Originally Posted by swansandtyphus

Before 2003 Iraq was ruled by sadistic dictator Saddam Hussein.
Today in 2009 as US troops withdraw, the Iraqis have a consitutional democracy, democratic government and parliament and an independent rule of law.
The Shia and Sunni sectarian war has come to an end and the terrorists have been defeated by the US surge and by a strong Iraqi military and police who now have control over the country.
Iraq has been through 30 years of horrific dictatorship and misrule by Saddam, six years of violent bloody civil warm, the almost inevitable result of Saddam favouring his own Arab Sunni ethnic group over the Shia and Kurds but brutalising all under his rule.
Today Iraq has a future and its destiny is in the hands of ordinary Iraqis.

Afghanistan is in danger of returning to Taliban rule and becoming once again an unhindered sanctuary for Al-Qaeda.
It would be insanity to withdraw and give give victory to these barbarian savages whose ambitions are to spread terrorism to the four corners of the globe in order to establish a global Islamic caliphate.

Stick your head in the sand all you want.

Originally Posted by cactusflower

The US supported Saddam and funded him. Rummy was his best friend.
"He's a Son of a *************************..but he's OUR Son of a *************************"

Originally Posted by cactusflower

I won't hold my breath waiting for the "normal people" to cry over the wedding parties and villages that have been bombed flat.

These forces are not wanted by the people of Afghanistan and if they don't want to get blown up should get out of there.
....

Originally Posted by Clanrickard

they were lying sonsofbeeteches then and still are




the modern jihadist phenomenon was actively sponsored , funded , trained and armed by the US . Not just in afghanistan but in pakistan , syria and bosnia . From the late 70s right up to the late 90s . It most certainly would not exist in the form it does today without direct US assistance .

Originally Posted by Geckko

You are welcome to your own considered views on these matters, but this comment is complete and utter tosh.

Originally Posted by mr_anderson

Im assuming you are taking the piss in trying to say that the events of 9/11 wern't blowback.

Such was the case after 9-11. Every close observer of the events of those days knows full well that these crimes were acts of revenge for US policy in the Muslim world. The CIA and the 911 Commission said as much, the terrorists themselves proclaimed it, and Osama underscored the point by naming three issues in particular: US troops in Saudi Arabia, US sanctions against Iraq, and US funding of Israeli expansionism.

Ron Paul on Blowback - Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. - Mises Institute

Originally Posted by mr_anderson

Im assuming you are taking the piss in trying to say that the events of 9/11 wern't blowback.

Such was the case after 9-11. Every close observer of the events of those days knows full well that these crimes were acts of revenge for US policy in the Muslim world. The CIA and the 911 Commission said as much, the terrorists themselves proclaimed it, and Osama underscored the point by naming three issues in particular: US troops in Saudi Arabia, US sanctions against Iraq, and US funding of Israeli expansionism.

Ron Paul on Blowback - Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. - Mises Institute

Originally Posted by merle haggard

The US promoted the idea as to facilitate the breakup of the Soviet Union, originally promoted by Brzezinski. They provided the Mujahideen with supplies, especially the Stingers, that they needed to defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan.
It was the Saudis who funded the jihdadists out of ideological grounds rather than political. The worst the Americans can be blamed for is neglecting Afghanistan after the Soviets left.