How About an Immediate Cease Fire?

[TWiley]

The shrub has asked for input concerning his failed policy in Iraq.

How about an immediate Cease Fire by the American Troops in response to the recent election.

This may be responded to in kind by the insurgency, and the possibility of a negotiated peace would become possible.

As Democrats, we share a disgust of bush war policy with a majority of Iraqi's and presumably, 100% of the insurgency.

Why are there no options between escalation, and so called cut-and-run?

[Demeter]

1. It's an Occupation, Not a War

You can't have a cease-fire, you just either abandon the occupation or continue to be shot to pieces.

[TWiley]

5. Good point

But, wouldn't the possibility of immediate peace appeal to the insurgency?

If massaged correctly, it may produce a respected representative of the insurgency that would be willing to negotiate for the welfare of Iraq

[Cooley Hurd]

2. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to implement...

...there's zero chance that the warring factions would stop shooting at each other, and we're in the middle.

It's time to get our troops out of there - strategic redeployment NOW!

[TWiley]

7. I read a report right here in DU

That claimed that Civil War in Iraq was the strategy of the Bush Administration. I forget the name of it, but it was something like operation medigao.

A majority of the casualties in Iraq are due to the actions of our military, for good reason or bad.

Creating a lull in the violence may create an unexpected opportunity.

Somebody needs to stop shooting first. Why not us. It would be a way for the Democrats to sieze control of the policy in Iraq.

[BlueManDude]

3. cease firing at who? where? there are no front lines in this "war".

[TWiley]

6. 600,000 Iraqi;s are dead

Evidently, we are firing at someone

[BlueManDude]

8. US soldiers have to be able to protect themselves

i did read a few months back of a stepped up bombing campaign in iraq (cambodia anyone) - hopefully that will cease.

[TWiley]

11. Absolutely, they must defend themselves

But, an immediate cease fire would be evidence to the average Iraqi that help IS on the way, and that things were really going to change.

[HereSince1628]

4. More likely is a reduction in patrols through cities. That's where the

US causualties are highest.

There are so many different "militias" that there is no way to negotiate a ceasefire. The unilateral way to quit getting killed with roadside IED's is to stay off the roads.

[TWiley]

12. How about this?

Well, simply announce an immediate cease fire by American troops

This would be done to let the average Iraqi know that change is imminet.
It would also be done in a way to offer a solution to the violence with the intent of attracting insurgent leaders.

We would begin to negotiate leaving Iraq. The topics of aid, support, and rebuilding infrastructure would come up. Do the Democratic thing and not the dirty Republican hardball thing. Make a clean deal

We would draw a distinction between the desires of the American People, and the Bush policy. Designed to cool hatred and terrorist intent against the united states, and to focus it on bush.

Impeach Bush due to the false pretense of the war. This would be a symbolic gesture similar to the trial of Saadam Hussien. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hang bush for his war crimes.

Sacrifice bush and the neo-cons to the legal / political system.

Maybe this pathway would get us out of Iraq in a way that we could begin to heal the damage done to our image worldwide. Bush is not America. He is a misfit who resides in America.

[KansDem]

9. Bush's legacy: Having the Democrats clean up his failed policies...

Did you ever have one of those jobs where there was one "worker" who either (1) didn't do a damn thing and let everyone else do the work; or (2) managed to really foul something up and you had to go in a fix things?

Well, Bush is a little of both: He either didn't do the job (9/11, Katrina), or has completely f**cked up (Iraq). So now he wants someone else (the Democrats) to come in a put things right.

Bush's legacy is a lot like that Simpson's episode where Homer runs for city manager (I think) and wins on the campaign slogan, "Can't someone else do it?"

[TWiley]

10. I proposed a campaign ad

A republican farts, and then the elevator doors open, and he leaves. The disgusted woman rides the elevator to the next floor where another individual gets on.

To her horror, she realizes that he thinks that she did it, and that there is no way to gracefully address the issue.

Well,
we are the ones on the elevator, and the whole world just climbed in. Now more than ever, it is clear who cut the cheese. After a year of indecision, it will all be our fault.

Time to act. There are possibilities between stay the course, and cut and run