They have not attacked the US since 9-11 not because we are in Iraq-but because they can’t do the things they did on 9-11 e.g. our guard is up. So Europe is held more at risk than the US because its probably easier for them to go there-except the Europeans have disrupted more than a few plots.Again that would have happened whether or not we were in Iraq.

The war in Iraq is the war in Iraq. Its not related to the”war on terrorism” except that there are a number of terrorists who go there because that is where the Americans are. However if the Iraq war ended tomorrow and the Iraqis actually got their stuff together and behaved like decent people-the threat from terrorism would still be there. It will be here 10 years hence-until the Muslims get rid of their stupid religion and assimilate into a real society. There are still terrorists in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. An American was murdered in the PI 14 days ago-in Luzon no less. The PI government is struggling against them with our help. That has nothing to do with what whether we are in Iraq. It has everything to do with Islam though. The keys to controlling Islam are not in Iraq.

What about the oil? A nation does not have to be a democracy to be a trading partner. Iraq needs the money and we need the oil. They will sell it-as will Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Kazakistan etc etc etc. Problem is not matter what happens, demand is going up because 2 economies are around now that were not 20 years ago-India and China. Japan already uses a lot-so does the rest of Asia. So like it or not we are going to have to compete with them for what we want. And over time the supply will continue to go down so it will get even more competitive.

I did not bring up US politics-someone else did. I just simply took the bait because I cannot resist it.

I never walked away from a basketball game when my team needed me in overtime to help ‘em win. I ain’t gonna this time.

What you are trying to convince these good folks here, again.. for the 1000th time, is that Iraq and by extension the Middle East are not in our national interest. As you simyultaneusly confuse ‘em by going in/out of US politics and the vagaries of Shia, Sunni and Kurd…

OK then, SIR, lets break it down to the bottom-line AND NOT even consider that “old terrorism from Islamo-facist variable” that happened to kill 3000 of our population on 9-11….. I say what about all that oil Skippy? We need, no, the world needs access to that oil.

One more thing- All agree, Iraq is a “shit-magnet” for Al Queda. As a result we kill them there. Isn’t that cost effective from a logistics standpoint? How about the fact that they haven’t attacked us CONUS since 9-11?

b2

For clarity’s sake, what was your MOS again?

We don’t hear much, if anything at all from those theaters.