Army head, in exit interview, acknowledges that ISIS could have been prevented

[WVPATX]

Some candor which is refreshing. Exiting Iraq was an enormous, strategic mistake that we will pay for dearly.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...-exit-interview-says-us-could-have-prevented/

 

[Popeer]

Some candor which is refreshing. Exiting Iraq was an enormous, strategic mistake that we will pay for dearly./

JFC. The strategic mistake was invading Iraq in the first place. Sure, we could have told the Iraqis to get f**cked and left a couple of divisions there to occupy the country, and we'd still be fighting the same insurgents. How many American lives is an Iraqi worth to you? At what point do the Iraqis become responsible for their own defense?

 

[WVPATX]

JFC. The strategic mistake was invading Iraq in the first place. Sure, we could have told the Iraqis to get f**cked and left a couple of divisions there to occupy the country, and we'd still be fighting the same insurgents. How many American lives is an Iraqi worth to you? At what point do the Iraqis become responsible for their own defense?

ISIS, according to the General who knows far more than you or me, wouldn't exist if we had stayed. We are still in Korea for good reasons.

 

[BigLickMountee]

ISIS, according to the General who knows far more than you or me, wouldn't exist if we had stayed. We are still in Korea for good reasons.

ISIS, according to Joe sixpack, wouldn't have occurred if we had not invaded Iraq. Nearly all of ISIS leadership is made up of former Iraqi officers.

 

[WVPATX]

ISIS, according to Joe sixpack, wouldn't have occurred if we had not invaded Iraq. Nearly all of ISIS leadership is made up of former Iraqi officers.

We should have NEVER left Iraq. That decision directly gave rise to ISIS. We have troops stationed all over the world for a reason. ISIS never invades Iraq with US soldiers present.

 

[BigLickMountee]

We should have NEVER left Iraq. That decision directly gave rise to ISIS. We have troops stationed all over the world for a reason. ISIS never invades Iraq with US soldiers present.

How many more troops die in spite of the corrupt Iraqi government we prop up? The Iraqi people do not seek self rule.

 

[WVPATX]

How many more troops die in spite of the corrupt Iraqi government we prop up? The Iraqi people do not seek self rule.

We were the glue that held Iraq together as the General acknowledges. ISIS is now forming a terror state in Iraq from which to launch terror attacks, just as AQ did in Afghanistan. Our presence alone would have prevented ISIS from entering Iraq from Syria. They did so with only 800 troops. Obama called them the JV team. He dramatically underestimated the threat.

 

[BigLickMountee]

We were the glue that held Iraq together as the General acknowledges. ISIS is now forming a terror state in Iraq from which to launch terror attacks, just as AQ did in Afghanistan. Our presence alone would have prevented ISIS from entering Iraq from Syria. They did so with only 800 troops. Obama called them the JV team. He dramatically underestimated the threat.

Okay

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

How many more troops die in spite of the corrupt Iraqi government we prop up? The Iraqi people do not seek self rule.

Less than what it will take to drive them out.

 

[BigLickMountee]

Less than what it will take to drive them out.

Then what thereafter with a corrupt government in place when focusing on stability and peace as a long term solution? Are our boys worth the gamble?

 

[WVPATX]

Then what thereafter with a corrupt government in place when focusing on stability and peace as a long term solution? Are our boys worth the gamble?

We have lost people to ISIS and we will lose more. Needless losses, imo. Retiring General Odierno said it best. This could have been avoided.

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

Then what thereafter with a corrupt government in place when focusing on stability and peace as a long term solution? Are our boys worth the gamble?

All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Strategically, it makes perfect sense to be there long term. Having a presence in Iraq locks down an entire region. Had we stayed in AFG, we basically had Iran surrounded.

 

[BigLickMountee]

All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing..

the left doesn't see evil nor does it see the use of goodness to stand for something ultimately moral, especially if blood is spilled for the sake of freedom for others. Gay marriage trumps the suffering in Syria or Iraq or Afghanistan. Disability payments over torture, any day any time. Just ask Keyser, the queen of disability.

nonetheless the long term is not what is focused on from election cycle to the next election cycle.

I bet if asked, as to what is more important here, a golf tournament or climate change as a topic for government action verses the volumes of those dying at the hands of ISIS, most here would say their understanding of climate change or how Tiger is playing takes center stage (or current events reported by Jon Stewart). There is no moral imperative to staying the long term if discussing Trump takes center stage. We have no moralists here or running for president.

so we take a sideline point of view and watch people die so someone like Trump or Hillary become our president. Congrats to the country, I guess.

 

[Popeer]

ISIS, according to the General who knows far more than you or me, wouldn't exist if we had stayed. We are still in Korea for good reasons.

Stop comparing Iraq to Korea. Just stop it. It's a false comparison and you know it, unless you're dumber than I think you are. We didn't invade Korea to overthrow a dictator we didn't like, we went to war there to help the South drive out an invading communist force. And neither during the war nor in the 62 years since the cease-fire went into effect has there been a threat to our troops from within - the government and people of South Korea have repeatedly demonstrated their desire for a U.S. presence, by initiating and repeatedly renewing a rational SOFA.

 

[WVPATX]

Stop comparing Iraq to Korea. Just stop it. It's a false comparison and you know it, unless you're dumber than I think you are. We didn't invade Korea to overthrow a dictator we didn't like, we went to war there to help the South drive out an invading communist force. And neither during the war nor in the 62 years since the cease-fire went into effect has there been a threat to our troops from within - the government and people of South Korea have repeatedly demonstrated their desire for a U.S. presence, by initiating and repeatedly renewing a rational SOFA.

We are in Korea to provide stability. We should be in Iraq for the same reason. Why we got involved in each war is irrelevant.

 

[Walter Brennaneer]

Stop comparing Iraq to Korea. Just stop it. It's a false comparison and you know it, unless you're dumber than I think you are. We didn't invade Korea to overthrow a dictator we didn't like, we went to war there to help the South drive out an invading communist force. And neither during the war nor in the 62 years since the cease-fire went into effect has there been a threat to our troops from within - the government and people of South Korea have repeatedly demonstrated their desire for a U.S. presence, by initiating and repeatedly renewing a rational SOFA.

POOP...stopping telling people what to post. Quit calling people dumb...coming from a ****-storm like yourself that really hurts.

 

[countryroads89_rivals]

[QUOTE="...the volumes of those dying at the hands of ISIS, ...[/QUOTE]

Can anyone on here seriously tell us, with some degree of certainty, how many people ISIS has killed around the world? Can you tell us how many Americans have been killed by ISIS? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see anyone die, but they (ISIS) have grabbed media attention by the horrific nature in which they kill people. They have effectively used the internet as a means of communicating their horror and spreading their hate. I know there have been a lot of people flee Syria. Seriously looking for numbers.

 

[Popeer]

We are in Korea to provide stability. We should be in Iraq for the same reason. Why we got involved in each war is irrelevant.

Bullsh*t. Iraq was only unstable because we invaded, so why we got involved is absolutely relevant to people who can think critically. How many U.S. troops have been killed by IEDs planted by Koreans since 1953? None. Did a terrorist group spring up in response to our presence in Korea? Once again, no. I spent two Army tours and a 6-month deployment in Korea and not once was I threatened by a local, nor were we required to drive around in blast-hardened vehicles to protect ourselves from insurgents. But hang on to your false comparisons if it helps you sleep at night.

 

[Keyser76]

We made Iraq unstable. After the first Gulf War, which we wisely didn't move on Baghdad, the no fly zone in the North and South had Saddam bottled up and the Kurds were in charge in the North once we established the no fly zones and Provide Comfort. I personally walked around Irbil and Zakho without even carrying a weapon because we were shadowed by the PKK and it was a stable area basically run by the Kurds. But hey, Cheney lied and scared the wingnuts and spineless Democrats into green lighting the stupid war. Not to mention we took out Irans main enemy in Saddam and gave them all the inroads into Iraq that they wanted.

 

[WVPATX]

Bullsh*t. Iraq was only unstable because we invaded, so why we got involved is absolutely relevant to people who can think critically. How many U.S. troops have been killed by IEDs planted by Koreans since 1953? None. Did a terrorist group spring up in response to our presence in Korea? Once again, no. I spent two Army tours and a 6-month deployment in Korea and not once was I threatened by a local, nor were we required to drive around in blast-hardened vehicles to protect ourselves from insurgents. But hang on to your false comparisons if it helps you sleep at night.

Completely ill relevant. It is in our national security interests to have a stable Iraq. Obama declared Iraq stable snd then he pulled all troops out. He made a fatal, strategic error. Just as he made a fatal strategic error in Syria. ISIS was born as a result of his blunders. JV team indeed.

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

We made Iraq unstable. After the first Gulf War, which we wisely didn't move on Baghdad, the no fly zone in the North and South had Saddam bottled up and the Kurds were in charge in the North once we established the no fly zones and Provide Comfort. I personally walked around Irbil and Zakho without even carrying a weapon because we were shadowed by the PKK and it was a stable area basically run by the Kurds. But hey, Cheney lied and scared the wingnuts and spineless Democrats into green lighting the stupid war. Not to mention we took out Irans main enemy in Saddam and gave them all the inroads into Iraq that they wanted.

So how does that reconcile with Obama being handed a somewhat stable Iraq and under his watch things have deteriorated. At this point, it's irrelevant that Bush lied or didn't and that we invaded. That's water under the bridge.

Obama has ownership of the decisions he made in office and the ramifications of those decisions to and including discounting ISIS and discounting what everyone knew would ensue when we left a power vacuum. Those decisions gave rise to ISIS and have allowed them to establish a legitimate caliphate. Those decisions allowed the Muslim brotherhood to rise to power, and 10's if not 100's of thousands of people to be slaughtered in Syria.

 

[bornaneer]

We made Iraq unstable. After the first Gulf War, which we wisely didn't move on Baghdad, the no fly zone in the North and South had Saddam bottled up and the Kurds were in charge in the North once we established the no fly zones and Provide Comfort. I personally walked around Irbil and Zakho without even carrying a weapon because we were shadowed by the PKK and it was a stable area basically run by the Kurds. But hey, Cheney lied and scared the wingnuts and spineless Democrats into green lighting the stupid war. Not to mention we took out Irans main enemy in Saddam and gave them all the inroads into Iraq that they wanted.

I agree with most of what you say here. I also have repeatedly stated that I agree with Obama not sending in American boots on the ground. With that being said, I believe Obama and his team made some miscalculations with their "Muslim Brotherhood" and "Arab Spring" assessments.

 

[Keyser76]

I agree with most of what you say here. I also have repeatedly stated that I agree with Obama not sending in American boots on the ground. With that being said, I believe Obama and his team made some miscalculations with their "Muslim Brotherhood" and "Arab Spring" assessments.

I always think back to the scene in Lawerence of Arabia where he tries to give the city of Aquaba to the coalition of arab tribes if they can come together as one, they couldn't. Once you have been to the middle east it doesn't take long to realize it isn't a religious thing of Christians vs. muslims, it's a tribal thing and the sunnis and the Shiites hate each other.

 

[DvlDog4WVU]

I always think back to the scene in Lawerence of Arabia where he tries to give the city of Aquaba to the coalition of arab tribes if they can come together as one, they couldn't. Once you have been to the middle east it doesn't take long to realize it isn't a religious thing of Christians vs. muslims, it's a tribal thing and the sunnis and the Shiites hate each other.

Well, lets not kid ourselves, the Wahhabi's aren't exactly fans of Christians either.

 

[bornaneer]

I always think back to the scene in Lawerence of Arabia where he tries to give the city of Aquaba to the coalition of arab tribes if they can come together as one, they couldn't. Once you have been to the middle east it doesn't take long to realize it isn't a religious thing of Christians vs. muslims, it's a tribal thing and the sunnis and the Shiites hate each other.

I have never been there and have no desire to go. I believe it's a "cluster" and always will be.

 

[mneilmont]

[QUOTE="...the volumes of those dying at the hands of ISIS, ...

Can anyone on here seriously tell us, with some degree of certainty, how many people ISIS has killed around the world? Can you tell us how many Americans have been killed by ISIS? Don't get me wrong, I don't want to see anyone die, but they (ISIS) have grabbed media attention by the horrific nature in which they kill people. They have effectively used the internet as a means of communicating their horror and spreading their hate. I know there have been a lot of people flee Syria. Seriously looking for numbers.[/QUOTE]
What is the number required to be killed by a bunch of terrorists with desire to spread their terror? How many Americans must be killed to prompt a response? Does it make a difference that they are Anti-American and Israeli? Or do you choose to disbelieve their intent? I too am seriously looking for numbers. When does the good country intervene?