dragonfist Loc: Stafford, N.Y.

I have son that spent two tours in Iraq and a grandson who was there once. Now that we are withdrawing all troops by years end do you think it was really worthwhile going there? I myself have a feeling that they will fall back to a regime typical of what they had. What is your opinion?

notnoBuddha

I understand I am more detached then you are but mostly my thoughts are I am just mostly glad it is about over and as to what will be can never be assured. I can't see how staying any longer with have been of any use and can't see how we can change the past. Mostly it was a bone headed move from the get go - a waste of personal, monies, and resources and the risk of spending any more of these would not made our past efforts any more justified. I find if very interesting that one party seems to be mostly critical of ending it. Hug your boys and be glad.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Attempting to establish peace, democracy, freedom and equality in virtually any part of the middle east and/or western Asia is well nigh impossible, and a waste of time, money and more importantly, human lives. Tribal and religious ties go much farther back than any recent (e.g., post 1600 AD) attempts at diplomacy. The oriental disregard for human life is well documented. Although parts of the West have had a similar history, for the most part we grew out of it somewhere around the Middle Ages. They did not.

I am not casting aspersions on any single person who may be from this region, as I have met several who are excellent human beings. It just seems that when more than three of any tribe get together, the first thing they conspire to do is assassinate a cousin, and take half a dozen innocents along with them.

Western meddling doesn't help, either. Britain created Iraq in 1935 after making sure that BP could suck out all the oil without too much interference, and look at what the US did in Iran with our friend Pahlavi.

I have nothing but respect for our armed forces over there, but I can not support their mission. Get them ALL back home.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

I'm a Vietnam era vet. We didn't belong in Iraq or Afghanistan. We need o stop meddling in other country's business looking for "Weapons of mass destruction". If we suspect terrorists are in a country hire mercenaries to take them out. Nobody is safe. If the mafia can find targets our special forces can also. No more loss of American life and wasting huge American assets.

gayellen Loc: Arkansas

I'm sorry to disappoint you folks, but all of the troops won't be coming back home. We will always have a presence there just like we do in Germany, Korea, Japan, Iwo Jima, Phillipans, Wake Island, England,Turkey, etc.... The only country the USA has pulled almost all troops from is Vietnam. the reason for the almost is the MIA's.....
My husband served 26 years in the USAF, 2 of my daughters served in the Air Force, both of their husbands are active duty Air Force (three out of those four have been to Iraq and Afganistan). I also have a former son-in-law (reservist in the Army) who just recently returned from Afganistan and a nephew (active duty Marine Corps) that also just returned from there upon the death of his father...
I hope they all get to come home but I just don't ever see it happening... I wish all American Military personnel from everywhere overseas could come back and serve on American soil and not have to go back but I don't see that happening...

dragonfist Loc: Stafford, N.Y.

I quite agree with you. We never should have been in Iraq in the first place. If those people really wanted to change their government they would have done as the Egyptians and Libyans did. The same with Afghanistan. They finally got bin Laden, as I understand it the original motive for being there. Why are we still there? Revenge may be sweet but it is expensive. We lost more lives finding him than were taken on 9/11. It also has cost a fortune to do it.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

The conflict in Afghanistan costs the American Taxpayer $200 million dollars a day. Any idea how many college educations that would pay for? Or low-income health clinics? Or repaired bridges and roads? Our involvement there is ludicrous. History alone should tell us that.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

There's a part of me that will never trust the US government again. Coming back from the Far East there were no yellow ribbons on trees & mailboxes for us. We were spit on and called "baby killers". I will never blame the troops in any conflict. We should return to days of old where the leaders that take us to war should be out front leading the charge instead of hiding behind an oval desk. Bet we'd have damn few wars that way.

369Kae Loc: Peru,IN

Amen Bob! And Bob, Welcome Home!

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." by George Santayana

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." by Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

I served from 1969-1973, This just happens to be where I live, in an area scarcely populated.

jkaye65 Loc: Chico, CA

Any resonable person can look at history and realize that we are not going to change a thing with our troops present anywhere in the middle east.

Those folks have been in constant turmoil and wars for over 1000 years. It is in their blood. When we finally leave they will still be at it.

If some other country wants to mess with the USA, we should send over some planes and drop really big bombs. Then the next axxhole country may take notice and back off.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

I think one of the problems with the current conflict (and destined to become much more 'the case' in the future) is we are not fighting another country. We're attempting to stamp out a non-governmental, somewhat leaderless, non-uniformed, non-Geneva Convention signatory, loose group of religious fanatics who have the support of a fair number of their brethren, who blend in with 'innocents', and have no compunction against killing perfectly blameless civilians. It's like trying to stamp out jello on the floor. The Talib and similar groups will exist so long as there is Islamic resentment towards Western ideals.

It also doesn't help that our only so-called ally in the area is rife with corruption and treachery and tacitly supports our enemy through their own intelligence service.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

To expand on one of your points, we need to stop "buying" friends.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

My father is also a Vietnam Vet, when he came home and got the welcome he did, he quickly packed his things and moved to Canada and sadly he wasn't the only one that did so.

Thank you for serving, it only took 30 plus years for the American people to recognize the sacrifice a generation of young people made. Sad really.