Why can't we just pull out of Iraq ? I don't get it

[steve2470]

We are talking about soldiers dying in Iraq. I could not, to save my soul, tell a mother or father or sister or brother of a dead soldier, etc. that I was in favor of a "phased withdrawal". If we were withdrawing as fast as possible and a soldier was killed, at least I could look that family member in the face and not feel extraordinary guilt. I just do not understand this position at all. I promise that if you explain your position, that I will NOT flame you. I will simply read it and keep my fingers off the keyboard. Thanks.

[Phrogman]

1. Too many people making too much money

thats the reason.

[NOLADEM]

2. Because both parties voted for it

And neither side can pin it on the other. We would have to sweep the house of a majority of pro-war people and then we would have to have a mass casulty event.

Americans won't admit defeat. Look at Vietnam.

Understand that MANY Repukes and Dems would vote to get us out if they could, because it is politically popular to do so, and they can't help themselves. However, there is NO political cover availble to someone who seeks to change their vote on the war. Look what happened to Kerry... that "I voted for it before I voted against it" bullshit cost him the presidency (or at least an unstealable majority).

We will get out of Iraq only when someone finds some bullshit way to call a pullout a victory...Likely, in my opinion, we will have to be in the midst of another big crisis that allowed the public to not care about the pullout.

My two cents.

[steve2470]

4. I think you're right. Money's a factor too

What evil money attracts, good lawd.

[knowbody0]

3. this war will go down in history like Vietnam

No one will have the answer to WTF we were doing there.

I would like them to sincerely apologize and write a huge check.

[Mend]

5. bush went in and took a stable country and totally destroyed

it. There is no working government, complete civil war, ruptured intrastructure, the homeless, the helpless, the wounded, the dead....all caused by bush. The idea is to stop the war and try to stabilize the country...I don't think it can be done by us but maybe the Democrats could get the rest of the world to participate in saving what is left of that country.

[kiahzero]

6. Because just pulling out is a threat to world security

Leaving Iraq unstable means that non-state actors would have a place to operate with impunity. We need to start pulling out troops, but it needs to be more structured than just getting everyone on helicopters and flying them out of the country.

[gulfcoastliberal]

7. Nice job with the repuke talking points...

Yeah, I believe the repukes.... NOT!!

[On the Road]

8. That's What the British Decided to Do in South Asia in 1947

Saved a lot of British lives. But over a million Indians and Pakistanis died in ethnic violence as a result of the partition. If you're OK with that kind of outcome, immediate withdrawal would be just fine.

Now, Bush's conduct of the war is probably making things worse. I'm not even sure there's anything Bush can do -- the civil war may be starting anyway. It may take a new president to work out an agreement with a group of Middle Eastern countries. Maybe there's not even a possible solution at this point. I don't think anyone knows.

But there are reasons to NOT want to simply pull out that have nothing to do with jingoism.