If Kerry pulled out of Iraq very soon after taking office

[jpgray]

[sandnsea]

1. Kerry's decision

Kerry's responsiblity. We are where we are and where we go from here is up to the President in office.

[jpgray]

3. I'm not sure, myself

Because by that rationale, a previous administration could get into an intractable mess with no good solution, leave office before disaster hits and no matter what come out smelling like a rose. I have no idea what the 'best' thing to do with Iraq is right now, but pulling troops out has its advantages. Leaving them in may only serve to delay what will happen with taking them out, causing the deaths of more Americans and worsening our status in the world to boot.

[sandnsea]

7. That's why he's running and we're not, LOL

Come January 20th, it's his mess. Like he says, half the names on the Wall belong to Johnson, the other half belong to Nixon. Just the way it is. History isn't always fair, that's true too. Reagan gets the credit for a booming 80's economy when the only good thing about it was Volcker getting inflation under control and Volcker was appointed by Carter. Them's the breaks I guess.

[JI7]

22. yeah, but that's part of running for President

if you don't want to be responsible for what happens once you get in and just blame the previous administration (as someone does right now) for every single thing rather than do something about things then one should not run.

[Forkboy]

2. It'll be Kerry's war either way

[jpgray]

4. I think Bush has a better claim to ownership, frankly (nt)

[Forkboy]

11. Wont matter once Kerry is in

How many people blame Vietnam on JFK?

How many blame it on Nixon and LBJ?

I'd rather see him get out quickly and take the heat for that than to "stay the course",so to speak,and take the heat for that.

Either way,he WILL take heat.Better to take it and have less death than take it and have more,imo.

[jpgray]

12. That's the way I lean

I'm not sure about what course is best, but I think getting out and taking the heat is better than staying in and hoping the heat will happen during some other guy's tenure. Of course, I know which choice is more popular among politicians, and I also am assuming that we won't be able to stave off the heat by staying.

About your examples, I'd say people think of LBJ and Nixon because it was under their stewardship that the conflict really escalated and grabbed headlines and people's attention. Bush has already escalated things way beyond JFK levels (I think about 15,000 troops in '63), since we have around 150,000 folks in Iraq.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. True..I look forward to Kerry's conscience driving it

I at least believe he has one.

[Forkboy]

6. He can't do any worse

And I believe he has one too.

[Solly Mack]

10. Yep..the buck will stop with Kerry

because thats what presidents are supposed to do..take responsibility.

and we can all bet our sweet bippys the right wing will blame him for the whole damn thing from start to finish.

[LSdemocrat]

8. A little from Column A, a little from Column B

[Bridget Burke]

9. Is the current situation much better than chaos?

A continuing relationship involving funding sent their way would be OK. But let's abandon those permanent military bases & let's turn Saddam's palaces over to the Iraqi people.

[jpgray]

13. Ask the Congo or Sudan about chaos

Iraq could be doing much, much worse than it is. It is already doing very badly, though. Probably it won't descend into anything like the situations I mention above because it is a modern country with more social solidarity, but it could get worse.

[Norquist Nemesis]

14. It will be Kerry's but you're mistaken

if you think he's going to pull out as soon as he takes office. He has a hell of a mess to clean up from Bush and he can't bring the levels down until he's able to get a true coalition together. That will take time.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. That's my sense of it even though we have squandered all credibility

I DO think the Iraqi people were glad to be rid of Saddam but harbor nothing but resentment of us for not keeping a single promise and having no trained peace keeping troops...nor any post war plan in place to restore the peace...I didn't support the war but once it started and we tore their nation and their national security apart, I felt we owed it to them to put it back...now I don't know if it's possible but WE OWE IT TO THEM to try.

[Forkboy]

17. I have a feeling (and hope) that Kerry

will be able to get a coalition together fairly quickly (6 months-1 year).I think that's about the fastest anyone can hope for,sadly.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

18. I know...and not to sound callous

but since he will be inheriting this parade of horribles..it will weigh heavily on his popularity from the day he takes office

[emulatorloo]

20. Agreed - our allies will want to work w Kerry

I am hoping that people in Iraq will be willing to give the new admin a chance to fix the stuff Bush blew up. That remains to be seen.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. I would say the Iraqis would be to blame, but Kerry would take the blame.

Bush, at that point hopefully will be on trial, taking as much blame as possible.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. I hold them blameless...is there any nation that can have all their

security infrastucture destroyed and hope NOT to devolve into chaos..in my 46 years on the planet..I haven't witnessed one.

[leesa]

21. Umm...the chaos is already there. Face it. It is an illegal and immoral

INVASION. We have no right to be there. If Kerry opts to stay and fight these people then he is a war criminal

[JI7]

23. and not just iraq, but what goes on with Afghanistan also

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. Well, let's hope he finds the courage to do so.

His announced "plan" certainly doesn't look like that's in the cards.
We'll have to keep reminding him of what happened to a previous Democratic President who bullheadedly pursued a losing policy of trying to force an entire nation to bow to American imperialism.

"Hey, Hey, LBJ.." could easily become "Hey, hey, JFK.."