U.S. to pull out of Iraq after nearly 9 years of war

[Majikthise]

Dammit! Why do my links never work? I copied that address exactly.

Yeah, I have the same problem sometimes. Sometimes an alternate of the same video works. There are usually multiples of the same on youtube.

 

[Bismillah]

But you have the right to say what you feel , they have always made sure of that with their blood.

Haha when was the last time there was a defensive war the American military engaged in?

Almost every single person I've seen enter the Military has done so because of the incentive programs and it's obvious. Such vague and idiotic pretenses of nationalism are just an embarrassing coverup.

 

[Revoltingest]

Haha when was the last time there was a defensive war the American military engaged in?

Almost every single person I've seen enter the Military has done so because of the incentive programs and it's obvious. Such vague and idiotic pretenses of nationalism are just an embarrassing coverup.

Most vets I know were drafted.
One guy enlisted in the Marines to kill commies....& he sure did.
(Must be my age.)
I say the only solution to endless foreign adventurism is to vote Libertarian....but that's a losing solution, of course.
As I see it, most voters favor war when waged by their political party. So with a revolving door of alternating Dems
& Pubs in high office, continual war becomes the status quo. The carping about it looks like mere partisan bickering.

 

[Bismillah]

Most vets I know were drafted.

Must be the age difference

One guy enlisted in the Marines to kill commies....& he sure did.

I pity the fact that the man was forced to fight an unjust and unnecessary war.

I say the only solution to endless foreign adventurism is to vote Libertarian....but that's a losing solution, of course.
As I see it, most voters favor war when waged by their political party. So with a revolving door of alternating Dems
& Pubs, war becomes the status quo. The carping about it looks merely partisan.

Eh it's not just a dysfunctional voting system. The cultural idea of supporting troops but not the war is one type of example. I don't support a soldier who chooses to fight an illegal war. War has become enshrined as part of a national identity along with ignorance of those who we are fighting. It's come to infest our culture, media, religion, and mindset and it would take much to root it out. I suppose a country that has no central ethnicity, race, or background embraces its national values, this is a negative side effect of that reality.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I don't know. It seemed like we punched the **** out of Saddam relatively fast. We were throwing even more punches (sometimes you gotta dish out more than one black eye if you are trying to teach multiple lessons), but I guess that was like.. to... teach...... lessons?

Here is the thing Dust1n, I don't have a problem going next door and giving my neighbor a well deserved black eye.

I don't however, camp out on his front lawn for ten years and punch him out each and every day he comes out his front door.

 

[Majikthise]

Haha when was the last time there was a defensive war the American military engaged in?

Almost every single person I've seen enter the Military has done so because of the incentive programs and it's obvious. Such vague and idiotic pretenses of nationalism are just an embarrassing coverup.

All the wars America has fought in have been defensive. Everyone talks of American Imperialism. An Empire ivades other countries with the intention of taking resoures without compensation, subplanting the exisiting government with thier own, and demanding tribute(taxation). If the peoples in question fail to bend the knee they are punished with unyielding force until they give in. No letting them control their own governace, no great tolerance of their religion or trying to respect their beliefs.
This is what Empires have done through out history. Rome, Brittain, and Russia are examples of imperial conquest throughtout history.
If we wanted Iraqs resourses why didn't we just say bugger off and take it? What are the Iraquis paying us in tribute for ousting a murderous dictator and helping them set up their own government?


You said America no central race, ethnicity or background and this constitutes weakness. Very telling.

 

[Majikthise]

Here is the thing Dust1n, I don't have a problem going next door and giving my neighbor a well deserved black eye.

I don't however, camp out on his front lawn for ten years and punch him out each and every day he comes out his front door.

Does your neighbor plant IEDs all over the yard?

 

[Bismillah]

All the wars America has fought in have been defensive.

To take one example, how was the war in Iraq "defensive"? It was an illegal occupation and the ones responsible for propagating the fake evidence and propaganda to push for that war should be tried as war criminals.

We've seen just how far American foreign policy is willing to go to overthrow democratic regimes in the Mid East, in Latin America, and in Asia. We have seen how willing American officials are to plant and fabricate evidence for these wars. And I am expected to praise the troops every time they volunteer for their imperialistic juants

You said America no central race, ethnicity or background and this constitutes weakness. Very telling.

When idiots clamor around a vague misguided sense of nationalism it is a weakness, a very big one.

 

[Bismillah]

staff edit

That's right buddy. Dem scary facts only make me a terrorist The Military is a sham built to further an Imperialistic foreign policy that has and will continue to pursue and justify unjust wars. I will never respect that institution nor the blind sheep who parrot nationalism and tout it as an American value.

If dumb ***** took a moment to see who the vast majority of victims of terrorism are then they would refrain from making such idiotic remarks accusing me of sympathizing with the agenda of terrorists.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't expect you to praise anyone except those who martyr themselves and kill indesciminately in the name of the divine right of Islam.

Criminy...that's out'a line.

 

[Jeremy Mason]

Curious its only countries of strategic or economic interest to the US we attack and "save from oppression." I notice we never went into Darfur or Rwanda or Cambodia, where we could actually have helped people.




Freedom fighters my arse. The military is corporate muscle.

Freedom Packages!

America's Freedom Packages - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - 03/21/11 - Video Clip | Comedy Central

 

[Majikthise]

Criminy...that's out'a line.

No more out of line than some of the other provocative assertions being displayed in this thread.

 

[Valjean]

All the wars America has fought in have been defensive. Everyone talks of American Imperialism. An Empire ivades other countries with the intention of taking resoures without compensation, subplanting the exisiting government with thier own, and demanding tribute(taxation). If the peoples in question fail to bend the knee they are punished with unyielding force until they give in. No letting them control their own governace, no great tolerance of their religion or trying to respect their beliefs.
This is what Empires have done through out history. Rome, Brittain, and Russia are examples of imperial conquest throughtout history.
If we wanted Iraqs resourses why didn't we just say bugger off and take it? What are the Iraquis paying us in tribute for ousting a murderous dictator and helping them set up their own government?

Invasion is expensive, Majikthise. Cheaper and cleaner just to install a puppet regime or otherwise compel co-operation with US interests. The US has been doing this throughout its history. Usually an actual invasion is unnecessary.
Check out this site: U.S. Interventions - 1945 to the Present William Blum
(This covers a period beginning in '45. But we were just as economically rapacious before then).

This is just a partial list, I could give you many others, or you could probably find more with a google search.

The US military does not serve the people. It does not protect the country. It does not promote Democracy (indeed, it opposes democratic regimes and installs pro-US dictatorships) It is an economic force, enforcing an American world economic hegemony.

 

[Kathryn]

same thing I said after the first gulf war.

Right on. You can't bomb people and give them school supplies at the same time. I mean, we did bomb the hell out of Germany in WW2 and then later help them rebuild their economy - but we didn't do both at the SAME TIME.

 

[Kathryn]

Haha when was the last time there was a defensive war the American military engaged in?

Almost every single person I've seen enter the Military has done so because of the incentive programs and it's obvious. Such vague and idiotic pretenses of nationalism are just an embarrassing coverup.

Wait a damn minute.

I have three kids in the military. My ex husband is a LTC in the Army. My father and my brother served in the military. They all joined for different reasons - but the only one I can think of which joined for the incentive package is my ex husband. That being said, once in, he chose to commit to a career, based on his belief in the mission.

My son, daughter, and son in law all joined shortly after 9/11 like many of their peers, and did so at least in part out of a conviction to serve the needs of their country.

I've spent much of my life on military installations and around military personnel and their families. To casually dismiss their patriotism and commitment to serve their country is pretentious and short sighted in my opinion.

That being said, I'm very glad we are pulling out of Iraq, and I hope we pull out of Afghanistan soon too. We do not have a clearly defined mission in either arena and consequently our policies put many good people in jeopardy, including our own soldiers, airmen, and marines.

I've been to too many funerals and gravesites of my childrens' friends and co workers, and I'm not sure what they died for. The phrase "for their country" seems too vague.

Time to regroup. Past time in my opinion.

 

[Valjean]

I don't doubt the patriotism of many in the military, Kathryn; the sincere belief that they are serving their country, but I also believe that, on the whole, they're being duped.

 

[Kathryn]

I don't doubt the patriotism of many in the military, Kathryn; the sincere belief that they are serving their country, but I also believe that, on the whole, they're being duped.

I believe that the issue is one of poor leadership. From the very top.

 

[JacobEzra.]

All the wars America has fought in have been defensive.

What was so defensive with Iraq? For all I remember, Bush said Saddam was flirting with Taliban and Al-Queda and had WMD. THAT was the basis for the war in Iraq. Sounds more like policing then defending

 

[JacobEzra.]

You don't serve the country. That is a lie they tell you. Your really serving mans greed.

you thought uncle sam wanted you
but you were used, you were just abused
I try to tell you time and time again
the only war worth winning is the war thats within

you played right into uncle sams hands
where is the glory in complying with demands
you were used to defend world dominitation-CV

 

[JacobEzra.]

I dont agree with everything Jello believes, but he makes a point.

[youtube]gZkvtuwbMW4[/youtube]
Die For Oil Sucker - Jello Biafra - YouTube