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The surge in Iraq has been called a success. Senator McCain is crediting himself for these successes, Senator Obama feels the War has been waged in the wrong theater. In 2003 President Bush proclaimed Afghanistan safe and the people our friends. In 2008 the area is hostile and its stability in question.
What have we, the US citizens gained, from success in Iraq? What do we stand to gain from a successful surge?
We have lost trillions of dollars, thousands of American lives and maimed Americans, and the trust and goodwll of most of the world.
The "War on Terror" was diverted there after we invaded and foreign fighters went in to blow themselves up and kill our soldiers. Now it is returning to the original theatre of Afghanistan/Pakistan.
Most of the Iraqis and the Iraqi government want to start discussions about when we will leave.
We did get rid of Saddam. However now with a weakened Iraq , Iran is much more powerful in the Middle East.
We still need to wait for our 130,000 troops to leave and see what happens then... before we can finally close this chapter of the War.
So in retrospect, we gained taking out Saddam. We probably lost a lot more.
As long as we continue to pay insurgents not to attack our troops, the surge is not really a success. Paul Craig Roberts: Paying Insurgents Not to Fight
Clip:
The real purpose of the "surge" was to hide another deception. The Bush regime is paying Sunni insurgents $800,000 a day not to attack US forces. That's right, 80,000 members of an "Awakening group," the "Sons of Iraq," a newly formed "US-allied security force" consisting of Sunni insurgents, are being paid $10 a day each not to attack US troops. Allegedly, the Sons of Iraq are now at work fighting al Qaeda.
I for one am totally unclear on what is deemed "winning" in Iraq.
Is it when the corrupt Malekey government is safely in power by defeating the Sunnis? How does this help America? Why are the Shiites better than the Sunnis? Why do we give a rats behind?
Is it when we ensure the current corrupt lot have their greedy hands firmly in the oil pot? Or is it when "American" multi-national corporations hold the rights to Iraq's oil? We see how great the oil companies are to the American people..how much they care about us right?
As for the surge "working". Sure, if you increase spending to the point of oblivion the way we have anything can work. You get what you pay for. But is the escalation really worth anything at all for the American people?
What could America do with the billion dollars a week we are waisting in Iraq, just in terms of fixing up our schools and health care system alone. I am frankly tired of throwing good money after bad.
The war in Iraq should be a faith-based initiative.
Can you elaborate?
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