Is the US mess in Iraq due to...

[Renew Deal]

Poll question: Is the US mess in Iraq due to...

[acmavm]

1. Other: Attacking it in the first place.

.

[EnfantTerrible]

2. kickety kick kick kick

[Crunchy Frog]

4. Agree with that!

Even if we had "done it right", I think it still would have deteriorated into a quagmire eventually. It would have taken a little longer, but it would have happened.

It's simply unacceptable to go around invading other countries just because their leaders are "bad". It's against international law, and there are always consequences in the end. People know when their country has been invaded illegitimately and they don't like it.

[Renew Deal]

10. That's what Saddam thought.

I remember old comments from him that no one can win in Iraq longterm because of the ensuing guerrilla war. He knew this would happen. I wonder if he prepared for it. I felt that he didn't, but I wonder.

[Placebo]

3. There was never any success in store for us...

after the "military" phase of the war was over. We will never win the hearts and minds of the people, and the Iraqis simply aren't ready for democracy and apparently don't want it. It's no fault of our military power.

[EnfantTerrible]

9. Check this out

http://www.sundayherald.com/46389

The US knows it has lost

[Placebo]

13. That's scary shit.

But it's also very true.

[Renew Deal]

15. I never believed that we cared about hearts and minds.

I just don't believe it. This was about Bush getting relected and oil. They would have stepped on anyone. They had the perfect excuse with Iraq.

[EnfantTerrible]

20. True that...

Hearts and Minds was just sugar-coating... an after-thought... as is obvious by the so called planning.

[Skip Intro]

5. Its due to an unjustified invasion by a fraudulent, mass-murdering gang

of thugs who have seized control of the most powerful military on earth, which they use in obscene ways, as they do all the power at their disposal, to attempt to bring their perverted, greed-based fascist rule to omnipotence.

Whether it was well-planned is beside the point.

[Longgrain]

6. Bush a moran?

[Renew Deal]

8. Yep

That's what I think too.

[Longgrain]

11. Heehee...

Don't tell the shrub though...it'll spoil the revolution...

Heehee...he doesn't know what's coming...

:)

[ncrainbowgrrl]

7. Everything is going great, mission accomplished. Oh, wait. Not so much.

I couldn't decide which one to pick- thought I'd go for the sarcastic vote.

[realisticphish]

12. A number of things

we underestimated to post-war situation, partly due to the fact that we expected to be greeted as liberators (well WE didnt, but you know what i mean). it was assumed that few soldiers would be needed. and the simple fact is, large powers fail miserably when fighting small, local forces (assuming they are not pursuing a total war bombing campaign). The american revolution, vietnam, korea, soviet invasion of afghanistan. occupation is always harder than a country assumes it will be


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[Renew Deal]

14. I don't think we underestimated the post-war situation.

I think we ignored the info. The information was out there. Shalikashvili said we would need more troops. I believe others did too. We were supposed to have a force come through Turkey. That never happened. We never actually secured any cities and had to go back and do that. I think the political people here knew what they were doing, but wanted the photo-op. I think they know we need a draft now. I doubt that they will do it and our current troops as well as our security will suffer.

[realisticphish]

18. true

i am used to speaking in the neutral poli sci analysis language :) i think the public underestimated, but i agree the military did not; they tried, and i respect them, but there were some STUPID mistakes, like the ones you listed

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[Ferball]

16. voted other

Most of the above I agree with such as not enough troops and political and military mistakes. Although I do believe our nation is capable (or should I rather say was capable) of handling the situation in iraq.

But when our administration trusts the intelligence with their theory into invading the nation, and then completely ignores the intelligence about inevitable insurgencies by not properly planning and handling of it, all goes to hell as it did.

[CanuckAmok]

17. Um...where's the option for "Clinton"?

I think this poll is rigged with a Liberal bias.

[imenja]

19. George Bush's utter incompetence