Hypothetical question about "Finishing the "job""...

[JanMichael]

Pretend for a moment that it'll take 20,000 Iraqi deaths to "settle" things down, regardless whether we (the US) do it, or a brief civil war does it.

20,000 will die before "peace" is achieved.

If "We" do it we get another quasi-democratic puppet oil state like Iran during the Shah.

If "They" do it themselves they end up with a quasi-Democratic Islamic Theocracy, or the country spilts-up, or another form of government emerges from their own efforts.

What would prefer if you had any influence on the outcome?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I wish it were all as simple as an either or..it isn't so I didn't vote

[JanMichael]

2. That's why I called it a hypothetical.

:-)

[Fovea]

9. I know

But it is too coarse grained.
So many outcomes lumped into a range of possiblity.
I felt the same way about it.

I do not think an Islamic republic is inevitable.
I rather think that they can sort the problem out
better with UN help.

I in no way suspect that Iraq will emerge from this as one state.

[JanMichael]

10. I gave multiple outcomes!

"quasi-Democratic Islamic Theocracy, or the country spilts-up, or another form of government"

1. quasi-Democratic Islamic Theocracy

2.the country spilts-up

3.another form of government

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. If anything, I would vote OTHER

and get a multinational peace keeping force in there while IRAQI's chooce their government.

[JanMichael]

13. How much choice do you think they'll really have?

Shia (Pardon my spelling, I've seen too many version:-) ) are 60% of the population, they will win any general election. And we all know what their clerics will have them vote for.

The Kurds will always chant, and kill, for "independance".

The Sunnis are fucked.

The other half-dozen ethnic/religious gruops are just along for the ride apparently.

I would assume that by "choose their government" you, actually the UN/WTO/USA/Etc., mean leaders and not economic system?

[nostamj]

3. WE can't finish the job

"we" don't even know what the job is.

THEY can't finished the job (again, define 'job')

US OUT, UN IN

give up the contracts warpigs. reconstruction should build the Iraqi economy, not line the pockets of Halliburton et al.

and, oh yeah, the ENTIRE bush* administration is impeached and tried as war criminals.

Iraq, regardless of how horrible SH was, did not participate in 9/11 and was certainly not any threat to the US homeland.

the warpigs of bushco stumbled in their 'cakewalk'

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. I want

the UN in, the US out as head of this so-called 'coalition'. I want people who understand and appreciate the fact that not everyone is American or loves American values to be in charge. It would be very helpful if someone who knew a tiny bit about Iraq and Islam and the culture to be in charge over there. Finally, I want regime change here-Bush and his coherts are a bunch of ignorant people who have no clue what they are doing or how to get out of this mess!

[JanMichael]

6. I want BushCo. in prison.

For the rest of their worthless lives.

[Zorba607]

5. um

If I had influence I would try to avoid both of those ends. Neither Iran or theocracy sound like outcomes one with influence should try for.
If those two are the only possible outcomes for the purposes of the question, I think a civil war would actually provide the most stability in the end, probably through fracturing the country.

[Holly]

7. I voted they

Even if "we" finish the job, at some point "they" will finish it themselves. Keeping U.S. forces in Iraq will only delay the inevitable, the Iraqi's want to, and will control their own destiny. Leave now and allow Iraq to invite the international community in to help, if that is their decision.

[leftofthedial]

8. "They finish the job" is inevitable

that's why I say get the hell out immediately.

[Bucky]

12. I'm voting "we", but we doesn't mean us

As a Democrat I retain the right to redefine any word other than "is". By "We rebuild Iraq," you mean the US alone, I disagree. But if "We" means the United Nations and recognized interational organizations like the Red Crescent, Red Cross, Physiques Sans Bordellos, and Amnesty International, then hell yes.

Saying "let the Iraqis determine their own destiny" ignores the rather obvious fact that that's how they got Saddam Hussein in the first place. Leaders exists only with the consent of the governed and the Iraqis have paid a horrible price for their passive consent. But true reconstruction of the country will require building social and political as well as physical infrastructure.

Let's not forget that the Bush Administration did more than just "topple a dictator". The also created a prime breeding ground for future terrorists. If there is another 9/11, count on the some of the participants being pissed off Iraqis. Already it's the foriegn fighters, not just Iraqis, who seem to be doing much of the attacks on US troops.

Jeeze what a mess. ABB.