Iraq War

[carlfense]

We just passed the 10 year anniversary of the beginning of this debacle. It's probably a good time to look back . . .

 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/iraq-war-on-terror/the-iraq-war-how-we-spent-800-billion-and-counting/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=&utm_campaign=

[sd'sker]

and in one month we can celebrate the 9 year anniversary of winning it.

[walksalone]

I got tired of the whole war for oil, WMD search BS, it comes down to this.

 

It was inevitable, but it definitely could have waited. The Iraq War was a gross misallocation of resources. What I haven't heard anyone say yet is, what could have been done in the 'Stan, with all the extra resources that were being used up in Iraq. Not too mention, we should have just went and f*cked Pakistan up, because those are some untrustworthy motherf*ckers.

[carlfense]

It was inevitable, but it definitely could have waited.

Why do you think that it was inevitable?

 

The Iraq War was a gross misallocation of resources. What I haven't heard anyone say yet is, what could have been done in the 'Stan, with all the extra resources that were being used up in Iraq. Not too mention, we should have just went and f*cked Pakistan up, because those are some untrustworthy motherf*ckers.

That's a good point.

[carlfense]

and in one month we can celebrate the 9 year anniversary of winning it.

 

[T_O_Bull]

Which country over there isn't untrustworthy. I say pull out , end all foreign aid and let them fend for themselves. Put more resources into the CIA for intelligence in the area.

T_O_B

[walksalone]

It was inevitable, but it definitely could have waited.

Why do you think that it was inevitable?

 

Inevitably Saddam would have done something stupid to warrant U.N. intervention. He'd already shown he was a f'tard for gassing the Kurds, so him doing something worse was going to happen sooner or later. But this could have been handled by the Blue Helmets, and just leave us in a advisory role.

 

The Iraq War was a gross misallocation of resources. What I haven't heard anyone say yet is, what could have been done in the 'Stan, with all the extra resources that were being used up in Iraq. Not too mention, we should have just went and f*cked Pakistan up, because those are some untrustworthy motherf*ckers.

That's a good point.

 

I just am baffled why this isn't ever brought up. At the height of the conflict there were almost 125k American boots on the ground, with roughly 75k on the ground in the Afghanistan. The logistics that go into the deployment of over 100k troops is mind boggling, not to mention the amount of money spent in Iraq. With all these resources being wasted in Iraq, they could have had a drastically positive effect in Afghanistan.

[sd'sker]

Which country over there isn't untrustworthy. I say pull out , end all foreign aid and let them fend for themselves. Put more resources into the CIA for intelligence in the area.

T_O_B

i agree and spend money on just intelligence and actual homeland defense. however, the truth is that we have to be over there to ensure there is enough stability to maintain the continued transfer of their resources.

[walksalone]

Which country over there isn't untrustworthy. I say pull out , end all foreign aid and let them fend for themselves. Put more resources into the CIA for intelligence in the area.

T_O_B

i agree and spend money on just intelligence and actual homeland defense. however, the truth is that we have to be over there to ensure there is enough stability to maintain the continued transfer of their resources.

 

Almost like we need the "Cold War" era CIA back...

[Junior]

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-iraq-war-cost-20130318,0,1591279.story

 

In case you were wondering, the price tag for the war in Iraq could eventually top $6 trillion.

Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion, occupation and slugfest of Iraq, which, lest we forget, was begun in the name of protecting us from weapons of mass destruction that never existed.

A study by Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies finds that the war has cost $1.7 trillion so far, with an additional $490 billion in benefits owed to war veterans.

Those costs could grow to more than $6 trillion over the next 40 years, the report concluded.

 

 

Better be some damn fine oil we bought.

[carlfense]

I just am baffled why this isn't ever brought up. At the height of the conflict there were almost 125k American boots on the ground, with roughly 75k on the ground in the Afghanistan. The logistics that go into the deployment of over 100k troops is mind boggling, not to mention the amount of money spent in Iraq. With all these resources being wasted in Iraq, they could have had a drastically positive effect in Afghanistan.

walks for SecDef.

[BigRedBuster]

Which country over there isn't untrustworthy. I say pull out , end all foreign aid and let them fend for themselves. Put more resources into the CIA for intelligence in the area.

T_O_B

i agree and spend money on just intelligence and actual homeland defense. however, the truth is that we have to be over there to ensure there is enough stability to maintain the continued transfer of their resources.

 

Almost like we need the "Cold War" era CIA back...

 

That should have never been reduced.

[JJ Husker]

I just am baffled why this isn't ever brought up. At the height of the conflict there were almost 125k American boots on the ground, with roughly 75k on the ground in the Afghanistan. The logistics that go into the deployment of over 100k troops is mind boggling, not to mention the amount of money spent in Iraq. With all these resources being wasted in Iraq, they could have had a drastically positive effect in Afghanistan.

walks for SecDef.

2nd. Motion Carried. Next order of business......

[strigori]

The politicians need to learn some history. Every time we have messed with things in the Middle East, it always ends up more F'ed than it was beforehand. There is so much of a culture difference (almost like a time warp to the 16th century in many ways) that has never been taken into account when taking any actions in the region. The Bush team at the time had some jacked up idea that we would be welcomed as heroes....

[BigRedBuster]

I am forever now completely against any military action in any part of the world where we are the major or sole military presence. I am so friggen sick and tired of doing something the rest of the world knows needs to be done only to have them turn on us once we start taking care of the situation.

 

Every single intelligence agency in the world claimed they had WMDs and everyone knew Saddam was a horrible tyrant. There are quotes going back years by leaders around the world (including US presidents and other leaders) claiming he had them and that something needs to be done.

 

We then have a President that steps up to the plate and finally does something about it to all of a sudden have all of those people change their tune.

 

The world is a F'ed up place. I refuse to put the US military men and women in positions where they are being used in a massive shell game/scam.

 

I don't have one spec of sympathy for Saddam, his family or Iraq. I do have sympathy for the military men and women who were used by these pathetic politicians from around the world when they are put in a place to do a job then viewed as the bad guys.