US Intermational Policy - diuss the War on Terroism in Afghanistan, and the War on Iraq?
447169
The war on terror has nothing to do with the war in Iraq, and I am beginning to question the war in Afghanistan. To the poster above me does 100 old men, woman and children have to die to save one American, you forget the majority of Iraqi people are just like you and me, trying to get through life with as little hassle as possible.
156124
Afghanistan is still Afghanistan and Iraq is still Iraq. You don't have to worry about Persian Gulf, attack or no attack.\n\nFor me human beings are important. They shouldn't be killed in the name of Islam or crusade. Muslims are burning their own mosques, they should be saved.
434806
i think you're missing the point. Freedom gives you the choice to choose your countries destiny. If the afghans vote to have the taleban rule their country again then they can (although US probably won't let that happen). But its their choice. In Iraq, Saddam wasn't elected, he was a dictator, Iraqis can choose to elect someone like him again, but can only do it if they have freedom.\nI don't agree with a lot of Americas foriegn policy, but would argue that no population would not want, enjoy and appreciate the freedom offered them
764881
What are the stakes? Some Iraqis might turn against USA?, Some Afghanis might do some thing in retaliation? Some others might say something against US?\nBring army back home and leave the world alone, the world does not need your help, no dollars and no bombs, Stakes will be over and you wo'nt need to be smarter.
902500
Well as a moderate dem, I don't know if you were able to catch any of former Pres. Carter's interviews yesterday on programs like the Diane Reams show and the News Hour on PBS.  He doesn't label it civil war.  He used some comparisons of some millions of deaths in other countries that have had civil wars last few years.  (the country names escape my recollection).  I agree with his point, though, he says it's civil strife for sure but regardless of the label it was a mistake to focus so much of our resources on Iraq and losing our focus in Afghanistan.  Well said.
58655
whether you feel going to war is ever right or wrong or even reasonably justificative historically most policies of entering armed conflict were necessary including the current war on terror. Those that have the power to take a nation into war undoubltly realize the horribleness of extending the military to fullfill policy. War drains national resources and most importantly it drains on the citizens. Its obvious that the war currently going on in Iraq and Afghanistan are wars of vindication and weren't jumped into because Soldiers just needed someplace new to go hang out in. There has always been bad blood with Iran and the US. At one time in the 70s US citizens where held violently by the Iranian government. Saying this would the US policy makers run their tanks across the borders? No more than the President would attack China.  A country just having WMD isn't the only reason to go to war. A blockade and diplomatic pressure would be enough to remove a perceived threat in this case.
800639
A better question would have been "What is going through Afghanistan?" The answer is an oil pipeline that will bring the oil riches of Kazhakstan to Iraqi oil ports. This will save American oil companies a lot of money so they can be even more profitable than they are now.\n\nContrary to what Donald Rumsfeld has said in public, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are only about one thing - oil! Oil is money. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and most of the rest of the over privileged Republicans in the US don't give a crap about democracy. Their only concern is lining their own pockets with even more money. Why would this war be any different than any other war? You can point to all kinds of human atrocities that are the results of wars, but the real evil is the unbridled lust for wealth.
611787
Events in Iraq and Afghanistan are out of control and history tells us military efforts in both places are doomed to failure. Now for some reason we Canadians have sent troops to Afghanistan.I understand that sometime in the next year it is expected the Canadian troops will take on the full responsibility for the chaos in Afghanistan in order to free up the American troops for Iraq. What does this mean? More dead Americans, more dead Canadians, more dead Iraqis and Afghan civilians. Billions of American/Canadian dollars spent on a war effort which like Vietnam and even Korea was entered into with no viable exit strategy. Millions more dollars in structural and infrastructural damage to countries that can least afford it. And for what? 50 years later Korea is still divided and North Korea is a ticking nuclear time bomb.40 years later Vietnam has fallen under Communist rule. 5 years later there is no end in site for the war in Iraq and the people there are worse off than when Saddam was the leader. And George W. hasn't even started on North Korea or Iran yet. Yikes,where does this madness end?
829224
Yes, I know the difference. Does our president is the question. There was the invasion of Normandy during the second world war, operation Overlord. A valid invasion in the course of a declared war. What our president did when he sent our troops to invade Iraq was an act of war, as it is anytime a country invades another country without declaring war. Saddam wanted Kuwait's oil. Bush can't find Osama, so this was a diversion to placate America after 9/11, and just like Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and George's of Iraq, many innocent people were and continue to be killed.
188657
I thought the American public had forgotten about Afghanistan...We've already lost too many precious soldiers lives to a war that was based on lies.  These four troops just added to the blood toll on President Bush's hands.  We should be asking the question of how many of our public officials' children have been killed in Afghanistan or Iraq?  The wars in the 20th and now 21st century have always been fought by the poor and lower middle class who have been proud to serve their country with ideals that America was founded on - freedom, liberty and justice.
555739
oh buttercup you are so sweet and naive.\n\ndemocracy is not something that can just be transplanted from one region to the other - it doesn't even work in the states effectively so what kind of expectation was that.\n\nthe allies are in iraq to secure long-term oil interests and maintain political power of the world.
163560
There's no relation, there's never been a relation.\n\nThe Bush Administration simply exploited the fact that American's don't know the difference between Afghanastan and Iraq.\n\nIf they're Arabs, they must all be together, right?\n\nNot true.  Pretty sad too.
752494
off the rails at this point.The 9/11 controversy,afghanistan and Iraq have not contributed anything positive
925062
I agree w/FreeBird, there are lots of forces working behind the scenes for wars. As has been so painfully shown in this current one, I mean if you believe what the admin is saying that we invaded Iraq to "Protect our country" and "Foster Democracy". Then;\nA) Like the elusive WMDs, there never were any terrorists in Iraq...oh yeah TILL WE INVADED!\nB) What about Iran, N. Korea, or a multitude of other countries that have said outright,"We HATE America, we ARE developing WMDs, and WE WANT TO KILL YOU!"? \nC) Why right after 9/11 after saying "Our #1 priority is capturing or killing Bin Laden.." did "Dubya" not even 4 months later say,"We don't know where Bin Laden is, & we honestly don't care, Iraq is our main focus now..."?\n\nThink about how much $$ the defense industry, Haliburton, Big Oil, etc, has made & continues to make from this war.\nThis war was orchestrated as "pay back" for Bush's backers.\nTo keep our focus away while Bush dismantled 40 years of environmental protections, gave billions in tax cuts to the ultra rich, "outted" government whistleblowers who disagreed with his devious plans, and tried to rewrite future legislation to patronize his "base".\nWell beginning today most of that will be just a bad memory.\nDon't get me wrong, with the exception of the environment I think both parties are essentially the same. But just like the Dems before 94 with their complete control of the last 6 years, the old adage rang true,"Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". The Republican party had become what they promised they would fight, we came out of the fog & sent them a message yesterday. Democracy works best when there is balance, right & left, Liberal & Conservative. That is what our founders sought to achieve. May the investigations begin!
1055735
Whe the Iraqi government takes over Iraq.  We pulled out of Somalia prematurely, and conditions got worse than they were before we went in.  We pulled out of Vietnam prematurely, and conditions got worse than they were when we went in.  There is no time limit for war.
728955
The war on terror is comparable to the war on drugs.\nBoth relate to operations of the secret service departments who are the controllers of the world's drugs, and the provocateur in terms of terrorism. They actually conduct the most sensational 'terrorist' events themselves like 9/11, 7/7, Madrid train bombing, Bali bombing etc.\nSo Bush's policy is just a part of the propaganda story.\nOf course its not right by any normal moral standards, but these do not apply to politics or government.
384856
The war in Afghanistan is morally ileagle for it should be termed aq real estate war due to the yanks wanting to build a oil pipeline through the country some years ago and were told by the Taliban no because they could get a better deal elsewhwere