Three people killed over Muhammad cartoon

[Future Canadian]

Great thread, and  *gasp*  it hasn't degenerated into a racist flame-fest!!!    

Shhhh. The trolls might hear you.

[Sportsdude]

Actually I think this row is about over. Its run its course and with the new video of the british soldiers beating the iraqi protesters and the new torture video and pics from the us soldiers, I think this will be water under the bridge.  The violence seems to be staged now by right wing fanatics. I don't see regular muslims protesting anymore.

[Witch]

[BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"]Itis my opinion that when the USA attacks Iran in the next few months,there will be far more support from the EU and European citizens. Itwon't be Iraq all over again.
[/DIV][/BLOCKQUOTE] Hopefully the US won't be stupid enough to try that again, although the Shrubbers don't seem to mind being stupid.

If the US does decide to invade Iran, hopefully there will be a UN Army dug in at the border to stop them. It's time the rest of the world stood up to the US and said "No more! Your bullying ends here!" I'd rejoin and put my Canadian uniform back on to stand in that trench. That would be an honorable stand indeed.

[Sportsdude]

oh the US is stupid enough. I'm actually hoping they do, because there is no way in hell that they can do this with out bringing back the draft. They bring back the draft and I say "Hello Vancouver" a little earlier than planned.

[tenkani]

Affirmative, sportsdude.[/DIV]The U.S. military is unable to recruit enough cannon fodder to effectively do the job in Iraq. We are undermanned already in the middle east, engaged in a seemingly unwinnable struggle against a foe who's numbers and morale grow daily. Without a draft, the concept of invading Iran is more than foolhardy. It's psychotic. And the president who calls up the draft will be signing his own political death warrant. Whether people like to admit it or not, I think deep down most Americans know at this point that the entire middle east region, not just Iraq, is a quagmire that holds nothing but horror and defeat for us in the long run.

[TehBorken]

The U.S. military is unable to recruit enough cannon fodder to effectively do the job in Iraq. We are undermanned already in the middle east, engaged in a seemingly unwinnable struggle against a foe who's numbers and morale grow daily.

Someone made a post about this in the book thread, about how we are in a 4GW war and that we won't/can't win it. I agree with that, Iraq is just another Vietnam with sand instead of jungle.

We'll never succeed over there, and I'm not sure the current administration wants to or even cares as long as they rake in enough $$$$$$$. Then it's on to Iran for more fun in the sun.

[Sportsdude]

we are in never ending war because the "enemy" is an idology. You don't fight fire with fire. We aren't beating up some country that if we kill all the people against us then the country will be free this isn't 1940's Europe.  This is a giant powder keg that can go off at any moment.  Its a ticking time bomb.  You got Syria screwing with Lebanon which is always in a civil war between the christians and jews.  You got Iran who is wanting to team up with Iraq (they are both Shi'ite nations), you got the kurds who want there own country which turkey does not want to happend and showed it would go to war over this.  You got the kingdom of saudi arabia if the crown is over thrown they might as well rename it al queda land.  You have rising anti-isreali forces in Eygpt. I could go on but I'll stop.

[tenkani]

Yeah, I remember that post. It was a good one. Bottom line, as we learned in Vietnam, you can never beat a dug in insurgency without the support of the local population. And because of the ethnic/religious/historical context of the region, it is impossible for an American military presence to ever be more than barely tolerated by the masses.

Also, and I don't remember whether I posted this here or on DV, but during the Vietnam war, military strategists stated that in order to defeat an insurgency, an occupying army needs a 10 to 1 force advantage. Since the Iraqi Intelligence Service estimates the insurgency to be between 100,000 and 200,000 strong (depending on whether you consider "part time insurgents" to be fully part of the resistance)...well, you get the picture. We would probably need a minimum of 1,000,000 troops in Iraq to properly quell the insurgency, and we are having to extend tours just to keep PRESENT troop levels. Good luck with that!

[TehBorken]

We would probably need a minimum of 1,000,000 troops in Iraq to properly quell the insurgency, and we are having to extend tours just to keep PRESENT troop levels. Good luck with that!

We'd need a soldier every 15 feet in a grid covering the entire country. And even THAT wouldn't do it.

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[tenkani]

You'd think we would learn our lesson in Vietnam, or even Cuba. "They will welcome us with flowers"!

Yes, of course, because everyone in the world welcomes U.S. style democracy. And even if they did support the THEORY of what we espouse, it's just WORDS, because for every flowery speech, there is an Abu Graib or a scandal with a reconstruction contractor that negates all of the high-sounding bullshit. Americans are easily duped by our politicians. The rest of the world, not so much. In Palestine, Fatah (spelling) spoke of democracy constantly, but Hammas were the ones on the streets providing free medical care and cleaning up the garbage while Fatah grew fat and corrupt. People living day to day in dire circumstances are more influenced by the reality on the ground than by rhetoric. This is why our P.R. machine is incredibly effective at home, but falls on its face abroad.

[Tor Johnston]

I read somewhere the US is supposedly attacking Iran at the end ofMarch and that they'll be using those oh-so-nifty battlefield nukes.Then again the horoscope is usually wrong, lol.

[tenkani]

I read somewhere that nearly every member of the human race is full of disembodied alien ghosts that are responsible for all our stress and insecurity. Hmmmm...

[kitten]

I don't know how they can send so many troops overseas when they desperately need them to defend their borders against Canada!  *chuckle*

[49er]

I don't know how they can send so many troops overseas when they desperately need them to defend their borders against Canada!  [/DIV] you mean defending the borders from young americans fleeing into Canada to avoid the draft!

[kitten]

I was thinking more of all those terrorists that buy groceries in Blaine.  I still can't get over those vigilantes patrolling the woods in Washington carrying any weapon they can get their redneck hands on!