Bitter debate on Iraq 'disturbing': Army general

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The bitter battle in Washington over whether to withdraw U.S. troops quickly from Iraq is disturbing but has not damaged U.S. military morale, a senior American Army general in Baghdad said on Tuesday.

"A precipitous pullout, I believe, would be destabilizing," Lt. Gen. John Vines, the second-ranking U.S. commander there, told Pentagon reporters in a teleconference from Iraq. He refused to set any timetable.

"Of course the debate and the bitterness is disturbing. But, after all, we are a democracy, and that is what democracy is about ... people will have differences of opinion," Vines said.

"Certainly, soldiers are concerned about whether or not they enjoy the support of not only their elected representatives but the people. And they know that they have their support," Vines replied when pressed about morale among the 155,000 American troops in Iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051122/pl_nm/iraq_usa_general_dc

[Canuckistanian]

1. No one's asking for a "precipitous pullout"

Except the Republicans in Congress...

[mike_c]

6. sure some of us are-- many in fact....

I want an immediate and unconditional withdrawal, with all U.S. troops out of Iraq just as fast as they and their weapons can be gotten to the border. Any "phased withdrawal timeline," as in "begin withdrawal in six months," or "withdraw by the end of next year" just means that more will die for nothing. There is no coherent mission to accomplish, so why stay one day longer than absolutely necessary?

[Canuckistanian]

18. I hear ya...

We have no dog in this fight, as they say...

[pocket]

8. I am

one more day means more dead Iraqis and troops

[Canuckistanian]

17. I mean, by a public official

But I agree with you. Every day in-country means needless deaths.

[Journeyman]

2. If this had been debated "before" the invasion. . .

we would never have put our troops in this harm's way. If the good general wants to consider what's "disturbing" in the world, he might start with the lack of democracy which was so evident in this country in the runup to the Iraq Attack.

[0007]

11. WE had massive protest marches denouncing the invasion

before it even started.

The main question of course was WMD's. No one expected this war to turn into another Vietnam, a cluster fuck, a quagmire. An economy straining drain on America. Hardly anyone thought junior was a complete fucking idiot then.

[Journeyman]

12. But we didn't have a debate. That requires at least two sides. . .

who are willing to listen to each other. We heard all the evidence and arguments from the side of the warmongers, but they refused to recognize us. Hard to have a "democracy" without a freeflow of info and the give and take of debate.

[0007]

13. You are right! Those were the days when the lid was put on folks.

"You're either with us or against"

There were many speaking out against the war, Howard Zinn and a whole gang of retired Generals.

[Journeyman]

16. Thankfully, those days of unreasoned fear are over (for the moment). . .

I've no doubt such blanket fear could possess the nation again (it has enough times in the past), but for the moment its spell is broken and it doesn't look like the present "cabal" will be able to resurrect it. I just hope we're able to extricate ourselves from the mess George W. created and start a genuine national discussion about our present-day needs and future expectations, instead of this insulting "daddy knows best" approach the Republicans have wallowed in these past five years.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

15. Thank you. I wish I had not been shouted down

as a nutcase and "anti-American" when I merely wanted to discuss why we should invade.

[MrModerate]

3. Frankly, I find the notion . . .

Of getting shredded into postage-stamp-sized pieces 'disturbing,' don't you, General sir? How about just getting your arm blown off and half your brain reduced to strawberry jam?

And, if I may ask, what could be more 'destablizing' than to have your country invaded?

And to the troops: you're brave guys and gals, but you have been sold.a.bill.of.goods. Sorry that your sacrifices have been useless, but that SOS in the White House doesn't give two quick shits about you. And the country is heartsick from watching you die.

Come home soon.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. How can you destablilize something

that is already destablilized.

Maybe we should ask nicely if those UN Peacekeepers could come back?

[goforit]

5. I guess that means we should be still fighting in Vietnam today!

Slugging it out till not one human sole resides on Earth.

This is just Crazy!!!

Typical brainwashed military type of thinking that constantly
hits brick walls.

[DanCa]

7. Lol - the word debate implies civilized discourse

Since when is name calling a type of debate?

[SomewhereOutThere424]

9. Of course it's disturbing the military

Probably the first most of those kids have heard the US DOESN'T want this war. This is what happens when propogranda is broken...'disturbing' the troops. Their own fault, not our's.

[High Plains]

10. Funny, it's the US invasion and occupation that I find disturbing.

[Triana]

14. NO. What's disturbing is...

..that this level of debate didn't occur BEFORE bu$hit invaded Iraq. Had that happened, we might not be stuck in this money-and death-pit of a debacle. THAT is what's disturbing.