tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post5546082494195058221..comments2023-12-09T12:13:00.212-08:00Comments on AOL Journals 1st Old Hickory's Weblog: Iraq War: The coalition gets less willingBruce Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05022449143502020665noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-24924524626998719072005-03-15T22:19:00.000-08:002005-03-15T22:19:00.000-08:00Will we have to call Italian sausage Freedom sausa...Will we have to call Italian sausage Freedom sausage?<br><br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-41320332198637875482005-03-17T10:24:00.000-08:002005-03-17T10:24:00.000-08:00It is time our Troops came home too. Long past ti...It is time our Troops came home too. Long past time. Once Saddam was captured, and we were satisified that there were no WMD stockpiles, we ought to have packed it in. What good we think we are doing is beyond me.<br><br>Neil<br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5147000415127454560.post-16878679165983882272005-03-17T14:06:00.000-08:002005-03-17T14:06:00.000-08:00Norman Solomon also argues for immediate withdrawa...Norman Solomon also argues for immediate withdrawal:<br><br><< Sometimes, an unspoken assumption among progressive activists is that the occupation of Iraq must be tolerated for tactical reasons -- while other issues, notably domestic ones, are more winnable on Capitol Hill. But this acceptance means going along with many of the devastating effects of a militarized society: from ravaged budgets for social programs to more authoritarian attitudes and violence in communities across the country. >><br><br>http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0317-33.htm<br><br>I haven't been giving a lot of thought to the exit strategy, because I don't Bush and Cheney and Rummy have any intention of completely wihdrawing. They're lookin for permanent bases there. I doubt they will be able to reduce the troop levels much below where they are now until Republican politicians start to panic at having the Iraq War albatross around their necks.<br><br>I think it's important to remember that Bush & Co. have created a situation where there is no genuinely *good* outcome that's realistically possible from the US point of view. It's a question of minimizing the damage at this point. Bush bet the farm with the Iraq invasion. If the optimistic assumptions didn't play out right - and that didn't come close to happening - it was going to be a losing proposition. And that's what we've got.<br><br>One exit plan that would work would be to set a firm phase-out deadline and make sure the new government knows that they will have to fill the security and military gaps created as the American troops are drawn down. But Bush has no intention of adopting such a policy right now. - Bruce<br>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com