A serious Question

[Gibby]

Discuss: Would the election of a DNC president change things in Iraq even if the Democrats retained possession of the congress (which I believe they will) That is to say would a Democrat president with a Democrat controlled congress be able to 1. Bring the troops home or 2. Bring the war to a "successful conclusion (read Iraq becomes a stable parliamentary democracy that can hold its own in the near future (say sometime before we are collecting pensions and living off our 401ks)?

[JLB]

No to the successful part.

[comericatigers]

Yes to 1 and no to 2

[Gibby]

My view is that nothing would change because bringing the troops home with Iraq in shambles would appear to be a defeat and military defeat throughout the history of the republic has always resulted in the ouster of the incumbant party. It would be nice to think that the DNC would withdraw the troops and leave the Iraqis on their own but I think a DNC president would find herself trapped in the nasty catch 22 that Bushfart created in March, 2003.

On the converse I do not see a DNC or GOP president being able to ever establish a stable parliamentary democracy there as too many mistakes were made in the immediate aftermath of the conclusion of the combat phase of the invasion to ever be repaired. Sadly I see us in Iraq for years to come and the war will be nothing but a nasty hot button issue that nobody really addresses for the foreseeable future.

[Matt]

In my opinion there's no such thing as successful anymore in Iraq, and I don't see how dropping everything and leaving now would hurt ourselves or the Iraqi people anymore then we already have.

I don't buy into the idea that leaving would make Iraq a breeding ground for terrorism, it already is a breeding ground for terrorism.

I don't buy into the idea that leaving would make Iraq an organized terrorist state, it already is an organized terrorist state.

Of course, leaving will just allow the Middle East and the Iraqi's particularly to bemoan about how we've left their state in a terrible mess. But the truth is we have. We should come home. We should swallow this pill, admit this mistake, and stop meddling in other countries affairs with preemptive, aggressive action and mind our own business. It doesn't work. We need to view the rest of the world as equal. Why is that so wrong?

We are turning into Rome. Why can't we see that? George Washington warned about this. Dwight Eisenhower warned about this. You can't lead a successful empire by leaving standing armies all over the place. The enormity of your own power will devour you. We're treading down that road.

[Shama-Lama Ding Dong]

Discuss: Would the election of a DNC president change things in Iraq even if the Democrats retained possession of the congress (which I believe they will) That is to say would a Democrat president with a Democrat controlled congress be able to 1. Bring the troops home or 2. Bring the war to a "successful conclusion (read Iraq becomes a stable parliamentary democracy that can hold its own in the near future (say sometime before we are collecting pensions and living off our 401ks)?

If I was "God," I would:

Cause the election of a impeaching Senate in 08,
Impeach and convict Bush and Cheney before "Hilary" takes office.
Pelosi, as President for 2.5 weeks, brings the boys home.
"Hilary" comes in clean.

Oh yeah, the Sabres are 34-0 at this time too.

[35Pete]

If I was "God," I would:

Cause the election of a impeaching Senate in 08,
Impeach and convict Bush and Cheney before "Hilary" takes office.
Pelosi, as President for 2.5 weeks, brings the boys home.
"Hilary" comes in clean.

Oh yeah, the Sabres are 34-0 at this time too.

Hilliary fan????

Bwahahahahaaha!!!!

Now things are beginning to make sense.

[Gibby]

I ask it again.

[35Pete]

I ask it again.

You are assuming that there is a difference between the parties.

Gibby.

Riddle me this...

Pressure from above and pressure from below.

What's the context historically?