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It's a mistake to think of Iraq as one unified "Muslim people". There are three major divisions of Kurd, Sunni and Shiite and then within those three general groupings hundreds (if not thousands) of tribal divisions. What needs to happen now is that the Iraqi people and their leadership need to find a way to replace what Hussein did through being a strongman -- keep peace between the myriad ethnic and tribal divisions.
I would agree that the war was a mistake, but it happened and belaboring that it was a mistake does not help find solutions for where we are now. The US military needs to withdraw, but we need to find a way to do it that will not provoke yet more instability. When the USA stops paying the Sunni Awakening, for example, will its leaders be content to remain in a political process or will they take up arms once again? When America leaves will Sadr and his JAM exert a more forceful presence and will the Malaki government be able to come to grips with that? If the Kurds don't receive what they consider their fair portion of oil revenue, will they take up arms? Like Sec. Powell said, we broke it, we bought. We do have a responsibility as a nation to try to fix what we broke.
The problem with this war is politics. You dont attack friends, you attack enemies & if/when you win you either keep it or leave it in ruins. Unless that is you are the US, then you rebuild it so you can blow it up again.
We went in because Saddam refused to honor an agreement that led to a cease of hostilities in the Gulf war. We did not go to make it a nice place or to fight terrorism or anything but to oust Hussein.
I understand the need to capture him & give him a trial but honestly think it would have been better in the long run to shoot him & drop him back in his hole, backfill it & then leave.
We dont have a responsibility as a nation to do anything but secure our interests & security. JMHO but I think that in the end that Iraq would be less of a threat if left in a state of devistation than they will with an army trained & armed at our expense. Seems very stupid. We do not learn from our mistakes at all. Every time we help one of these backwards thirdworld Muslim counties it comes back to haunt us. Our children or grandchildren will be fighting the army we are building & training today. They will be paying for our foolishness in many ways.
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