Why We Should Not Pull Out Of Iraq
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Foreign Policy, The War On Terrorism, WarThe explanation is complicated, but it begins like this…
Because believe it or not, I fear things like this will become more commonplace after we leave.
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 24 - A suicide car bomb exploded Thursday near an American convoy at the entrance to the main hospital in the volatile town of Mahmudiya, killing at least 30 Iraqis and wounding dozens of others in a burst of fire and shrapnel.At least 15 other Iraqis died Thursday, including the police commander of Mahmudiya, while 5 American soldiers were reported killed in three separate incidents over the last two days.
Even by the violent standards of this war, the bombing in Mahmudiya was particularly vicious, taking place outside a hospital as visitors and the sick were coming and going. The blast flung bystanders and body parts through the air and shattered the facades of buildings for blocks around. Policemen and Iraqi Army soldiers quickly sealed off the town’s main streets while American helicopters circled the scene of carnage.
So overwhelmed were the doctors in the area that the most seriously wounded, including some people with limbs missing, had to be transported 30 miles north to Baghdad for treatment.
Let’s consider this for a moment. Terrorists (read: insurgents) have streamed into Iraq to destabilize the country after we’ve left. Also, they’re mostly from Syria and Iran. Now, they say they’re doing this by attacking the Iraqi citizens mostly and blaming the United States. Doing so is a response to American Imperialism and is vital to maintaining the purity of Islam.
Whatever. They just want destabilize Iraq. That’s my opinion. Doesn’t make it true, but that’s my opinion…
But let’s get real. Iran and Syria are trying to destroy Iraq’s demorcracy because they fear what a stable Iraq could mean for their own countries.
Seems farfetched? Well, then they bomb Jordan for being our “friends” and cooperating with us in the WOT.
Here’s my thought then…if the US pulls back on their troop strength now, the terrorists will continue to do their thing, but then they’ll continue to blame the United States by attacking sympathizers of Democracy.
What do I fear will happen then? The terrorists, slowly but surely, will begin to divide the already tenuous bonds that exist within the Iraq government and it will eventually lead to civil war between all three factions, each blaming the other for the continued terrorist attacks.
Why?
Because each faction wants to grab more power, so each party has to have enemies. This is the natural progression of democracy. Just look at our political system and how much strife we have now. Now throw into the mix hundreds of people are dying horrible, bloody deaths every month and we start to see that there could be political power grabs in the name of “they’re helping the terrorists” could lead to the downfall of the fledgling Iraqi democracy.
That’s why we can’t pull out or draw down our forces. That’s why we must convince the Iraqis that they need us there so their democracy can grow the right way. Let us take the beating and take the casulaties…
In other words, we broke it so we must fix it. Because if we don’t, I fear the reprecussions will be more terrorism instead of less.
What are your thoughts?
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November 26th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
Could “(t)errorists (read: insurgents)” also be read “freedom fighters” or “Iraqi Nationalists” who want us (invaders, pirates, looters) gone?? You place all motives on outside forces, USA, Iran, Syria; what about the Iraqi citizens themselves?? The real question should be: Can we, as sitting ducks with too few forces to adequately control the country, ever stop a civil war from happening, or will we only slow it down?? If we don’t have the soldiers and materials to stop a civil war, then why are we there?? Will we not get blamed for everything bad that happens anyway??
We toppled Saddam, there were never any WMDs, Saddam and the people of Iraq were never a threat to us, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!! Can we now go get Osama, or is this really all about the oil??
November 26th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
The New York Times reporting in this case is curiously (or not, depending on your feelings about the Times) off the mark in describing the scene. It’s even more horrific and cold-blooded than this. The “American convoy” was parked at the hospital. It wasn’t passing by (the impression you might get). And, unlike the insurgents, who use hospitals and ambulances as cover, the Americans were there on an official visit to get a list of what the facility needed in terms of upgrades. And the children gathered around, as the childen always do when a convoy stops. And that’s when the terrorist struck.
I have no trouble using the word “terrorist” in this case. Does the NYT?
The pictures that moved on the news wire last night were tragic. Grown men holding dead toddlers wrapped in bloody blankets. I put one in the newspaper, on page A2, which I was laying out. But my boss made me take it out and replace it with something innocuous — a handful of ING soldiers standing haplessly around the blast crater. So much for showing people why we need to stay in Iraq, eh?
November 26th, 2005 at 1:21 pm
Yeah, that sucks. Children died yesterday and I think that should be reported. These people are not “freedom fighters.” They’re thugs from other countries who are recruiting the weak and the wounded…
Ridiculous…
November 26th, 2005 at 2:26 pm
I’m genuinely not trying to be snarky, but what YOU think will happen after the US pulls out is mostly irrelevant. If the Iraqi people want the US out - and they do - the US should pull out, even if you or I think that Iraqis would be better off if the US stayed. It’s not up to us; to insist on continued occupation because we know what’s best for Iraqis, even if they don’t, is repulsively paternalistic and immoral.
November 26th, 2005 at 8:13 pm
the logic in our arguments as to why the united states should not immediately withdraw its troops from iraq consists of syllogism based on false information…whatever you wish to call the people who are blowing themselves up in iraq, ie, insurgents, terrorists, revolutionaries, nationalists, or idiots, it is a simple fact: these people are targeting our military peronnel and equipment with their bombs and their human bombs…in most instances, when a target leaves any geographic area (i include even wild game in this analysis), the shooting/bombing/aggression stops…period…that any american remains committed to the idea that we are needed in iraq to keep the iraqis from blowing one another up is nothing other than silly…they were not blowing one another up when we got there…once there the americans have killed, tortured, raped and maimed these people at will for no good reason, hundreds of thousands of them…the one issue on which all iraqis of any religious pre-disposition agree is that the occupation must end…period…the target must go…
November 27th, 2005 at 3:29 am
Funny, I don’t remember reading about U.S. military convoys at all those Shi’ite funerals and mosques al-Zarqawi is so fond of blasting to smithereens.
But I’m sure America is to blame somehow. Work at it long enough, and you’ll find a way.
Silly indeed. Not long after we leave, if we leave now, they’ll stop blowing each other up. Some combination of Zarqawi and former Baathist elements will surge into power, and they’ll go back to killing people by the tens of thousands in remote death camps and underground torture prisons, just like before. Out of range of CNN and al-Jazeera. Then we can go back to pretrending it’s not happening, so we bear no responsibility for “these people.” Out of sight, out of mind. Some people like it better that way. Much easier than dealing with messy realities.
November 28th, 2005 at 1:36 am
No offense, but you really haven’t given a reason for why we cannot leave.
You’ve said if we leave, things will continue as they have continued. That is, the various factions will get support from Syria(Sunni) and Iran(Shiite) and continue to fight between each other trying to get the upper hand.
The only difference in your scenarios is whether or not the US will sit in the middle acting as target practice between the two warring groups. But with the US sitting in the middle, we are the greatest recruiting target for Al Qaeda ever invented. So explain to me how things will be worse?
November 28th, 2005 at 2:29 am
Fair enough, but I don’t think you really appreciated the whole post. I’ve said that Iraq could very welll descend into civil war without us, with each faction blaming each other for the terrorists who continue to plague their country.
Maybe I didn’t make that clear, and if not, then I apologize, but I do think that could very well be the reality and that frightens me.
And this from Dadahead
I certainly don’t disagree, but I do lament that we may well have created an atmosphere where civil war could eventually be the reality. Maybe not now and maybe not soon, but sometime in the not so distant future (5 years out) and that would be a shame indeed, agreed?
January 31st, 2006 at 9:37 pm
Well, we wouldn’t want to be “target practice in the middle of two factions”, but I can’t seem to remember being in Iraq or Afghanistan on 9/11, 2001, you know, when we were attacked. By terrorists. Who didn’t care that they were attacking a civilian target. Who had no reason to attack us other than some fanatical idea of US imperialism.
They will attack us whether we are there or not, we will be in the middle whether we loike it or not. Better it be in Iraq with generally low population density than New York City with a high population density. The terrorists made 1 mistake: They attacked America openly and directly. This pissed us off, and pissed off Americans historically get things done to shut up the people who pissed us off.
March 22nd, 2006 at 7:51 pm
“If the Iraqi people want the US out - and they do ”
Im sorry, but the statistics prove otherwise. Most recent reports indicate that 61% of Iraqi’s think their government is improving, while 71% say their life has been better since the american occupation.
October 16th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
we should stay in iraq and enen though im only 13, i think that it is common sense to stay cause compare a few lives lost to thousands by a nuclear weapon
October 16th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Wasn’t the purpose of the invasion in Iraq to retaliate after the 9/11 tragedy; restore order; spread democracy; and try to put an end to terrorism? i agree with Gardner on this one. If we pull our troops out now, what will happen in Iraq? Peace and democracy is still yet to be made there. Acts of terrorism are still happening daily, killing hundreds of innocent llives. The idea of factions is inevitable. Factions are everywhere in the world. All fight for power and some will do anything for power (terrorists). It’s not about losing a couple thousand brave U.S. lives over there (I think we’ve lost more in other supported wars), it is about putting an end to this terrorism bull. We need to stick it to the man. AMERICA ROCKS
October 17th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
retarded idiot the democrats are!!!!!! why should we pu;; out of iraq. why shuld we raise taxes? give me one good reason why we should do these things!!!!!!!!?????????????????????
October 17th, 2006 at 10:54 pm
You’re my man Willy!
October 30th, 2006 at 1:49 pm
if we pull out alquada will bomb us again but it will be worse
November 6th, 2006 at 8:25 pm
Wake up and smell the coffee. Terrorism exists because our country helped to create it. 9/11 was orchestrated by our own government-GW is the the puppet for those behind it. In repsonse to Sean, the purpose of the invasion of Iraq was for our elected gov’t officials personal financial gain and to carve out a nice little piece of the Middle East. Don’t be deluded. Do the research. It doesn’t matter if we pull out of the war or not because what is done, is done. If nothing changes, nothing changes. The bastards that helped create this problem are still in power and are believed to be good, law abiding citizens. Either way, there is hell to pay for being involved in this war, or for pulling out. Either way there are consequences that are completely ineveitable.
November 7th, 2006 at 12:40 am
I feel sorry for you Emily because if there’s anybody who needs to wake up, I think you’ll find her staring back at you in the mirror.
November 7th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
I feel that we shouldnt pull our troops out because if we do we will cause more problems. We have started something and I think we need to finish it. If we just pull out we will have another person like Sadam and it will go beck to normal. What do you think?
November 7th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
I feel that we shouldnt pull our troops out because if we do we will cause more problems. We have started something and I think we need to finish it. If we just pull out we will have another person like Sadam and it will go beck to normal. What do you think?
November 8th, 2006 at 8:19 pm
First of all, if you really believe the US government was responsible for 9/11, you spend way too much time on these conspiracy theory websites. Do you have any idea how many people would be needed to set up 9/11. I do not think that 9/11 was the most elaborate hoax evey made, way too large, with way too many people involved in our government.
Anyway back to Iraq. The terrorists are the ones who attacked America and like Brian in MA stated, history shows that if you attack America we will strike back, for example Pearl Harbor. Congress instantly voted to go to war with Japan then later Germany. The country was all for it just as people were after 9/11. People look back now and would not want to go to war, but think back to the attacks from these terrorists and I am pretty sure most people wanted someone to pay for this act of cowardness. We did not start the war the terrorists brought it to us. Granted Hussein never had WMDs which was the basis for invasion, he was still undoubtedly a supporter of terrorism and murdered his own people. He was a terrorist in his own country comminting terrorism on his people. Now there are two emerging groups in Iraq, one major one being the radical islamists and jihadists that are surely now in Iraq. Radical Islam calls for anyone not Islamic to be destroyed and it has been known that Muslims want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Kind of sounds like Nazism to me, and just like the Nazis, the jihadists or terrorists or whatever you prefer, would probably not stop with just one country, but move to Europe eventually heading to the West.
We need to stop the radical islam movement and we need somewhere other than America to fight that war. And now we have our focal point for the war, Iraq. We cannot pull out now and let the terrorists reorganize and rearm. With the threat of North Korea and Iran making nuclear weapons it brings the high possibility of terrorists to obtain nuclear weapons. We need to keep fighting in Iraq and the possibility of a democratic Iraq is still possible. If that is the case then America has somewhere to station troops and fight the terrorists in the Middle East. It also more importantly, gives the Iraqi people freedom and self government, which is being worked on now. The terrorists will become stronger if we pull out and like I mentioned before, will give them more time to obtain nuclear weapons. If America pulls out, those bastards will keep fighting no matter what and will most likely attack our home land once again, but even bigger, when it will be even more risky and dangerous to go back into the middle east and fight once more. I am not saying war is good and am very thankful for America’s and other allied troops fighting for us, but so far, even though I do not like it, we have lost around 2500 troops. Think about the WTC victims and how many unarmed civilians we lost there. We lost more people in the attacks then we have from the war thus far. It is worth it to keep fighting and now with the Democrats gaining control of the house it would not be a surprise to see a timetable for withdrawing troops to come about. A timetable for eveyone to see, this includes the terrorists and other radical groups. They will then know when America will pull out of Iraq in which will cause many militant groups to pour into Iraq and ruin the country even more with even bloodier consequences. We have already started the war in Iraq and cannot turn back.
November 15th, 2006 at 2:54 am
I totally agree with Ryan… He basically has stated everything I’ve been thinking about all of this, Well said…
November 15th, 2006 at 8:39 pm
I think it’s self-evident that the country would have been far more “behind the war” had we gone to that war immediately after 9-11. Leaving airhead conspiracy theories out of it, I think the probable reason we did NOT go to war right after 9-11 was a combination of shock, disbelief, lack of concrete information as to who was where (for bombing and killing, of course, with the most effect and the least “fallout”), and a generalized inability of the petaybes (Anne McCaffrey shorthand for “powers that be”, backhandedly) to know what to do when and to (or with) whom (meaning I think Bush and his cronies couldn’t find their butts with both hands and flashlights…. not then, not now….)
I find myself saying to myself, “Okay, so pull out of there wholesale, and LET THEM go to civil war”. And then I back up and think that a civil war even in one ME country is likely to conflagrate horrendously. Do I want most of southern Europe caught up in a conflict they probably don’t deserve? Do I want our country and its allies (few and far between as they really are) to have to re-enter at a huge disadvantage an area which has so often proved intransigent (um….. boy THAT’s an understatement)?
Emotion says “Get the HELL OUT NOW”. Reason says we just can’t do that immediately. Either option leaves logic being sick in the street….
“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”
-Plato
The new kvetch in town….
February 13th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
okay i am sixteen and have been a military brat my whole life. FIRST off ya’ll dont get all the info they just give us the bad cause that is what AMERICA want. we care more about the bad news then the good news. seriously though the news DOES NOT give us the full story. Trust me i know. FIRST off the wsituation in iraq has NOTHING to do with 9/11. and yes we are doing something about 9/11 my dad just got back from afganastand jan. 27th so yeah. and you hear alot from ALL branches of military the truth. The army fights out in the field, the air force gives them there wepons, and build them stuff so that they can be saved like bombs and all. with out the air force there would be no ARMY
February 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 pm
FIrst of all Amanda I totally agree with you that the media doesn’t publish everything that goes on in the world. You can’t blame this on Americans though saying that we like depressing news, but you can blame it on the left wing communists that control the mainstream media. If you are looking for a somewhat good and intelligent news station look to fox. The liberals would like nothing else to see America fail and that is why you can see all the one-sided news thats out there. People like Emily believe all that conspiracy crap and convince others of nothings. What you need to realize on this topic is that the ists don’t like democracy. Thats why they attadked us and will continue to attack us and that is exactly why we must fight back and not give in. I totally agree with Justin in saying that if we pull out the ings will continue because the insurgents would target the new democracy that has just been set up there. To pull out now would be a terrible mistake and most of the people of Iraq realize that. I don’t know about Emily and others like her, but I think those videos of how happy the people were when we toppled Saddams statue was a perfect example of how Iraqis feel about us.
Stay strong Willie dont let those democrats get to you.
March 14th, 2007 at 8:31 am
hi i’m crystal and i’m 13 and I strongly believe that if we pull out the war in Iraq the Iraqis will come back at us 10 times harder then they have in 9/11. This is why i dont want to pull out the war in Iraq.
Thank You
April 4th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
i think we should stay in iraq too because we are making progress and i agree that the stupid media cant give us anything but the bad and we have spent like$350 billion on this war but alot of that was spent on new schools and hospitals and libaries and stuff like that to help the iraqi people and every day something happenes in irag like a suicied bomb a helicopter got shoot down and the media spends half it time talking about that i think that its old news and i have to say that what the hell is wrong w/ america wanting to pull out if we do the iraqi govent ment is still pretty shakey and same w/ the military so fi we pull out now it like askinf for hell to pat later on down the road and i cant see why’d we want to put up w/ that if we dont have to if we can do it noe it just dont make sence i KNOW i have very stong opinons even if i am only 13 i still have a lot to say (i feel like m writing my social papper again)
April 24th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
we should not pull out of iraq. the basis for entering iraq may have been wrong but if Hussein had continued his reign of genecide and torture, terrorism surely would have developed. i agree with sean and ryan, those guys have my views pretty much down pat. if the people want to pull out of iraq and not support our troops who risk their lives daily for the sake of peace then they have a sick twisted minds. at least have some respect for them, even if they arent you”best buddies”
April 24th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
ive also noticed that there are alot of teens like me, just 14 and 13 that have more sense than those 40 and 50 and 60 year old democrats that want to set a time limit for wars. when you think about it, having a time limit for a war is ridiculous. told by a 14 year old.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Have any of you ever served in the military? Until you do then you don’t have a voice in this discussion. All of us that served volunteered some of us more than once. we’ll see when they come here after we cut and run how safe you feel. we took the battle to their turf, we run home and they will follow us guaranteed. all hell will break loose and we will lose any credibilty us americans have left. 6-7 dollars per gallon of gas will change your mind on how important it is to secure the middle east. wake up and get real.
May 17th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
I haven’t served in the military, but I would like to exercise my freedom of speech if it is at all possible? My relatives have fought to preserve our rights so i think that i may be entitled to engage in this conversation.
I see what I believe is a lot of confusion. I see the whole 9/11 - terrorist - iraq relationship stated. That whole connection and speech from Powell seemed very “forced” and much of the WMD or Brutal Dictator reasons were shown to be false or questionable. I don’t think we will ever achieve our objective in Iraq. Yeah we took Saddam out but the Puppet government we are trying to install will not cut us a deal with oil when we are gone…which is (i believe) why the powers that be want to stay. That said I don’t think it will work. They resistance will just wait us out. We will leave and then the puppet gov will collapse or an uprising will be stifled. But giving them peace and freedom is really a pipe dream. We cant just install a democracy, cross our fingers in hope some sort of domino effect occurs within the middle east. Also, the terrorist attacked the world trade center and pentagon for a reason. It isn’t because they have to kill every infidel. It has too do with capitalism and our foreign policies.
November 12th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
Now I don’t believe in every conspiracy theory but those of you who choose to believe what our government has told us probably still believe Oswald was the only shooter in the Kennedy assassination. Come on now isn’t it strange that a meeting of the top executives for the companies that were housed in the trade center were called away to an emergency meeting on that particular 9/11 day to Washington or that the towers were at the lowest occupancy in years. I cannot bring myself to believe that we would blow up the towers ourselves but you at least have to question the facts. After the towers fell our government got to tighten every single control over our constitutional rights. Who benefited from that tragedy (not Osama Bin Laden he lives in a cave now and has brought shame to his family)? It was the powers that be. They were able to sell a war that was in every way a deceptive and unwarranted attack on a sovereign nation. Saddam was a tyrant but he kept his people in line. Look at them now, no control and mass confusion. Our fault? Yes! I don’t see us over in Africa where military controlled nations are killing hundreds of thousands of people. Why do we not get involved there were the obvious scope of atrocities far out way Saddams treatment of his own people? Why because we have nothing to gain. In Iraq on the other hand reconstruction companies and oil companies can receive non-bid jobs resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars in profits. Who benefits? Cheney for one and the top 1% of our country. Not all of us, my gas prices have risen steadily, almost a trillion dollars of our tax money wasted and pumped into the American war machine. Profits again for government agencies and weapons manufacturers all in bed with the current administration. I only ask that you take the rose color glasses off and look at our country for what it really is. Basically a good group of people led astray by corrupt self-interested individuals. Leave GWB out of it he is a simpleton figure head/puppet for corporate America. Let me ask you this if our reason for staying in Iraq is to make sure we restore security and calm and once we accomplish this we can leave then why would extremist/terrorist support our case for staying by bombing innocent people? Wouldn’t it be in there best interest to give off the illusion that we won and brought security to the country giving the current Iraqi Government reasons to ask for an immediate pull out. Or at least some ammunition for proving security can be maintained by the Iraqi forces themselves therefore speeding up our withdrawal? All we have heard lately was the surge has worked and we have made strong gains in security. Now as the Iraqis want a timeline and refuse to sign a new agreement bombs are going off two, three at a time. Hmm who benefits? We do we can now say look there is still a major problem here. I am a flag waiving country loving American. What kills me is that our country no longer looks like the good guys, feels like the good guys or acts like the good guys. 9/11 gave us a chance to go in either of two directions, high road or low road and we chose the low road by capitalizing on the fears and anger of a nation to misguide, misrepresent and out right fool a public into a never-ending war! This country stands for truth, justice, democracy and the protection of those who cannot protect themselves. The last 8 years has weakened the very constitution for which we have fought and died for and I am tired of being called non-patriotic because I still believe in our constitution and what it stands for. Its people like me that epitomize patriotism. America stands only for capitalism and greed if we also don’t stand for truth, justice and freedom! Suspensions of the very checks and balances that govern our nation have been grossly misused leaving a “communistic” taste in my mouth. Lets hope a new leader will restore the basic principals of our great nation and re-focus our efforts to thwart terrorism to include not only American forces but a world coalition with equal vigor and benefit for us all.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Paul, God bless you and all of our troops for doing what most of us couldn’t even fathom. But remember you fight for the basic right to join in on any conversation. Whether or not we fought in this war has no bearing on whether or not we can voice our opinions. I agree with you they will follow us home. I don’t agree with why we are there. We can’t leave and it makes me angry. You were sent there with your life on the line for bullshit reasons. You should be angrier than I am. Our fight was in Afghanistan where we could have won and punished those that deserved it. Now your comrades fall because of bogus decisions made by our government.
Again I thank you for your service and dedication and hope your re-introduction to civilian life brings you peace and prosperity.