The Stab a Soldier in the Back Act 2007
- Thread starter Gonz
- Start date
chcr
Too cute for words
They always knew it, Gonz. So did most of us.
MrBishop
Well-Known Member
Isn't the point that you were suppose to make Iraq self-sufficient? Strong military, police, legal infrastructure?
If you think that being there 'for the long haul' is going to speed that along, you're fooling yourself. Why should Iraq fight for it's own freedoms when the USA is willing to pay the bill AND risk their own lives in the process.
Iraq=
This is not about Iraqs self sufficiency. It's about telegraphing our intentions. 1975, as our Hueys were lifting off the embassy in Vietnam, the Cong were slaughtering hundreds of thousands. Right up the street, Pol Pot adding his name to the million man (doubled) Genocide roster.
If they aren't ready & if we tell the world we're gone on X date, one way or the other, a humanitarian crisis will ensue.
If they aren't ready & if we tell the world we're gone on X date, one way or the other, a humanitarian crisis will ensue.
SouthernN'Proud
Southern Discomfort
Or let the ones you want to know in on it and keep the enemy from the information. It ain't like we owe them a publicized press release.
SouthernN'Proud
Southern Discomfort
So do a lot of things. Surely to God you are not so aive that you honestly think things don't get reported.
MrBishop
Well-Known Member
What I mean to say is that Politicians live and die by the press. They practically have to get all their plans published to stay in power and maintain a certain amount of transparency.
It's virtually impossible for the 'departure' plan to not get published.... hell, the moment one troop in Iraq knows the departure date, the news'll go stateside (family), then to the press, and within 24 hours, the insurgents will know about it.
If the politicians/decision makers don't release the information first, they'll be accused of being secretive and/or liars.
It's inevitable.
It's virtually impossible for the 'departure' plan to not get published.... hell, the moment one troop in Iraq knows the departure date, the news'll go stateside (family), then to the press, and within 24 hours, the insurgents will know about it.
If the politicians/decision makers don't release the information first, they'll be accused of being secretive and/or liars.
It's inevitable.
Can you give me a date that the American pullout of Germany, Japan or Korea happened? What, didn't Gen McArthur think it was needed? How about Eisenhower? Screw the NY TImes. Our military is not required to filiter its information through the press.
Say, when are we pulling out of Bosnia? A year wasn't it?
Say, when are we pulling out of Bosnia? A year wasn't it?
SouthernN'Proud
Southern Discomfort
I'm sorry, but I call
.I've said this before, too. If you or anyone else truly in your heart believes that we as citizens are privvy to 1% of the information available to elected leaders you are deluded. You and your "right to know" simply are not that important.
Are there leaks? Undoubtedly. Even more ammo for my argument. The very fact that some things managed to get done WITHOUT Katie Couric's prior approval proves that not everything is open for viewing. I'd hate to think it was.
Speaking only for myself, I vote for various candidates to do various jobs for me. Blowing a saxophone while wearing cool wrap around shades is not one of those things. Protecting me from Islamofascists who want to decapitate me simply because I have the wrong religion is. To that end, I tend to cast my vote toward the person I feel is best qualified to do so, and part of that responsibility is the appropriate handling of sensitive data...not spooging on some lardass heifer's dress. I vote for the dog catcher I feel is most capable/willing/qualified to catch dogs. I vote for the accountant over the cobbler when they face off for county tax assessor. What a concept.
Maybe some feel differently. Maybe you do. Maybe you want a world where every piece of intelligence is thrown open for public scrutiny and then online opinion polls are conducted to set the public policy. Pandora, we found your box.
So go ahead. Convince me that our enemy must by necessity know our battle plans...that it is inevitable for them not to...because I don't think we knew about some airplanes that were gonna be flown into skyscrapers. If you knew about it and didn't warn anybody, you got a dreadful day of reckoning ahead of you. (And yes, I am aware that a handful of psychos advocate precisely the example I used. Point remains.)
Set to. You got a long-ass row to hoe before the day's done.
chcr
Too cute for words
But it was once. Funny how the justifications keep changing. If you need to keep justifying something then it probably wasn't justified in the first place, now was it?Re Pol Pot, we were never in Cambodia (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Re the Viet Cong, etc, whose fault was it, the people who refused to keep fighting a war based on lies or the original liars? Gulf of Tonkin anyone, anyone at all?????
A.B.Normal
New Member
Gato_Solo
Out-freaking-standing OTC member
Re Pol Pot, we were never in Cambodia (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Re the Viet Cong, etc, whose fault was it, the people who refused to keep fighting a war based on lies or the original liars? Gulf of Tonkin anyone, anyone at all?????
Psst...context.
MrBishop
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, but I call
I've said this before, too. If you or anyone else truly in your heart believes that we as citizens are privvy to 1% of the information available to elected leaders you are deluded. You and your "right to know" simply are not that important.
Are there leaks? Undoubtedly.
This isn't about what the politicians should do - but more about what's likely to happen
me said:
Communication speed has gone a long way since the 1940's. The president can pick a date... then it has to go down the line so the troops can be prepared to bug out. Pulling 120k+ troops isn't a 24 hour affair..especially doing it safely.
The moment one trooper knows what the date is, and calls his family/loved ones..the game is over. Start the presses..
Our boys are coming home
in 70-point type above the fold in every newspaper across America.
SouthernN'Proud
Southern Discomfort
And of course they all have to come home at the precise same minute. We do have more than half a dozen soldiers still deployed, ya know.
Keep hoeing.
Keep hoeing.
spike
New Member
Yep. Competence in '08!
SouthernN'Proud
Southern Discomfort
Someone say something?
Didn't think so.
Didn't think so.