According to the Washington Post, David Petraeus warned about the use of US military force in Iraq;
“If there is to be support for Iraq, it has to be support for a government of Iraq. That is, a government of all the people, and that is representative of and responsive to all elements of Iraq,” Petraeus said, according to The Spectator. “President Obama has been quite clear on this: This cannot be the United States being the air force for Shia militias or a Shia on Sunni Arab fight. It has to be a fight of all of Iraq against extremists.”
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Petraeus’s comments come as Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.) and other prominent lawmakers call for President Obama to authorize airstrikes in Iraq to break the momentum of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an extreme offshoot of al-Qaeda that has seized several key cities across the country and threatened security in Baghdad, the capital. Ironically, McCain called for Obama’s national security team to be fired last week, and suggested Obama should consult with Petraeus.
Well, in John McCain’s defense, he’s an idiot – his reaction to everything is to fire people as long as they didn’t or can’t vote for John McCain. I would listen to almost anyone for advice besides John McCain and his little sock puppet friend Lindsey Graham.
Although Petraeus’ advice is sound, I don’t see it happening. It’s the same thing we’ve been telling Maliki for years and that’s why he’s in the shit he’s in now. He promised an inclusive government in 2006, and the promise lasted long enough for the US to leave.
At this point screw it. I had high hopes for Iraq once, but now I’d settle for a free Kurdistan, and they’ve pretty much already got that.
/\ This. Help the Kurds form a separate state in the north and officially recognize it. What’s happening now is what most of us were saying years ago. Iraq will most likely evolve into three separate states. A Kurdish north, Sunni center, and Shia south. By recognizing and helping a Kurdish state, it could also give us safe bases in the middle of the ME from which to operate.
Muslims are like everyone else. They desire freedom, a say-so in their respective national governments and, most of all, peace. All Muslims want is to be left alone, free of the miniscule number of fanatics among them who give Islam a bad name.
I venture to guess that most Americans would agree with those statements and, if not most, then at least as many as voted for The Emperor. Unfortunately, history is entirely, wholly, and completely against those who embrace such sentiment. Why do I mention this? Just to kick up some dust? No, although that’s good enough reason for me. I earnestly believe that until the religion of terror is recognized for what it is and the role that it plays in fomenting worldwide extreme violence, we don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of securing a lasting peace. Until that day comes—and, ultimately, I believe that it must—we are all just whistling Dixie.
What they want and what they will fight for are 2 different things. Very Few will put their Dick on the chopping block to fight Tyranny. You can count on one hand the number of countries where they rose up against their government for their women and children being raped and murdered and actually did something about it. It is Allah’s will that honey gets gang raped and tossed into the old wood chipper.
2/17 Air Cav…I’m there 100%. It is a religion of terror and not peace. They do not tolerate any other Muslims who bow, scrape or pray differently to Allah than they do. If they are caught, they are tortured and killed as part of Allah’s will. Apparently Allah’s will includes a lot of murder, genocide and overall mayhem. The extremists want to live under Sharia Law. Let them. Maliki is a single flavor Muslim and as long as his flavor is the only one on the ice cream truck he is happy. Otherwise, he is as adamant a “hate those other Muslims” terrorist as ISIS. Just a different brand. Unfortunately we’re not talking about Nike vs Reebok here. We’re talking about hatred among their own faith. I can only imagine a bunch of armed Lutherans showing up at our Baptist church to kill all those who do not subscribe to the Lutheran tenets of faith. Sounds ridiculous to us. But that is the sum and substance of life in the Muslim world. I believe, though I have said it before, we need to evacuate our Embassy in Baghdad, pull out all our citizens and those fresh on the ground troops and leave them be. We trained them, we equipped them. Let them have the country THEY are willing to fight and die for and no more. Because they deserve no more than what they are willing to fight and die for. We cannot save them from themselves. We cannot reach into their hearts and minds and talk any reason into them about tolerance and peace amongst themselves, much less tolerance and peace towards “infidels” in America and elsewhere who happen not to be Muslims. You don’t reason with a two year old. At least I didn’t. They do not and will not comprehend reason. They only want what they want. So, for my son, it was dad said do this or don’t do that, if you disobey, you get a swat on the butt. He tried me a few times as a two and three year old kid will do. I followed through with the open hand swat with a little sting to it, on the butt. Very soon, he learned, “hey, dad means what he says. I don’t like swats so I will do what dad says do or don’t”. Peace reigned from then on. It is as simple to me as that with Muslims. Except instead of swats on the butt, it is a policy of death. We WILL hunt you down and kill you if you terrorize Americans anywhere. We WILL NOT have a diplomatic presence in any Muslim country bent on murder, genocide and such. As long as say, Saudi Arabia, being Muslim is an ally, great, be diplomatic with them and Kuwait. But for Iran, Iraq, Syria and those crap holes, leave them be. Let them do what you are willing to live with in you own country. There are far more free Muslims to outnumber the extremists if they want to take a stand for change. Obviously, they have no heart for the fight. Their lose, not ours. Promise them, if they export their terrorism beyond their borders to us or our allies, we WILL retaliate harshly and swiftly with NO mercy. If they want to make an internal prison state of their country, their business, just keep it at home and inside your borders. Sorry for the long rant. It is born of my fears for Americans in Baghdad right now. ISIS will NOT STOP until they take our embassy or die in the attempt. Baghdad defense forces WILL toss their arms like those in other cities overrun and ISIS will make a beeline to the embassy and have it surrounded and overrun in short order. My mortgage is on, they have this planned already. Obama, please if you do one thing right in your whole term of service, evacuate our embassy now, pop this balloon before ISIS does and protect our citizens. If you don’t the dead and the hostages will forever be on your head. You, like Pilate will never be able to wash your hands of that blood.
One major fly in that ointment is that the Saudi “allies” you mention are also the leading funders of those other terrorists.
One of the thngs I have always held against Jimmy C (one of a long list of things) is his decision to defund the neutron bomb program. Having a fully developed weapon system that killed huge numbers of assholes while leaving their infrastructure essentially untouched would come in handy, one could suppose.
David…You are correct. The Saudis are big money bags for terrorists. I don’t forget that about them and I agree 1000% on the neutron bomb. A weapon we do need in this time of terrorists and their harboring nations. Well said David.
In fairness John McCain, a visit to the Hanoi Hilton would mess with anybody’s head. And he spent how many years in there?
As for involvement in Iraq, I don’t think we should bother supporting the Sunnis (who suck) or the Shi’ites (who suck). However, the Kurds (who don’t suck) could always borrow an Air Force!
How’s about we just ask the Kurds what they need dead, and let the leftovers sort themselves out? The Kurds have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to take care of business. How is this not a good plan?
The Other Whitey…I agree. The only folks there willing to fight for themselves are the Kurds. If it comes to helping anyone, please help them first! And only them!
“Because they deserve no more than what they are willing to fight and die for. We cannot save them from themselves. We cannot reach into their hearts and minds and talk any reason into them about tolerance and peace amongst themselves, much less tolerance and peace towards “infidels” in America and elsewhere who happen not to be Muslims.”
I like it. I like it alot, Sparks.