Romney would have stayed in Iraq

[peggy]

http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-pullout-signature-failure-obama-romney-203147930.html

So, I guess this is what a Romney Presidency would look like. More and more war. Apparently he wasn't ready to leave Iraq. The question would be, when? Never I guess. I never pegged Romney for a war monger but I guess I was wrong.

[Alan]

I never pegged Romney for a war monger but I guess I was wrong.


I don't think it has much to do with war mongering. The absence of US Troops created an immediate vaccuum which the country will now have to deal with, probably resulting in a less than optimum outcome.

The United States has maintained troops in South Korea for 50 years, and the country has prospered as a result. The same could be said of all of Western Europe.

Peace Mongering might be a better label.

[Rogar]

I don't think we will know the outcome of our troop withdrawals for sometime. Did we teach the man to fish or should we keep giving him fish. There was a lot of turmoil after the troop withdrawals in Vietnam but things eventually settled down and the country seems to be a half-decent place these days.

I don't think Romney's opinion makes him a war monger, but it's not one I agree with. I think it's time to reduce our global military presence and take better care of our own.

[creaker]

I don't think it has much to do with war mongering. The absence of US Troops created an immediate vaccuum which the country will now have to deal with, probably resulting in a less than optimum outcome.

The United States has maintained troops in South Korea for 50 years, and the country has prospered as a result. The same could be said of all of Western Europe.

Peace Mongering might be a better label.




It's a bit different situation - as far as I know we aren't in South Korea to moderate the actions of the government there. The North has not prospered, maybe our troops maintaining the status quo for decades played a part in that?

I think the 50 year part is appropriate, although indefinitely might be more accurate.

I think the situation is a lot like Yugoslavia - if the Soviets had held it together for another 100 years, I expect it would have violently fallen apart anyway.

[Alan]

It's a bit different situation - as far as I know we aren't in South Korea to moderate the actions of the government there. The North has not prospered, maybe our troops maintaining the status quo for decades played a part in that?


I suppose you could think that a US presence in South Korea is to blame for the ills of North Korea. I would disagree but that was not my point.

Oftentimes a US military presence in a country promotes peace rather than war. There are many excellent examples and I have no reason to believe that Mr Romney's opinion on keeping troops in Iraq isn't a means to a similar end.

[flowerseverywhere]

Of course it is easy to make an opinion with hindsight. I think Romney et al will say anything that is anti-Obama or anti-democrat. Of course when a President makes a decision to go into a war or pull out of a war there is a good chance they have access to more information and a host of advisors- probably why I still don't understand why we felt it necessary to do what we did.

I wish we had never gone in, I wish we did not have to mourn 4500 American dead soldiers. I wish we did not have so many amputees, brain injured soldiers and the numerous other casualities that resulted.

[JaneV2.0]

The idea that Western Europe is prospering because of our military presence there seems like the ultimate in hubris. It's more likely due to having a healthy, well-educated work force.

[freein05]

Iraq and South Korea are totally different. South Korea for the most part is a homogenous society. Iraq is split along religious and tribal lines. Without a strong leader and government such a country can not survive. As stated above Yugoslavia is a good example. Even with all of the power of Soviet army it could not be held together. The US Army in South Korea is a trigger. If the north attacks the south it would be consider an attack on the US and the US would get involved immediately.

[creaker]

I suppose you could think that a US presence in South Korea is to blame for the ills of North Korea. I would disagree but that was not my point.

Oftentimes a US military presence in a country promotes peace rather than war. There are many excellent examples and I have no reason to believe that Mr Romney's opinion on keeping troops in Iraq isn't a means to a similar end.

I can agree with that - generally any occupation force promotes peace (even if the ways they promote that peace are not particularly "peaceful"). The question is whether we should continue in that role.

[Alan]

Iraq and South Korea are totally different.
You're right. The proper parallel is Iraq and Korea.

[Alan]

The idea that Western Europe is prospering because of our military presence there seems like the ultimate in hubris. It's more likely due to having a healthy, well-educated work force.
A healthy, well-educated work force is a good thing, but neighbors not attacking neighbors has upped the prosperity index as well. :D

[gimmethesimplelife]

The idea that Western Europe is prospering because of our military presence there seems like the ultimate in hubris. It's more likely due to having a healthy, well-educated work force.Couldn't agree more with this.....Rob

[LDAHL]

The idea that Western Europe is prospering because of our military presence there seems like the ultimate in hubris. It's more likely due to having a healthy, well-educated work force.

Perhaps, but history hasn't been especially kind to rich societies who can't or won't defend themselves.

[Gregg]

The idea that Western Europe is prospering because of our military presence there seems like the ultimate in hubris.

On who's part?

I would be quite interested in hearing what our European members have to say regarding the US subsidy of their defense, primarily through NATO.

[heydude]

i think romney has to say the opposite of obama. if obama would have stayed in Iraq, I think romney would say "we'd be out of there" hahahahhaha.

these political people will say anything. i keep hearing lines like "i am unapologetic about my faith!" which is obvious pandering to the far right. i mean, do people actually say things like that in the real world? "I am unapologetic about my morals!" LOL, who says that?