October 26, 2009
Staying the course in Iraq, despite new violence

Sunday, 155 people were killed in the deadliest bombings to strike Iraq in two years. Yet, the U.S. plans to cut its troop levels next year if the security situation in Iraq is stable.

Tarek Bazley of Al Jazeera English reports from Baghdad.

If the security situation is not stable, should the United States withdraw its troops anyway?

Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Please remember to be respectful and on-point in your comments. Malicious or offensive comments will be deleted and repeat offenders will be banned.

bookmark    print    Email    comment/s (21)

Tags: , , , , ,

Comments

21 comments

#21

10/27/2009 :: 06:46:03 PM
William Brown Says:

Iraqis lack basic services: Six years after the U.S. led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein.Many Iraqis still lack access to basic health care,sanitation and clean water.The humanitartian situation in Iraq is among the must critical in the world.

#20

10/27/2009 :: 12:54:04 PM
Robert A. Kehl Says:

It will take time, but the government of Iraq will suppress the violence in their country. The continued presents of US combat forces would be detrimental to Iraq’s security.

#19

10/27/2009 :: 09:26:14 AM
Jim Weekley Says:

To be honest we should get out of both Iraq and Afghanistan. We had no business ever getting into those wars to begin with. If we must stay, we need to really (a) declare war (b) make sure that all Nato Forces send in combat troops (not just candy strips) (c) we need to send in the resources both military and to a limited degree economic help (d) we need to ask Karzhy to step down because if it were not for the US, the Taliban would have beheaded him by now. But at the end of the day, it will not be worth the sacrafice and the American people are getting tired of the waste in lives and money - those people don’t want us there - we always are told that the people want us there - thats crap - they really want to drain us militarily, economy and psychologically and they are succeeding. I thought for a while we should stay - but if we are going to fight their type of war - then we need to get out and cut our losses - it would not be a defeat for the US, but rather a lesson (hopefully) that we should drop the so called - go it alone - the US can do everything for everyone concept. By the way Daljit you look even more beautiful! JW @ USA

#18

10/27/2009 :: 09:00:16 AM
derrick Says:

get out now we never win

#17

10/27/2009 :: 08:20:25 AM
D. Homan Says:

It’s time to bring our troops back home and stop all the wars! Why do we have to be the bullies of the world? Bring the troups home and let them patrol our borders and protect our country. There is no reason for us to spend billions and billions of dollars and many lives to support those who profit from war!.

#16

10/26/2009 :: 10:56:33 PM
Mumtaz U. Khan Says:

US went to Iraq to look for WMDs, when they realised there were none, that was the time to turn around and come back home. We had no business to be there unless US had the eye on their oil. US should be out of Iraq asap and let Iraqis take control, there will be more blood shed but in the end peace will come. At present mere presence of US troops is the single biggest factor contributing to the chaos.

#15

10/26/2009 :: 10:21:43 PM
Mark Says:

Under Saddam Hussein’s ruling the country was certainly not democratic, but Iraq had quality healthcare, education and human development indexes.
After the US invasion of Iraq the country won democracy but was left in total ruin. Infrastructures were completely destroyed, schools bombed, water and electricity pipes damaged and the oil production fields controlled by US oil companies (the true reason for the invasion?).
The US has the moral obligation to ensure that Iraq is left in a stabile situation so that the children, women and men living in it have the chance to live securely.

#14

10/26/2009 :: 10:19:33 PM
George Watson Says:

Why would you have a right wing nut job like Michael O’Hanlon summing up the situation in Iraq. “Oh things are going great. The electricity is flowing 50% more than when it was shut off.” Why did the US flatten the place? That’s the question you should have asked him. He favored the bombing.

#13

10/26/2009 :: 10:17:21 PM
JD Says:

The U.S. cannot police the world. It is long overdue to end the occupation of Iraq.

#12

10/26/2009 :: 10:13:19 PM
Dael Klippenstein Says:

Unless we’re prepared to increase allied troops to 6000 and stay in Iraq for at least another 8, perhaps 10 years, we should begin to withdraw our troops immediately. dk

#11

10/26/2009 :: 09:59:36 PM
hans portegies Says:

It’s been my opinion for some time that the Iraques will not able to control the violence, with or withpout help of the U.S. The local provincial leaders can not successfully resist the challanges of the conflicting elements and the current ‘government’ will become increasingly less influential. Let’s get out asap!

#10

10/26/2009 :: 09:57:35 PM
The Melancholy Poet Says:

Deduce troops when Insanity is reduced
and when some Mirror reflecting Sanity
can be at all deduced from the
Scenario Universal
which may retain its Cosmic Order
despite the apparencies of Chaos on Earth.

#9

10/26/2009 :: 06:49:54 PM
David Michael Says:

Why are Arabs killing Arabs, please someone tell me. The USA does not understand Arab culture, we should have not gotten involved in any Arab country. Let’s get out NOW before anymore American blood is wasted. I understand that Iraq is selling most of their oil to China, not good for USA at all.

#8

10/26/2009 :: 06:49:20 PM
William Brown Says:

Once the Iraqis realize that there vote means nothing they will stop voting.Voting is a waste of time it’s just a matter of time when they will realize that.People will get tire of voting for a puppet government.William Brown from Chicago Illinois USA.

#7

10/26/2009 :: 06:42:12 PM
michael Says:

Absolutely. We should have never waged war on these people in the first place. What we did to that country and the population was criminal.

#6

10/26/2009 :: 05:47:37 PM
john Says:

We have the finest military leadership in the world. They should make the decision and not politicians or public opinion polls!

#5

10/26/2009 :: 05:42:55 PM
Donna Says:

Yes, we need to get out of there we have no real reason to be there. Independent contractors come and go at will we can find a way and get out…NOW!

#4

10/26/2009 :: 05:30:24 PM
rudy cypser Says:

Absolutely leave on schedule if not sooner. Use the same resources to help the Iraqi govenment to improve their security.

#3

10/26/2009 :: 04:47:17 PM
PJ Says:

ABSOLUTELY the US should get out of Iraq. It is never going to be peaceful there given the religious differences. The US should never have gone there to begin with and must get out ASAP

#2

10/26/2009 :: 04:32:05 PM
Don White Says:

I thought the Status of Forces Agreement the Iraqi forced on the last Administration in late 2008 calls for 100% withdrawal of US forces by 2011? So what’s all this argument about anyway? That is settled.

#1

10/26/2009 :: 04:08:00 PM
Jacob Says:

If they can hold elections than why can’t they hold polls to see whether the majority of Iraq wants us there or not.

If a majority doesn’t want us there then the democractic thing to do would be to leave.

“D e m o c r a c y , f r o m
Greek Demos (people)
and Krateo (rule),
means Rule of the
People. Not some of
the people, but all the
people.”

We’ve sold Sadam chemicals, were bombing Iraq well before 9/11, and now we’ve caused civil war to break out in their country.

We create quagmires for ourselves to get locked into since it’s good business for the people who own the means to produce weaponry.

“the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today — my own government.”

“Don’t let anyone make you think that God chose America as his divine messianic force, to be a sort of policeman of the whole world.”
-MLK, Jr.

Either you agree with King or you agree with what war profiteers tell you. it really is that clear cut. either you are okay with our military-industrial complex (DoD, Joint Forces and US technologies and weaponry corporations) and NSA, CIA and World Bank or you think they must explain themselves or be changed immediately.

“Now if the argument is whether or not the United States should be the hegemon is on the table, well, that’s a different argument. The fact is, the United States is the hegemon, and putting weapons in space will extend that period of hegemony into the foreseeable future.”

“A hegemonic power, a strong power, willing to use its police capacity–and this is a police force, a space cop type of idea–can make the global heavens an exploitable resource for all, whereas right now there is no guarantee even that if a corporation or a nation should go into space and find wealth there that it could keep it or have a reasonable share of keeping it.”

-Everett Dolman, professor at the Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama

“We must establish and maintain space superiority.”
-General Lance W. Lord, head of Space Command

Post A Comment




Your Privacy Matters
Please note that the Thirteen/WNET editorial staff reserves the right to not post comments it deems to be inappropriate and/or malicious in nature, as well as edit comments for length, clarity and fairness. No solicitations or advertisements will be allowed. Users may link to other Web sites relevant to discussion, but most often links to commercial Web sites will not be permitted.

Submit

Produced by Creative News Group LLC     ©2009 WNET.ORG     All rights reserved

Distributed by American Public Television