Should Kerry change his policy on Iraq?

[Cascadian]

Poll question: Should Kerry change his policy on Iraq?

A lot things have come to light in the last several weeks. It is apparent that Iraq is a fiasco that is amking Vietnam look like Summer camp. John Kerry wants to "stay the course" in Iraq and bring in the International community in on this occupation. It seemed like a good idea about a year ago but the mess is such that no amount of NATO or UN help will make any difference. So here is the question. Should Kerry continue to keep troops in Iraq or should he change his tune and call for withdrawal in Iraq?


John

Poll result (49 votes)
Stay the course.	(10 votes, 20%)	Vote
Get out!	(39 votes, 80%)	Vote

[JohnLocke]

1. And another total misrepresentation of Kerr'y position.

[Cascadian]

2. What is the representation?

Stay in Iraq or get out?


John

[kentuck]

3. Kerry should withdraw all the troops within 6 months to a year....

According to how the Iraqis are progressing with their self-governance. We have to believe that they can govern themselves. We should have at least that much confidence in them. They deserve the opportunity to govern themselves without our interference.

[bigtree]

19. the elections may not be held until after then

After the election of a new government would be more reasonable than an arbitrary date.

[cyclezealot]

4. If Kerry wants to unite the country

adopt Dennis Kucinich's plan..It is the only workable plan..Iraqi's will be equally stressed by any Western force. A UN plan that clearly turns over control to international forces should put lots of Iraqi angst at bay.
Iraqi's will think twice about murdering Indonesians or Malyasians.
Of course we have to pay for the mess since we caused it. We have no moral authroity to foist a western style privitized, Capitalist system upon the Iraqi's ...
A change of president's will soothe frayed alliances and a new day will quickly result in more international co-operation.
Now if Kerry would appoint Kucinich Secretary of State or AMbassador to the UN, I might think Kerry has not ulterior motives, as his Skull and Bones breeding would cause us to fear.

[Old and In the Way]

5. I'm sure Kerry wants out of Iraq as expeditiously as possible.

But he will not pack up and leave without a firm commitment from the UN and the solid backing of nations to make this transfer orderly. This administration as created an obligation for Kerry to resolve. He won't be tagged with allowing Iraq to dissolve into anarchy and be held responsible for the 10's of thousands who could die in a religiouis civil war.

I find it interesting that I've yet to see you post a thread screaming for Bush, the man who actually is responsible, to leave Iraq immediately; but I can think of at least a half dozen posts you've made demanding Kerry to leave, 8 months before he is elected and takes over government. Perhaps I've overlooked your equal opportunity posts on this subject.

I can just imagine your posts come 1/21/05....

What kind of push polling are you doing? You already decided the answer- "It seemed like a good idea about a year ago but the mess is such that no amount of NATO or UN help will make any difference." All you needed was "get out" as an option.

[Euphen]

14. The attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad last August

showed that the Iraqi resistance doesn't distinguish between the UN and the US. Also, many soldiers from other countries have died and continue to die in the fighting. Kucinich's plan would only mean that more non-American soldiers would be killed in the place of Americans, and that Europe would join in the looting of Iraq's natural resources.

[Rebellious Republican]

6. Cascadian why do you seem insistent on bashing Kerry?

See my reply to yours on this thread.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Cascadian]

10. I am not bashing him, but I am just telling how I feel.

I am not just going to stand silent if I disagree with what he does. Albeit I am voting for him in November. I just wished he would change his tune about Iraq.


John

[Rebellious Republican]

11. My apologies IF I have read more into your posts that what is ...

there. However between the wording of this thread combined with the poll and your response on another thread it comes across that way.

Cascadian (1000+ posts) Sat May-15-04 10:27 PM
Response to Reply #14

19. That is such an lame excuse.

Edited on Sat May-15-04 10:27 PM by Cascadian
"We broke it we fix" is such a shortsighted view. It's like trying to fix a bee hive after you knock it over. It is about time the U.S. forces got out of Iraq. I honestly do not think the world community is going to want to come in and get us out of the mess we created. Even if they did, you will still the same carnage and bloodshed. Iraq will become Kerry's downfall as much as it is becoming Bush's downfall.

John

[MercutioATC]

7. If Kerry is the Washington phony I think he is he'll switch to a "get out"

position. Otherwise, he should realize that we CAN'T simply "get out" now and will work with the U.N. to get a true multinational force in Iraq (and sacrifice the U.S. monopoly on the reconstruction contracts).

It should be interesting...

[Cascadian]

8. This is what I am hoping will happen.

He must know somwhere in his head that he cannot win in Iraq. He is just trying to place to the centrists. Once he is in the White House, he can do a double take and pull them all out. I hope this is what happens. I will have new found respect for him then.

John

[Euphen]

16. The majority of people already feel the Iraq War hasn't been

worth the costs, and if things continue going the way they are now by November the majority will probably support an immediate withdrawal. I think Kerry is being completely honest when he promises to "stay the course."

[freeforall]

9. I can tell you...

that UN or not, we don't want any part of it, thanks!

[Cascadian]

12. There you go.

Canada has a better and more open world view than what is viewed in America. I think people around the world should email or write to John Kerry and convince him to change course about Iraq.

Thank you up there in the Great White North.




John

[oasis]

13. Say "Stay the course" until after the election. Then get the hell out.

[DaveSZ]

15. He needs to talk about exit strategy

In order to get elected, he can't be Bush-lite.

Then people will simply not vote at all.

[Cascadian]

17. kick

[fujiyama]

18. He should unveil a new strategy

It's obvious that the UN really doesn't want to get itself into this. Few countries seem interested in sending their troops to occupy Iraq.

Kerry's plan right now seems somewhat outdated to say the least. A new strategy must be unveiled soon, but I would wait a few more weeks...Perhaps at or around the convention so that the message would have a chance of being heard.

[Canadian_moderate]

20. How about halfway?

No total withdrawal, as it would create chaos.

No continued occupation, since occupiers are always hated.

Forces will still be needed for peacekeeping. Without international peacekeepers, Iraq will drift further into a state of civil war. The US will need to admit its mistakes and relinquish command.