Let's start clean, shall we?
OK, here's the deal: We are where we are in Iraq. We can debate all day long about the why's, wherefore's, and how-come's. All that is pointless, and fit only for the armchair generals whose hindsight is a miraculous 20/20, anyway. I can tell you for a fact that you NEVER go in knowing all you want to know, and truth be told, knowing all you NEED to know. But let's let that lie for a moment, and look at the here and now.
I would like to know this: Since it seems that the average American (and Canadian, and French, and everyone else in the world) obviously has access to far better intelligence than does the President, Congress, the CIA, DIA, OSI, etc. etc..,.
Just what is it that we SHOULD do now?
We stay, we suck because we're an "invading, occupying force."
We leave, we suck because we "left the job undone," and nature abhors a vacuum.
It's easy to sit here in our safe homes and criticize. Heaven knows I've done it, both from my safe home AND from a ditch in some godforsaken cesspool.
But really, what's the option? All I hear are complaints. If there's one thing I EVER taught my men (during peacetime), it's "don't you DARE come to me with a problem unless you've got some sort of solution." It didn't have to be the best one, or even a good one. Just wanted them to show me they'd actually THOUGHT about the problem, and it's options.
Gimme some options, folks.
DK