nYou must understand the overwhelming vast majority of American journalists are liberals.  A poll taken shows that over 90% of them voted for Al Gore in 2000.  Conservatives (BTW, President Bush is NOT a conservative, he is a moderate) and the military are anathema to liberals.  The war has been reported very inaccurately.  It is not as bad as they would have you believe.  2,500+ dead soldiers is a terrible thing; however, we lost that many on DDay.  \n\nWe won the war, but are losing the peace.
907938
Not as usual .....We lost the Iraq war thats clear......we didn't have stomache for it from the start.  The US is not what she was during WW2......
418544
Vietnam was before my times. But I've been following the Iraq war in great depth. Yes, we shall lose, but not without hurting our political image thro'out the world and destroying the social fabric of Iraq. Despite lack of democracy, atleast Saddam ensured that Shiites and Sunnis didn't fight and children could go to school, oil was available to the world and he never(ever) harboured Osame and his ilk. So its all a great sham by the US to flex its muscles, and in that endeavor its own borders are being breached, health care costs are rising and gang violence and drug abuse are at an all time high. When will Bush and party learn?? \n\nOkai, point blank answer - the war would be on until the next President is elected. Even then it would never be potrayed as a loss/defeat, it would just be "strategically withdrawing" our troops.
798297
The biggest mistake I could see, is listening to the repubs, and posting some of the stuff they found in Iraq, to the public
933520
The insertion of troops was a major mistake. The entire region under Islamic influence from Morocco to Indonesia is far less stable as a result. The U.S. is increasingly seen as dictatorial by increasing numbers of people around the world. Our economy has been vastly weakened. We do not have enough troops available should other emergencies develop. The Civil War, denied by the Bush administration but acknowledged as being fully underway by the rest of the world, deepens daily and leaves American troops there as sitting ducks. There can be no victory in Iraq. Just as the British learned after World War I, the Iraqis will not be conquered. There is too much value underground (oil) and too much division above-ground. The only result of continued occupation will be increasing governmental debt for the U.S. and more dead and injured American soldiers. Military contractors such as Halliburton are being enriched. The Bush administration has no idea of what they mean by "victory", nor does Tony Blair in England.
355975
No, It wasn't Clinton's idea.\n\nThe first war with Iraq was @ 1990-1991 - BEFORE Clinton. Thanks, Daddy Bush.\n\nClinton tried to kill Bin-Laden with a Cruise Missile Strike During the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Many people (including myself) thought it was a cheap tactic to get the attention off of the president. Perhaps if a third cruise missile was launched, 9/11 might not have happened...\n\nBush CONVINCED us that Iraq had WMD and ties to Al Queda within it's borders, and used our patriotism to get congress to sign off on a war with Iraq.
413524
Sad but true, all wars since world war 2 have been conflicts. from korea to iraq. every generation has seen war. or as the gov calls it conflict. tell a soldger that korea, vietnam, panama, iraq 1, iraq 2 is not a war. i wouldnt but the gov would. they would tell them it was a conflict. messed up i think.
878775
That's political face saving at best trying to buy time to come up with an excuse to leave. The truth is there is no saving the situation in Iraq. This is now a tribal and religious war and will have to burn itself out we are just in the way. The govt that was elected in Iraq is so convoluted that no one has real power just the militias and they have infiltrated everything to the highest levels. Thus the Iraq army has been totally nullified along with the police forces. There is no getting it right that ship has long ago sailed. The generals hopes and dreams will not change that. It would be best to get out or move our troops to the oil facilities only and keep the crude safe from terrorist and insurgents. Any extra troops can be sent to Afghanistan that can still be saved. Once the most powerful tribes win control of Iraq we can then do like all the rest before us supply them with weapons and expertise and thus prop up another new Saddam.