What does "Victory" mean in Iraq?

Submitted by Charles Martel (United States), Aug 29, 2007 at 11:27

Sadly, knowing more than "Our Commander in Chief" is not difficult.

Conservatives like me who oppose staying in Iraq are not anti-military at all.

Nancy -- how do you define "Victory" in Iraq?

In Vietnam (widely criticized as a pointless goat-rope) victory would have been a self-sustaining, self-defending anti-communist South Vietnam. A clearly worthwhile goal even if it may not have been achievable.

What does it mean to you in Iraq?

Is it a stable Iraq? Firing most generals in the Iraqi Army and restructuring it to include Kurdish and Shiite officers and leaving it in charge would have done that.

Is it a democratic Iraq? Is that even a worthwhile goal, and can it be achieved militarily?

I say "no" to both of those things. I don't care if Iraq is a democracy -- Iraqis would like a Sharia state with Christians as rats skittering from ruin to ruin and Jews either dead or expelled.

Also, even if you want an Iraqi democracy, us keeping over hundred thousand troop there is merely providing stability. It may allow democracy to develop, but it isn't a guarantee.

I am in the national security arena as well, and probably 40% of all our military assets and expenditures are focused or otherwise tied up on this pointless headache. Iraq is not NEARLY 40% of our national security problems. I'd say it is less than 10%.

The only reason I would hesitate to get out is the perception of defeat (which is the same reason that kept us in Somalia and led to "Blackhawk Down" in Mogadishu.)

I hope the surge gives us a perceived success so we can declare success and get out, and concentrate on stopping Moslem infiltration of the West.

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