McGentrix wrote:Cycloptichorn wrote:The situation exists through a combination of our arrogance and stupidity. We screwed up the occupation of Iraq royally and in no small part this is due to incompetence and a lack of caring how taxpayer monies got spent by the Bush crew whom you all respect so much. We created this situation, and now you want to not take responsiblity for the outcome?
Cycloptichorn
This is a good example of one of the many divides between the left and the right in America. The left looks at the situation in Iraq and blames America for creating the many problems Iraq has had to deal with while never offering any sort of solution or alternative. Well, except for the tired "We never should have been there to begin with!"
The right looks at the situation in Iraq and lays the blame on the situation on those perpetrating the acts of violence. The warlords vying for power, the Imams preying on the weak, the terrorists killing whoever they can, the shiites aiming for revenge, the sunnis wanting to get power back. All this happening while the US military tries to maintain some semblance of control while juggling all those balls in the air and taking heat from home from the misguided left laying the blame for all that directly at the feet of their leaders.
Keep blaming America first cyc. You have lots of people on A2K cheering you on. But, sadly, they are just as wrong as you are.
You look at extreme examples of either argument and then decide that these are the two 'sides' in this case. A foolish move, for you know the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
We screwed up the occupation. Can anyone disagree with this? From a military standpoint we never really got on top of critical things such as securing the borders or baghdad. I believe this is because we basically rolled into the country, and then for the first six months there simply wasn't anyone to fight; we were lulled into a sense of complacency, into not doing the things that should have been done. Whether this was cracking down on shiite militias, securing baghdad, securing water and power facilities (as well as oil), whatever, it wasn't done.
From an economic point of view, we have lost billions of dollars due to corruption in Iraq. The president doesn't even care. The Republican-controlled congress certainly didn't. This matters, because the money to rebuild things/make the lives of Iraqis better is critical to our cause, and every dollar that was lost to corruption is a school that didn't get built, or police station that doesn't have running electricty or water. It directly affects our military situation when the infrastructure of the place is screwed to the point it is.
You say that I'm 'blaming America first.' Well, we aren't in our situation that we are today because of what the enemy did, we're there because of what WE did and didn't do. You want me to blame the enemy for taking advantage of our mis-steps? <outraged> How dare they!
What happened to you Republicans? The party of 'personal responsibility?' Does it not count when it comes to the big stuff?
Cycloptichorn
