Exit Strategy

[OrdinaryTa]

Realistically, how do we get out of Iraq? We shouldn't have gone in, and we shouldn't be there. But it would be humiliating to America if we pull out and Saddam returns to power.

Nixon couldn't figure out how to quit Vietnam. Everybody knew the eventual outcome, but he dragged it out for years. He did everything he could think of - he bombed Hanoi, he went into Cambodia and Laos, he left no stone unturned. Nothing worked.

People are starting to realize that Iraq is a loser, but what do we do now? A phased withdrawal? How does that differ from admitting defeat in front of the whole damn world?

[aquart]

1. It doesn't.

Our superpower status has been viscerally weakened by Bush's aggression. Our myths of superior efficiency and humanity have been destroyed. The whole world knows we're no better than anybody else now, and maybe a little bit more inept.

Thanks, George.

[StClone]

7. Is it interesting

That Republicans-Conservatives hate Liberals-Democrats because we are as they say "weak on defense." Isn't it interesting that they advocate abusing our military by using it as a substitue for a sound International Policy? And in the end destroying our military by over-extending and exhausting it. Which is makes sense Freepers: wise use or over-use?

[Sushi_lover]

2. Bush can't do it

The next president has to re-affirm the purpose of the United Nations and ask them for multi-national support.

Policing, government, re-establishing infrastructure are huge puzzles. We can't do it alone. We have to find a way to allow an Iraqi government to take over.

[Atlant]

5. A democratically-installed president asks for the world's help

We hold elections in 2004, kick out the Pretender-in-Thief, and
the newly-elected, democratically-elected President goes to the
UN and says something like "The American Coup is over, but now
we need the world's help to right the wrongs caused bythe coup."

Then, the world together rebuilds Iraq.

Atlant

[DUreader]

3. There is this organization called the UN or something like that

Anyway I hear they can form coalitions and deploy peacekeepers

to facilitate stabilization and help set up governments in troubled

locales.

Of course some country might have to shell out $billions to fund

it, but that country might prefer to pay rather than suffer

more thousands of casualties.

How many amputees, deaf and blind, insane, radioactive, drug addicted

US soldiers will it take for the Nation to wake?

[trof]

4. Realistically...we don't.

Department of Mixed Metaphors:
1.The Tarbaby Syndrome - We've have grabbed ahold of something that we now can't let go of.
2. Riding the Tiger's Back - We must stay on the Tiger's back so that we don't wind up in his belly.

aka: "Heads we lose, tails we lose".
Many thanks to our Fearless Leader*

[Lefty48197]

6. UN Peace keepers for starters

Of course Arbusto doesn't have the cajones to admit that this should have been a UN operation from the start. Bringing in the UN gets us out of there. It doesn't solve the problem of 'nation building', but that too will be left for the UN to accomplish.
I do remember all the right wingers howling about 'exit strategies' before the Kosovo operation. It would be nice to see a whole bunch of their comments about exit strategy replayed on TV today. Not that it will happen, but it would be nice. And effective too, I'm sure.

[Mari333]

8. Right after 9/11

if the stories that hold are true about 9/11, of course, that al Queda attacked the US because of our involvement with Israel and our presence in the ME

the US, if it were a great and compassionate nation, would have said
(IMO)
what have we been doing wrong? Lets fix our foreign policy so that we represent decency, compassion, empathy, honour, and integrity..
No on bombing Afghanistan, NO on Iraq, pull out of the ME, pull out of all countries as the worlds policeman, and become a NON militarized society that behaves like civillized human beings.

small military, large socially compassionate society.