Thank God for those men and women willing to risk their lives for the rest of us to live in relative peace.

So are you saying that you think that we should have left Saddam in power?

Saddam was an effective counterweight to Iran, which is why we provided him with intel during the Iraq-Iran war. And while he cooperated with al Qaida in the ’90s, he never would have let them take over his country.

But Saddam was too dangerous, especially after the Clinton-era somnambulism was jolted awake by September 11th and it became apparent that he could do tremendous damage if he started funneling WMDs to al Qaida.

So now we are the counterweight.

Iran and al Qaida? Maybe you need to have Joe whisper in your ear too, like he whispered in Juan’s. Iran – Shiite. Al Q – Sunni.

I guess you haven’t heard: Iran is perfectly happy supporting Sunni Islamofascists when it suits them. And I’m sure they’d be delighted to take over southern Iraq, and leave the rest for al Qaida.

And so with a lame attempt at reductio ad absurdam satire

Lame? Reductio absurdum?

I thought it was rather clever and spot on myself.

you dismiss the entirely rational argument that it is in the vital interest of the United States to maintain peace, stability, and a Western presence in the Middle East—

Remember the 80’s war between Iran and Iraq? Did we end up any worse off due to millions of fanatics on both sides getting killed? Remember the 60’s proxy war between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in Yemen? Was that a good or bad thing for Infidels?

If there were to be an internecine war between Infidel hating Muslims and Infidel hating Muslims, why is that a bad thing for Infidels? If two or more of our enemies are busy destroying each other, why should we even bother stopping them?
(HT: JihadWatch – InfidelPride)

and in particular, to prevent Iran and al Qaida from taking over Iraq, Iraqi oil, and controlling the Persian Gulf.

So are you saying that you think that we should have left Saddam in power?

Iran and al Qaida? Maybe you need to have Joe whisper in your ear too, like he whispered in Juan’s. Iran – Shiite. Al Q – Sunni.

If the United States left Iraq, genocide would be the least of the disasterous consequences. Just imagine al Qaida with those oil riches.

MrLynn on April 8, 2008 at 11:37 PM

That sounds even more apocalyptic than Al Gores chicken-little Global Warming. Maybe you and he could team up?

I see you are all about changing to a different topic to attack me.

Don’t be paranoid and get over yourself as you are not that important to me anyway.

I didn’t seem to find anywhere where I addressed mental health problems of US soldiers do you.

I don’t see any rules that say that I have to wait for you to address something specific before I do. Where is that rule? Are you a royal? Are you even a Captain for that matter?

well you quoted an opinion piece by some guy that sits at his computer all day wishing for hope and change so it seems you want us to believe what the keyboard warrior has to say and just go with that…..

oh look shiny objects…..

CaptainObvious on April 8, 2008 at 11:58 PM

Again, what I think that you are referring to anyway is what I quoted from AFP via Yahoo news.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080408/pl_afp/iraq_080408160515

What I looked at did not even have a reporter’s name on it. How do you even know it’s a guy? How do you know that he “sits at his computer all day wishing for hope and change”? Maybe he hopes for a beer or a change in his sex life? How do you know that he is a keyboard warrior? Are you psychic?

Shouldn’t he (or her) be for the war if he is a keyboard warrior anyway? How could he be a keyboard warrior if he is against the war? Maybe he is for the war?

Err…does that mean that if we put many more troops into Iraq, the Earth will tilt the other way and all the terrorists slide out of America? :)

OldEnglish on April 9, 2008 at 12:35 AM

Juan McSurgo seems to think so. But it could take as much as a hundred years though.

I actually ride with the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club up here. And none of the feel the way you do concerning this war.

You do not understand these wars.

upinak on April 8, 2008 at 9:02 PM

Well I had a lot in the U.S. Army fooled pretty good then.

But then what did they know, probably none of them belonged to a motorcycle club. That was probably how I was able to fool them.

6) If the United States does not keep sufficient troop mass in Iraq, the orbital stability of the Earth will become unbalanced and all Muslim terrorists will slide into America.

MB4 on April 8, 2008 at 8:03 PM

Err…does that mean that if we put many more troops into Iraq, the Earth will tilt the other way and all the terrorists slide out of America? :)

Actually I got it from *AFP via Yahoo News*. They must be kooks who are telling outright lies too, I suppose.

Here’s more information from a message from MNF-Iraq. The US and Allied Forces not only do the best reporting on what is happening in Iraq but they don’t have any terrorist stringers on their payroll:

I do not have confirmed enemy killed statistics for March, yet, but initial reports indicate that it is more than 375.
But the 1,082 isn’t based on our data.

But hey if you think the men and women on the ground are less reliable than groups that have a proven track record of agenda driven nonfactual reporting then so be it.

Now I am even starting to think that maybe General Richard A. Cody is a kook who is telling outright lies too.

Interesting because I dont see anywhere that Gen Cody has stated too many civilian Iraqis have died (which is what I was addressing) but from your next post (addressed below) I see you are all about changing to a different topic to attack me.

By the way Here is more information on the death toll from SGT Nicole Dykstra, Press Desk NCO- Communications Division:

The numbers do include bodies found in mass graves, however, it depends on when they think the bodies were killed.

You are not going to believe this but I have found yet another case of kooks telling outright lies

***March 6, 2008 · The Army released its annual mental health survey Thursday and found that one in five soldiers deployed to Iraq suffer from some mental health problem. For those on second and third deployments, about a third suffer from mental health problems. The Army medical command is now recommending well times to match time deployed — an initiative that’s opposed by the Bush administration.***

I dont seem to find anywhere where I addressed mental health problems of US soldiers do you. But thanks for filling me in on how dire that is. I only had to wrestle my father from my mother when I was 10 when he awoke one day thinking she was an NVA with a grenade. Its not like I would know anything about mental health problems though; right. knock me over with a feather.

I guess I should just believe whatever George says and just go with that.

well you quoted an opinion piece by some guy that sits at his computer all day wishing for hope and change so it seems you want us to believe what the keyboard warrior has to say and just go with that…..

oh look shiny objects…..

Iraqi-centric belief system:

1) All roads start in Iraq.
2) All roads end in Iraq.
3) The Sun revolves around Iraq.
4) The moon revolves around Iraq.
5) The stars revolve around Iraq.
6) If the United States does not keep sufficient troop mass in Iraq, the orbital stability of the Earth will become unbalanced and all Muslim terrorists will slide into America.
MB4 on April 8, 2008 at 8:03 PM

And so with a lame attempt at reductio ad absurdam satire, you dismiss the entirely rational argument that it is in the vital interest of the United States to maintain peace, stability, and a Western presence in the Middle East—and in particular, to prevent Iran and al Qaida from taking over Iraq, Iraqi oil, and controlling the Persian Gulf.

If the United States left Iraq, genocide would be the least of the disasterous consequences. Just imagine al Qaida with those oil riches.

(OT: On this site, I’m puzzled how to keep track of threads I’ve participated in, and how to find my place in them, when comments number in the hundreds sometimes. There’s no e-notification, so no link back. Anyone have a system?)

MrLynn on April 8, 2008 at 7:55 PM

Thanks for your cogent, on-topic analysis. And thanks to Captain Ed for keeping us informed with current facts and balanced commentary.

No what we’re saying a possible genocide my occur if we live.

Freudian Slip of the Day?

And thank you for your service.

terryannonline on April 8, 2008 at 9:08 PM

No need. I charged them for it.

I didn’t attend my post to come off as an accusation, I apologize.

Never apologize. I don’t. No reason for you to.

Ok, if we are using strawmen, wasn’t your post at 8:03 also a strawmen?

terryannonline on April 8, 2008 at 8:41 PM

It was suppose to be satire.

MB4 on April 8, 2008 at 8:37 PM

And thank you for your service.

For a Vietnam Vet… you seriously have some issues with the war you were in compared to the one going on now.

I actually ride with the Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club up here. And none of the feel the way you do concerning this war. They know it is different. They know it is NOT Vietnam. They also understand there is a higher stake.

As I would walk up to you and shake your hand and Thank You for the service you gave to this country, if you were drafted or not. You do not understand these wars.

MB4 on April 8, 2008 at 8:37 PM

I didn’t attend my post to come off as an accusation, I apologize. Ok, if we are using strawmen, wasn’t your post at 8:03 also a strawmen?

I wouldn’t try to jump to the conclusion that we are suddenly drafting Bloods and Crips out of their cells.

Just A Grunt on April 8, 2008 at 8:32 PM

I don’t believe that anyone is saying that.

I am beginning to notice a number of strawmen in some of the comments lately. Or maybe I should say “extreme arguments” or “misspeaks”.

If you’re be throwing extreme arguments, expect to have some thrown back at ya!

terryannonline on April 8, 2008 at 8:20 PM

Your statement was not an argument. It was an absurd accusation.

Maybe Hillary can use “extreme arguments” next time she “misspeaks”.

In 2006, the Army granted eight thousand three hundred and thirty “moral waivers” to new recruits, meaning that it had accepted that number of volunteers with past criminal charges or convictions.

Which is probably about 5 thousand less then the Navy grants on an annual basis!
These waivers can run the gamut from being ticketed for fishing without a license to shoplifting. I wouldn’t try to jump to the conclusion that we are suddenly drafting Bloods and Crips out of their cells.

You, sir, need to stop comparing. Maybe go speak to a Veitnam Vet

upinak on April 8, 2008 at 8:13 PM

I have spoken to lots of Vietnam vets.

I am one.

6) If the United States does not keep sufficient troop mass in Iraq, the orbital stability of the Earth will become unbalanced and all Muslim terrorists will slide into America.

Answer-nowhere.

If you’re be throwing extreme arguments, expect to have some thrown back at ya!

No what we’re saying a possible genocide my occur if we live.

So the Sunnis and the Shiites in Iraq are going to genocide each other? The same Sunnis and Shiites that Bush and McCain think are going to get along well enough to build a nation together? Cognitive dissonance if I ever heard it.

P.S., AQI was estimated to have between a few hundred and one to two thousand a few months ago and many have been reported killed since then, so there would not be nearly enough of them to do a genocide.

Thinking that the sooner we leave Iraq that all will be well and rosy and all terrorist will cease to exist is grounded in complete fantasy.

terryannonline on April 8, 2008 at 8:09 PM

Where did I say “the sooner we leave Iraq that all will be well and rosy and all terrorist will cease to exist”?

Answer – nowhere.

No it isn’t. I do not see Jungle in the desert. I do not see our Military ticked off to no end for being there, as Nam had quite a few due to the draft. I DO see you trying to make this a “wannabe Vietnam” war.
Sorry no can do. Iraq … compared to Germany (WWI and WWII), Japan(WWII) and even Vietnam… as well as Korea (Forgotten War)… has no way the same start, deaths, POW’s or MIA’s, weapons, FOOD, human spirit as any other war.

You, sir, need to stop comparing. Maybe go speak to a Veitnam Vet, a WWII or Korean War Vet since the last American WWI Vet is not doing so well. You might Learn Something about then that is NOT in the Here and Now!

One in five soldiers having mental health issues is a ridiculous figure.

Nozzle on April 8, 2008 at 8:05 PM

Take it up with the U.S. Army. It is their report.