Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

"No, no, dig up stupid"

Props if you know the reference.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

[ QUOTE ]
The first step to ending an unwinnable war is to acknowledge that it is unwinnable. This can only be done through public discourse.

Moral is not the reason we aren't winning, we aren't winning because it's impossible to win.

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree, and think we are winning, albeit slowly.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

6M, I supported this war for the first two years myself, but there is no progress anymore, things are even reverting.

It seems clear they want to live in some backwards 9th century Islamic state (after all, it's in the constitution the produced). If this was only the opinion of a small minority, then the insurgents wouldn't be able to operate on the scale they are.

Either through active support, or even indifference, the general Iraqi public is supporting the insurgency.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

[ QUOTE ]
6M, I supported this war for the first two years myself, but there is no progress anymore, things are even reverting.

It seems clear they want to live in some backwards 9th century Islamic state (after all, it's in the constitution the produced). If this was only the opinion of a small minority, then the insurgents wouldn't be able to operate on the scale they are.

Either through active support, or even indifference, the general Iraqi public is supporting the insurgency.

[/ QUOTE ]

My view is that those you are describing are definitely in the minority. I believe a lot of them are foreign fighters, some al-Qaeda, and some backed by Iran and Syria. The rest are remnants of Saddam's regime and/or sympaticos from the Sunni triangle area. It's not a tiny minority, but it is a minority.

Also, we have recently been capturing a lot more of the al-Qaeda in Iraq, and the Iraqi public is turning more insurgents in now than before.

I think more progress has been made than the news media generally report. Some of that lack is due to bias, as well as the news media's long-standing general tendency to report bad things and sensational things (and not just in Iraq; everywhere. Bad news sells). There are also some things not given to the news media in terms of progress made versus the insurgents that have occurred behind the scenes.

Iraqi elections are coming up shortly. I expect we will see a record turnout. Saddam's trial is gradually getting going. Things like this really do take time. It's only been a couple of years or so. A lot of changes have taken place, and after the elections, and trial (and execution) of Saddam, there is a good chance the country will come together more. Of course it won't be easy or happen overnight.

I'd bet that things in Iraq will be somewhat better 6 months from now, and better yet still a year and two years out from from now.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

That's an easy one.

But very apt, especially considering how they got down the hole.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

[ QUOTE ]
6M, I supported this war for the first two years myself, but there is no progress anymore, things are even reverting.

It seems clear they want to live in some backwards 9th century Islamic state (after all, it's in the constitution the produced). If this was only the opinion of a small minority, then the insurgents wouldn't be able to operate on the scale they are.

Either through active support, or even indifference, the general Iraqi public is supporting the insurgency.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am in the opposite camp as you. I was hesitant about the war at first, and believe the administration aimed to go to war before any evidence arose, pushed bad evidence carelessly and ignored dissent. However, I believe that we have reached a point in the war where turning back is foolish.

In aiming to take out Saddam and find WMDs, we have stumbled upon a great opportunity. Had we rapidly desposed of the insurgency and left Iraq, we would have had very little control over the post-war politics. The prolonged fight has pushed average Iraqis towards realizing our point of view - they have seen Zarqawi's vicious attacks on innocent civilians in their own population. Arabs are rising against the terrorists. Jordan is a good example of this. Jihadists have picked a fight with their native populations. The enemies of the Iraqi people are the same enemies of democracy that we have been fighting.

Yet, just as the moderate Muslim population is seeing the light, it has seemingly become imperative in Washington that we devise a way to flee Iraq, smothering whatever sparks of democracy are stirring in the Middle East. We set out to fight a war primarily for our own interests, and have come across a larger, greater cause. It would be a shame to abandon the war just because our lesser objectives were not met.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

Interesting post.

You wrote:

[ QUOTE ]
We set out to fight a war primarily for our own interests, and have come across a larger, greater cause.

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO Bush has had this cause in mind from day one of the war.

[ QUOTE ]
It would be a shame to abandon the war just because our lesser objectives were not met.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't think that the USA will abandon this war anytime soon.

Re: Easy solution to captured enemy prisoners
 

You are wrong. Winning isn't the only thing. Winning might be the only thing if your nation's survival is at stake. That isn't the case here. I think you have been watching too many football games.