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5 Year Anniversary: What does it mean to "win the war in Iraq"?

People talking about winning the Iraq war, but I'm not sure what they mean.

One of the most infamous events of the Bush presidency happened a few years ago when he flew onto a Navy battleship and declared victory in Iraq. Gee, if that's your idea of victory...

Anyway, 4000 Americans have now died, and nobody seems to care. A recent poll indicated that only 30% of Americans even know what the body count is. And I'd bet even fewer know that we've spent 500 billion dollars to "win" this war.

So what does winning mean?

1. Getting rid of weapons of mass destruction? (none there)
2. Getting rid of Sadam? (he's dead)
3. Installing an American-style democracy? (never gonna happen)
4. Forcing everyone in Iraq to get along? (we will be there 100 years or longer if that's the goal)
5. Make American companies a lot of money? (perhaps this is happening, and will continue to happen for as long as we're there -- is that the real meaning of "winning," making money?)
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Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 27, 2008 at 7:52 PM

    What does winning mean? Well, Saddam had used WMD on people in Iraq. Noonereally knows what he may have had during the time the UN inspectors were not really allowed in. Could they have had something and move it to Syria or somehwere? I do not have that sort of information. Does anyone here? Is it remotely possible that our Intelligence angencies possess any intelligence and any information such as we do not have?

    So if "winning" meant getting rid of Saddam, and that only, then we certainly wond. A bonus is that we got rid of his sons.

    I would certainly hope that we would not be wanting to intall a US style democracy. One reason? The US is not supposed to have a democracy, but to be instead a Republic. As one who wants words to have meaning, "America" is a continent, not a type of government.

    Forcing everyone in Iraq to get along? We can't evendo that with the United States. SWe canno evenget everhone in the US to "assimilate". Would we really want to?

    Ah yes! Make some American companies a lot of money. Not to be personal, but how hight in the hierarchey of your desires, wants etc is the making of a lot of money and the spending of it on your own comforts and conveniences?

    Do you think you are a success (that you are winning in life) if you make a lot of money?

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