Iraq Withdrawal

[RenegadeLonghorn]

If we want to attack where the terrorist are we will attack Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, or Iran.

Most of the fighters in Afghanistan are coming from Pakistan right now.

We have done what we went there to do. And nothing else can be accomplished there just ask the Russians.

Pakistan, I definitely agree with. Its pathetic that we are "allies" with them. I know its strategic and supposedly in our best interests. But they have done diddly poo to rid the region of these radicals. Saudi Arabia...well most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis and I wouldn't be surprised if most of the funding for weapons comes from Saudis.

I still disagree with you on Afghanistan.

[OnePimpTiger]

Just read this story regarding troop increase in Afghanistan:

Top Dems concerned over troop levels in Obama plan

Several top Senate Democrats Thursday expressed concerns about news reports that as many as 50,000 U.S. troops could remain in Iraq after President Obama fulfills his campaign pledge to pull all combat forces from that country, something that is now expected to happen by August of next year.

“That’s a little higher number than I expected,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid, NV, the Senate’s top Democrat.

“It has to be done responsibly, we all agree. But 50,000 is more than I would have thought” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, NY, the third-ranking Senate Democrat. “We await justification for why that many are needed.”

[gsj68]

We lead those horses to water if they dont want to drink......

[mikesilvia]

Not in 2009, but August of 2010 and to leave 50,000 troops there after until at least 2011. I thought that was extremely funny! How many Obama supporters that voted for him based on the fact that he would pull out "all troops by March of 2009." Or has the Obama Amnesia set in already?

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Now he is pulling out troops 19 months later vice 2 months after taking office and leaving 50,000 troops. Sounds like McCain's plan or Bush's just sped up a little.

[OnePimpTiger]

Mike, Mike, Mike...you've been gone too long, you need to catch up! Merged your thread with the one already started by Renegade about the Iraq withdrawal.

[angel0430]

There is nothing we can get from Afghanistan except more insurgents attacks. There is no oil or something like that to get the money back.

In my opinion we should not be playing to be the World Police and try to help every single nation.

[Helms83]

This is a war on terror. Not a war for resources (although some think we went to Iraq just for oil).

Afghanistan harbors more terrorists than Iraq. Afghanistan is the base for Al Qaeda, Taliban, and more.

Just throwing out my opinion. You can have your own. :)

jaybird already stated this but i would like to reiterate...

afghanistan does not harbor al qaeda, the quantities are coming from the bordering country to the east (pakistan) and now iran is being seen as a large safe house for these people.

the US is working with pakistan by trying to drive al qaeda out of pakistan, however, its impossible to protect such a large border and pakistan doesn't exactly want a US presence like afghanistan has, as to why pakistan is basically fighting their own war.

The war in afghanistan - operation enduring freedom (OEF) is the forgotten combat zone where the 9/11 attack retaliation began. this was the worse year for US troops in afghanistan since this all began and the fight is only getting worse as tactics from iraq are now being used in afghanistan. currently, afghanistan is a worse combat zone than iraq.

i'm not sure of our true purpose in the country. the current US military mindset is that of old russian warfare; occupy by force, presence and numbers. we keep setting up bases and sending more troops in, but it's a pointless task being that the neighboring country is an escape route for all the fighting in the eastern portion of the afghanistan.

jaybird is also right, there is no sustaining government in afghanistan. the only area in afghanistan with a true sense of government is Kabul, and no other area follows what the government says. afghanistan is made up of provinces and the largest tribe in that provience is the acting government for that area. the only true sense of being in afghanistan now is too teach their own people military tactics so they can fight al qaeda and we can get the **** out of that country.

[Star_Cards]

A question for everybody related to this: Obama also announced a troop increase in Afghanistan...how do people feel about withdrawing from Iraq while at the same time sending more troops to Afghanistan?

As someone that thinks we should have never been in Iraq, I feel that afghanistan is where our troops should be if they are going to be anywhere fighting terror. When troops first went there I think most US citizens were okay with it because that was the base country for Al Queda. Iraq made absolutely no sense and still doesn't. Afghanistan is where the fight against terror should be, but I think once focus is back there the american people will need to see some sort of progress of they will grow tired of that war as well.

[Helms83]

As someone that thinks we should have never been in Iraq, I feel that afghanistan is where our troops should be if they are going to be anywhere fighting terror. When troops first went there I think most US citizens were okay with it because that was the base country for Al Queda. Iraq made absolutely no sense and still doesn't. Afghanistan is where the fight against terror should be, but I think once focus is back there the american people will need to see some sort of progress of they will grow tired of that war as well.

what is it that the American people want or need to see to understand and support OEF?

[Helms83]

Just saw this...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090227/..._wh/obama_iraq

"Declaring "I have come to speak to you about how the war in Iraq will end," President Barack Obama on Friday moved to fulfill the defining promise of his campaign, saying all U.S. combat troops will be withdrawn by the end of August 2010."

"And even after the drawdown, a sizable U.S. force of 35,000 to 50,000 U.S. troops will stay in Iraq under a new mission of training, civilian protection and counterterrorism."

"...the last of any kind of U.S. troop must be out of Iraq no later than Dec. 31, 2011. That's the deadline set under an agreement the two countries sealed near the end of Bush's presidency. Obama has no plans to extend that date or pursue any permanent troop presence in Iraq. "