"The conflict in Iraq has taken longer than World War II"

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/10/2007 7:08:48 AM

I love this quote from U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD): "The conflict in Iraq has taken longer than World War II."  Johnson is right if you're considering U.S. involvement -- in World War II, were at war from December 8, 1941 through August 15, 1945.  That's 3 years, 8 months, 1 week.  In contrast we've been at war in Iraq since March 20, 2003 -- 4 years, 5 months, 3 weeks.

In addition, I'd note that World War II resulted from the United States being attacked, with a formal declaration of war by Congress, a full-scale mobilization of the American people to win the war, and a clear mission (unconditional surrender of both Axis powers). In the case of Iraq, try "none of the above."

"The authority to authorize the force should come from Congress," [Sen. Johnson] said, adding that he supported the conflict earlier but that the "premises of that conflict turned out to be false. Even so, there must be a way out sooner than later."

Now, we're going to hear from General Petraeus that "on the one hand...on the other hand."  Which raises the question, how much longer will this strategic quagmire, as Jim Webb calls it, continue?  To what end?

Comments



Iraqi's live 9/11 everyday single day, thank you Mr. President !!! (Dianne - 9/10/2007 8:32:44 AM)
Not only has it taken longer than WW II, but we have not even been fighting those who attacked us on 9/11! 

The Taliban is back in Afghanistan, Al-Quaeda is NOW in Iraq, and we have turned Iraq into a daily 9/11 nightmare !!!

Shame on you George Bush and shame on the Republican legislators who continue to vote yes to sustain this insane chaos.



Don Rumsfeld says... (Lowell - 9/10/2007 9:07:05 AM)
says that Afghanistan has been "a big success."  Rumsfeld also says that George W. Bush "is a lot more intelligent and curious than people give him credit for," but when asked if he misses him, he answers "Um, no."

I guess you go to war with the president you have, not the president you wish you had.  Ha.



WAR!!!! (MohawkOV1D - 9/10/2007 12:34:24 PM)
Well, not exactly.  More like the "WAR" of the Roses.

Afghanistan is a very successful NARCO STATE.  And as long as the Afghanistan and US Gov. stay out of the way the Taliban and War Lords will live and let live.  Otherwise...

IRAQ - How long will we be there?  UNTIL IT IS POLITICALY ZIPLESS TO GET OUT.  When neither RePugs or Dem's will have to RISK their presious political capatal.  After all, it doesn't matter how long we stay in IRAQ, it's how long "I/WE" can stay in the Congress.  Can't skim earmarks if "I/WE" are not in Congress.  Right Madam FeinStein?

I wonder, can congess at large be accused of MURDER?  If we had any Democrartic leaders we'd be on the way to IMPEACHMENT and WITHDRAWING THE TROOPS.  Since January 2006, every American death in IRAQ is on the Democrats.

Please spare me the "we don't have the votes".  What Dem's don't have is a backbone.



We leave and then what (humanfont - 9/10/2007 5:45:20 PM)
Backbone against whom?  A bunch of hypocrites who beat the drums for war in Darfur, but are ready to walk away from Iraq because we shouldn't have been there in the first place.  We can't leave Iraq in the condition it is in today.  We shouldn't have gone in there, but now that we've blown the place up; we can't just walk away and hope things get better when we're gone.  Even Webb isn't saying walkaway now.  Another metric is in WWII we drafted millions of American into the military lost hundreds of thousands of them in combat; and prevailed after launching the only two nuclear warheads ever.  Perhaps we have been in Iraq so long because we are the bunch of half-assed f-ups my grandfather always contended we were.  Maybe we should try harder before we quit this thing.  I can't for the life of me figure out how we leave this sorry mess in Iraq without making things worse. 


How we leave without making things worse? (Lowell - 9/10/2007 5:49:14 PM)
Check out Joe Biden's plan, "Iraq: A Way Forward."


Biden's plan (humanfont - 9/10/2007 6:07:24 PM)
Does it involve giving the country to MBNA/BoA and a "reform" of Iraqi bankruptcy laws?  This guy couldn't even see what would happen if we gave Bush authority to invade Iraq.  I don't see how his latest "plan" for Iraq is any more likely to end up in a happy place. 


Biden (JScott - 9/10/2007 7:08:52 PM)
Say it so Joe....actually I like Joe but with his polling numbers why are people not demanding HRC to have a real plan for withdrawal or a post-surge Iraq...she is the front runner for Gods sake.


Now what? (MohawkOV1D - 9/10/2007 11:21:09 PM)
Many people warned Bush, and warned the spineless Dem's that war in Iraq solved one problem, and created many others.

Welcome to "the others".

Who is responsible for this mess?  WE ARE.  We the voters, the constituents, the tax payers.  We have allowed ourselves to become the sheep we were warned not to be.  It's not so much that the Republicans did this to us, its that we allowed them to do this to us.  Cowardice!!!  In it's purest most concentrated form.  "We can't speak out or "Name YOUR Boogey Man" will get us".

Think we (Democrats) have friends in the MSM? Think again.  Think we have "Moderate Republican" friends in congress?  Think again.  Think Pelosi and Reid are smart enough, or have the courage, to do the right thing?  Think again.

How much worse can Iraq get?  Children can not go to school, women can't go to market, men can't go to work, no electricity, no running water, no facilities (sewers), no functional hospitals, no law, and NO GOVERNMENT!

SO what exactly is going to make the situation worse?  Ethnic cleansing?  Been there did that.  Civil war? You're soaking in it. What is the worst that can happen?  Iran!  Iran will over run the border.  Shia will dominate Iraq, and Sunni will die in place, or run toward the west.  The only functional part of Iraq, the Kurdish north, will be the only holdout.  And they will lose.

I wrote exactly that to my then Senator Mikulski before the vote on the Iraq war resolution.  Before we went to war.  I got a form letter back. Thanks @#%$#!

The Democratic meme is that this is Bush's war, and he will pay the price.  The not so funny thing about war - politicians NEVER PAY.  WE PAY!

We are the idiots our grandfathers said we were.  Grand Dad knew better than to think the government could solve every problem for everyone.  And that the safest place a man could be is out of mind and out of sight of the government.

Iraq is our problem to solve.  Not the politicians, not the generals.  OURS!  So instead of FU'ing ourselves into oblivion and waiting until we get into a REAL WAR, we better make these Democrats cowboy up, take the lead, and get us out of Iraq.  It can't be fixed, let it go.

But that is not going to happen, is it?