If you were in charge in Iraq...

Aristide was hardly a democrat ... not even in the most elementary "basic-rules-of-the-game" way.

If I were in charge,I would take the money and run.

mark

Speaking of Chalabi.....

There's that verb "to allow" again . . . why cannot foks recognize some simple math? There are likely as many as 25 million Iraquis, and perhaps more . . .

"Based on previous statistics, what was the current population of Iraq? a correspondent asked. The Iraq Central Statistical Office had estimated that in 1997, there were some 22 million Iraqis, she said. According to the United Nations Population Division estimates, the current population of Iraq was about 26 million. In 2000, the population had been some 23 million."

(According to the United Nations, August 8th, 2003, to be found at un.org)

We have slightly more than 100,000 troops there; the Brits, Spaniards, Italians, Poles and some very small national contingents comprise perhaps an additional 40,000. In a situation in which nearly any able-bodied citizen of that nation between 12 and 70 is a potential gunman or bomb, the disconnect of supporters of administration policy with regard to the numbers is appalling. Absent a financial commitment we cannot afford, and casualties the nation is unlikely to tolerate, what precisely does anyone propose justifies discussing what we will allow the Iraqis to do?

You are now thinking that EVERY Iraqi is against the US liberation of Iraq. I am sure that theere are plenty of people in Iraq that have had there fill of the Mullahs trying to force their backwards religion on them and would welcome a free country.

McGentrix
No not every Iraqi is a religious fundamentalist however, religion is a crucial part of Iraqi and indeed Islam society. Their religious leaders are able to influence the mindset of their adherents even to the point of suicide.
It reminds me of the war in the pacific. When the marines were island hopping they took very few prisoners. Why, because the Japanese's would fight to the death for their Emperor who was in a way their deity.
Like it or not there is no way to take the religious component out of our war in Iraq.

I don't think the avaerage Iraqi is any more influenced to kill in tghe name of their religion than the average American would be to kill in the name of theirs.

Your are entitled to your opinion. But events would seem to tell us otherwise.

<SPILT MILK ALERT>

Hey, maybe we could get the Democrats from Arkansas to open the polls on Sundays exclusively for bus-loads of Shiites brought directly from Mosques. Maybe in some other places in Iraq we can get them to keep the polls open a few extra hours despite a judge's ruling that they close on time. Oh, and don't forget that tried and true Democrat tactic of enticing the homeless with free smokes. Load 'em on a bus, give them a name under which they can vote, march 'em into the polls...

No, i'm not thinking that, so please don't put words into my mouth. I find you contention about the attitudes of the populace toward the mullahs to be hilarious--and suggest you are making suppositions which cannot be supported. My point is, even if only one percent of the population are willing to fight us, we would be outnumbered two to one. Every percentage point added to that just worsens the odds.

I wouldn't get involved in Iraq in the first place.