Iraq

[restless_native]

This isn't a question about the rights or wrongs of invading Iraq as that's something that can't be changed. It's about how the current situation should be dealt with.

That nice Mr Obama has announced his intention to remove US forces from the country as soon as is possible with an end to combat operations next month. However, to an outside observer the situation in Irag doesn't really seem to be improving. In the last couple of days another forty people were killed and dozens injured in a series of bomb attacks throughout Iraq.

So my question is should the west remove it's forces from the region or now that we are in the situation which we are in do we have a moral obligation to stick it out and try to solve the problems that we are largely responsible for?

[Jo van]

I think it's all more complicated than that, and always was.
There is OIL involved, and pipelines, and "Contracts for the Re-Building".
I'd also like to know how many "Private" Military Advisors"/ Mercinaries, and "Private Security Companies" are operating there, to protect the financial interests of the companies profiting.. (Haliburton etc)

I don't know the answer, because I don't know enough about "our backing" of the governments, and the "Aid" that's conditional on their being 'compliant' to the interests of the 'west'.

We killed more Iraqis than even Sadam, so....
I don't really think we're in a position to be talking about "morals", there..

[Humphrey Osmond]

That nice Mr Obama has announced his intention to remove US forces from the country as soon as is possible with an end to combat operations next month.

The last "official" combat troops left almost a week ago, ...but, ...the "private security-force" (*cough*mercenaries*cough*) contingent is being beefed up.

As per usually, things are probably going to get a lot worse before they get better. If history has taught us anything, ...Western meddling in that region has always resulted in an exponential "payoff".

...The best enemies that money can buy.

[saddle-tramp]

Iraq, Afghanistan... Who's in the middle... Go figure...And I don't think it's about oil...

[Storm]

That nice Mr Obama has announced his intention to remove US forces from the country as soon as is possible with an end to combat operations next month

Yes take all the glory for something that has already happened.
In the words of Forest Gump 'That's all I have got to say about that'

the "private security-force" (*cough*mercenaries*cough*) contingent is being beefed up.

Quite true!..but as per usual those figures are not transparent. The private contractors who are building schools and hospitals with 'our' money is also not being publicised..nor the funding for illegal immigrants being housed and looked after back in their own country, because their government 'claim' they have not got the facilities to re home them.
Also the 40 year plan that the MOD/US defence dept on both Iraq and Afghan will be dealt within the private sector..but hey! it all makes the government look good and the public feel 'safer' in their own little bubbles'

[restless_native]

That nice Mr Obama has announced his intention to remove US forces from the country as soon as is possible with an end to combat operations next month

Yes take all the glory for something that has already happened.

What do you mean?

I'm struggling to see anything glorious about what has happened in Iraq. It seems to more me as if we're trying to skulk away having thoroughly fvcked the place up.

I don't believe we should have gone in there in the first place. But, as I said that's all water under the bridge now. I do believe though that as we did go in we at least have a responsibility not to leave the place in a worse condition than when we arrived.

[Storm]

What do you mean?

I'm struggling to see anything glorious about what has happened in Iraq. It seems to more me as if we're trying to skulk away having thoroughly fvcked the place up.

I agree with that!..what I meant is the 'plan' was put in place years ago, Obama is just following the plan and taking credit for it..I do not see it as Glory..but war mongers may?..Hence the description.

I don't believe we should have gone in there in the first place. But, as I said that's all water under the bridge now. I do believe though that as we did go in we at least have a responsibility not to leave the place in a worse condition than when we arrived.

No I do not believe we should of gone into a country that had nothing to do with us. Yes we do have the responsibility to 'follow it through' We should be accountable for our actions..and the people who should deal with this, is the government and our armed forces..not passed onto private contractors..buried and come out 'pretending' *we won the war!*

[Stress Free]

Do our Governments ever want our forces to be none operational ? The best training to ensure that we can defend our own Countries is to have them Operational.
As for withdrawing troops from operations in Iraq and Afgan? They must have reached whatever goals that where there objectives. There is so much that we do not get to know about both financially and diplomatically etc. that we can only guess.
IMO

[saddle-tramp]

And there's another three massive US bases planned for Afghanistan...

[chopper]

why the feck did we go into afghanistan and iraq in the first place..? any trouble in them countrys aint got nothing to do with us or the usa..we should of minded our own fecking buisness..do you think if there was big trouble in china next year that the usa and the uk would go in there and try sort it out..? would they bollox..the usa and uk went into iraq for one reason..oil..simple as that..no other reason....oil.