Comments on: I realize it’s a one-note song. https://www.habitablezone.com/2014/09/23/i-realize-its-a-one-note-song/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:07:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://www.habitablezone.com/2014/09/23/i-realize-its-a-one-note-song/#comment-31890 ER Wed, 24 Sep 2014 05:02:20 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=47517#comment-31890 But I don't see it as a desperate stunt to trick us into going into war again. These guys are really bad news, and they really are a threat to us. Somebody has to take them out, not for any moral, geopolitical or economic reason, but because they are dangerous to US. I really believe that, and apparently Obama, Congress, their neighbors and most of the rest of the world believes it too. Obama's whole history and program has been to get us out of the middle east. It makes no sense to believe he's desperate to get us back in all of a sudden, for some evil capitalist plot to keep the armaments industry running and imperialism thriving. That's sounds too much like more conspiracy theory to me. We have already paid our dues in blood and treasure in Iraq and Afghanistan, we don't owe those people anything else. If they're unwilling to defend themselves with all the money, weapons and training we lavished on them, its their problem, not ours. That was the plan to take care of post-withdrawal problems, we left a modern and well-equipped army there to defend Iraq against foreign invasion. We did our part. But without our troops, we know they'll fold up like a house of cards and let ISIS take over. All our air raids won't stop it. We need grunts there, but we need to get out and let the Saudis and Iranians clean up the mess. But if they don't, I see nothing but trouble, for us, right here at home. I'm also afraid for the constitutional aspect here. Congress needs to debate and declare war, not the President, and Congress seems to be unwilling to take a side on this because they don't know how it will turn out and don't want to wind up on the wrong side. The spineless bastards can't wait to get out of town and have dumped the whole sordid mess in Obama's lap. After all, in spite of all the brave Neocon talk, Congress knows their constituents are tired of that part of the world, we've cried wolf there for too long and now they just can't seem to get excited about it. America is war weary, and of all people, Obama, the man who promised to get us out, sees we really need to be in one. So Obama is splitting the difference, starting an air war while determined to not send in the boots, hoping he can provoke the locals to fight their own battle for a change. I'm not sure he can pull it off, but I'm glad he's in charge, if anyone can do it he can. There are only two other alternatives, get out altogether, or go in and invade all over again. Right now, neither of them is possible. As for the usual excuse, we got out to early and should have left a residual force, that was not an option. The Iraqis threw us out, remember? They would only allow us to keep a garrison there under unacceptable conditions. Maliki didn't want to upset his Iranian pals and keep American forces and bases next to their borders. So we had no choice but to leave, we were told to go. But we can't just leave, like we did in Vietnam. The Vietnamese weren't likely to be flying airliners into our office buildings. ISIS will. You can count on it. But I don’t see it as a desperate stunt to trick us into going into war again. These guys are really bad news, and they really are a threat to us. Somebody has to take them out, not for any moral, geopolitical or economic reason, but because they are dangerous to US. I really believe that, and apparently Obama, Congress, their neighbors and most of the rest of the world believes it too. Obama’s whole history and program has been to get us out of the middle east. It makes no sense to believe he’s desperate to get us back in all of a sudden, for some evil capitalist plot to keep the armaments industry running and imperialism thriving. That’s sounds too much like more conspiracy theory to me.

We have already paid our dues in blood and treasure in Iraq and Afghanistan, we don’t owe those people anything else. If they’re unwilling to defend themselves with all the money, weapons and training we lavished on them, its their problem, not ours. That was the plan to take care of post-withdrawal problems, we left a modern and well-equipped army there to defend Iraq against foreign invasion. We did our part. But without our troops, we know they’ll fold up like a house of cards and let ISIS take over. All our air raids won’t stop it. We need grunts there, but we need to get out and let the Saudis and Iranians clean up the mess. But if they don’t, I see nothing but trouble, for us, right here at home.

I’m also afraid for the constitutional aspect here. Congress needs to debate and declare war, not the President, and Congress seems to be unwilling to take a side on this because they don’t know how it will turn out and don’t want to wind up on the wrong side. The spineless bastards can’t wait to get out of town and have dumped the whole sordid mess in Obama’s lap. After all, in spite of all the brave Neocon talk, Congress knows their constituents are tired of that part of the world, we’ve cried wolf there for too long and now they just can’t seem to get excited about it. America is war weary, and of all people, Obama, the man who promised to get us out, sees we really need to be in one.

So Obama is splitting the difference, starting an air war while determined to not send in the boots, hoping he can provoke the locals to fight their own battle for a change. I’m not sure he can pull it off, but I’m glad he’s in charge, if anyone can do it he can. There are only two other alternatives, get out altogether, or go in and invade all over again. Right now, neither of them is possible.

As for the usual excuse, we got out to early and should have left a residual force, that was not an option. The Iraqis threw us out, remember? They would only allow us to keep a garrison there under unacceptable conditions. Maliki didn’t want to upset his Iranian pals and keep American forces and bases next to their borders. So we had no choice but to leave, we were told to go.

But we can’t just leave, like we did in Vietnam. The Vietnamese weren’t likely to be flying airliners into our office buildings. ISIS will. You can count on it.

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