Salon: Time to get out?

[kskiska]

With the war in Iraq turning into a nightmare, increasing numbers -- on the left and the right -- are calling for America to withdraw.

Just a month ago, the conventional wisdom on Iraq was that America, having smashed the old system, has a responsibility to stay until something new and better is built. While the antiwar left and the libertarian right issued calls to end the occupation, most mainstream voices, even those who had opposed the war, counseled perseverance.

But after the insurgency of April and the torture scandal of May, that's beginning to change. There's now a growing chorus on both the left and the right demanding that the administration acknowledge that its Iraq adventure is an unsalvageable failure and cut America's (and Iraq's) losses by bringing the troops home. The call for withdrawal hasn't yet reached critical mass, but if it does, it could affect both the dynamics of the 2004 election and the future of American involvement in Iraq.

"What used to be voices on the far fringe, whether it's the fringe left or fringe right, they are steadily creeping in towards the center," says Peter Feaver, a professor of political science at Duke University who served as director for defense policy and arms control on Bill Clinton's National Security Council. Calls to leave Iraq, he says, "are marching towards the middle of the establishment."

As the taboo against discussing withdrawal fades, critics are increasingly less deferential to the idea that America must finish what it began in Iraq, however foolish its invasion.

more…
http://salon.com/news/feature/2004/05/10/withdrawal/index.html

[drumwolf]

1. I suspect a lot of people are going to go the way I did.....

I staunchly opposed the invasion of Iraq before it happened, but after we were in there, I was initally ambivalent about whether we should stay or get out.

My attitude was, Well, we shouldn't have gone in there, but now that we've done so anyway we're stuck. We need to stay and rebuild the country -- we broke it, we need to fix it.

After the events of the past couple of months, I don't think that way anymore. I now believe we should just fucking cut and run.

Purely from a moral standpoint, we would have an obligation to rebuild Iraq's government, economy and infrastructure since we destroyed the old institutions of that country.

But from a practical standpoint, we can't. There are way too many pissed-off Iraqi insurgents who want us to get the fuck out of their country and will disrupt any attempt we make to impose our will on the country. It's not so much our "best" option as it is the one with the least fucked-up consequences.

[2Design]

2. we can leave and let the iraqiis rebuild

we could leave. Send money. Let the iraqis rebuild under the guidance of UN and other UN nations. They could send people to teach the iraqis skills. Give them jobs. They work much cheaper than mercenaries and halliburton.....


We us out of there they can rebuild themselves. Already three of the groups there have come together (500) to discuss and take over their own country. No usa puppets.

all of usa out.

If they have something to work for, they won't have the time to destroy. If they have meaningful work, to build their own country and not just be used for 14 USA bases to police the islam countries....they sounded ready to me... they have had enough of bush and his minions lies, torture, loud music and bombs. Snipers shooting ambulances, snipers shooting women and children....

Insurgents come from torturing the people in the jails...