Schmoliticians' Poll Question #1
Let me try to articulate an unbiased, reasonably closed-ended question...
Are you personally for or against the U.S. Government withdrawing its combat troops from Iraq over the course of the next 6 months? Why or why not?
[Ed: Please keep your response to 2 sentences.]
posted by Sean @ 8/12/2005 01:02:00 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
OK, I'll go first ;-) and it's probably not what you expect me to say...
I am not in favor of the U.S. pulling its combat troops out of Iraq in the next 6 months. I believe that Iraq is highly unstable, and that without the U.S. foreign occupation force, Iraq will fall swiftly and surely into full-scale civil war, further de-stabilizing the Middle East.
I don't agree with the reasons given for prosecuting this war, but I also feel it would be irresponsible for us to withdraw our troops until _________? And to me, that's the bigger question: at what point do we say "OK, we're done; now it's up to you guys?" Pres. Bush has warned against "withdrawing before the mission is complete." But, what's the "mission"--a viable security force and stable political infrastructure? Let's define the mission, set parameters/objectives/deadlines, and then plan for a withdrawal. Now that we're there, though, we need to see this thing through.
(OK, that's 6 sentences. Sorry.)
I am against it because withdrawing US troops from Iraq within 6 months will not aid or accomplish any mission related to diminishing terrorism, eradicating Al Qaeda, fostering democracy in the Middle East, or repairing the damage we caused during the Iraqi liberation.
I'm afraid I'll have to use more than two sentences. I'm opposed to an arbitrary date - like six months. I agree that they are not stable, or ready to protect themselves. However, I am uncomfortable with what I see as no plan for the next [fill in the number here] months. For example, do any Schmoliticians know what the plan is for the next six months? How can you measure progress without goals, both short term and long term? A goal like "democracy in Iraq" is way too vague and large to be effective. We need to have some more granular objectives. Otherwise, we'll never get out of there.
I will toe the Schmoliticians party line here as well: I do not support withdrawing US troops from Iraq in the next N months.
The invasion of a sovereign nation with the stated goal of "regime change" committed us to ensuring that what was destroyed would be rebuilt. That means infrastructure, and that means a viable political system. That especially means restoring at least the same quality of life that Iraqi citizens enjoyed (though "enjoyed" may be the wrong word) before, and making sure the region is at least as stable as it was before.
Thus far, none of these goals have been met, and thus, in my opinion, neither has our commitment. So the troops must stay.
I am in total agreement with Harris and Carolyn that the lack of a plan, any plan, is the most troubling part. I fully recognise that the formation of a tenable plan is a most difficult problem indeed, but that is no excuse.
I'm also against pulling troops from Iraq, with the same reasoning as everyone else has cited.
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