Can someone explain to me what "winning in Iraq" is?

Question

When we touched down in Iraq in March 2003, we went in with the goal of liberating Iraq and eliminating the threat known as Saddam Hussein. They held elections last year or so, Saddam and his sadistic sons are long deceased, and yet the war continues. Osama bin Laden is on the loose, but the war in Iraq continues. China continues to give us poisoned products, and we continue to give them our jobs. And yet, the war in Iraq continues. Russia and China both claim stockpiles of nuclear weapons, none of which we even complain about, despite their leadership and direction, ask Georgia and Tibet respectively. North Korea was taken off the "Axis" after getting rid of one nuclear plant that we know of. Not all, but one. And we still don't know how many more plants they contain capable of producing weapons. And yet the war in Iraq continues.

Considering the foreign issues that plague us today, and that did in 2003, why are we still in Iraq? I won't say win or lose, because if they're living under a democracy (unlike Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, countries we consider allies in the "war on terror") and Saddam Hussein is not only out of power, but deceased (Unlike Osama bin Laden), by all means, we've won. Number two, considering the atmosphere in 2003 and now, should Iraq have been our number 1 priority, and/or should it still be?

Answer 1

Do you want to lose.....NOT thousands.....but MILLIONS of American lives?

Do you want our economy held in a death grip by an adversary that controls ALL of the Middle Eastern oil? Do you want Israel "wiped off the face of the earth"?

It is VITAL that we have a pro-west Iraq capable of defending itself.

If we abandon Iraq.....not only will anti-American terrorism increase a round the world.....even here in America.....BUT the Shiites will take control of the Middle East.....there will be a HUGE war with Israel.....we are treaty and economically bound to Israel.....

Israel will use nukes..... so will Iran....

We get 30 % of our oil from the Middle East.....If the war does not cut off our supply.....the Shiites will.....EVERYTHING will cost more in America....our economy will be in tatters.....the dollar will be worthless

This war is not about Iraq.....or democracy.....it is about survival

Answer 2

We already won, silly.  Didn't you see Bush Jr. land on the aircraft carrier and then make a speech with the banner "Mission Accomplished" behind him?

Seriously, the definition of success in Iraq changes with the seasons.  In the military, there's a term called "Mission Creep".  What that means is the gradual process by which a campaign or mission's objectives change over time, esp. with undesirable consequences.

For example, when the U.S. military went into Somalia, their goal was to help prevent a humanitarian crisis by securing the country to allow the transfer of goods and services to the populace.  As time went by, the priority went to apprehending warlords which led to the situation described in the movie/book "Blackhawk Down".

Now the primary goal of the US in Iraq is to save face because it's obvious to the entire world that the invasion was a farce and was nothing more than petty personal hatred from a very poor president.

Answer 3

Dark Angel, That is the best question I've seen on this site! I would like to see the gutless mainstream media ask that question. I can't wait to see the reply's you get!

Answer 4

You're seeing "winning" right now.  Resistance as all but collapsed.  The Iraqi Army is slowing taking charge.

We'll be out of there in a couple years and the current government will survive.

Of course, you know all this.

Answer 5

There is no winning in this war. There will always be terrorists and people who don't believe in such a place called USA for as long as the earth exists. You cant stop a race from believing what they believe in. We will win when we all come to reason and except all of our differences. Differences is what starts wars. So therefore if there is always going to be differences then there will always be war. But referring directly to your question we will win the war in Iraq when we pull out the troops. To be exact this isn't a war it is an operation. (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and operation that has no end. It is just a fight between the Americans and the Terrorist Regimes. You can not end a fight with people who aren't organized and can't come to reason with other countries. But I do think we will be out of there when we find Osama Bin Laden or when we find out that he has been dead for the last 3 years.  

Answer 6

Winning in Iraq to me means leaving the country immediately and for us to stop meddling in international affairs, or at least to the degree we are.

We buy goods from China because we are a semi-free market economy and China can deliver the goods for cheaper.  Sorry, but I don't want to pay a union man $20/hour to make a pair of socks.

Until we adopt a more isolationist stance in the world, we will continue to reap what we sow.