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A Few Questions
Reader comment on item: In Iraq, Stay the Course - but Change It
Submitted by Alex (United States), Oct 24, 2006 at 10:55
I agree very much with this article, and I am a great admirer of Dr. Pipes' foresight, as it took me a few years to understand the proposal that he first made over three years ago to withdraw Coalition troops in Iraq to desert bases to protect only vital interests and infrastructure. Now I think I get it, but I have a few questions left as to how to implement this policy.
Should the Coalition keep--or even increase--human intelligence gathering in the cities in order to know when and when not to intervene there? Can borders or oil installations be guarded without an increased number of troops? Lastly, can Iraq be secured for US vital interests without a more pan-regional approach, specifically as regards Syria, Iran, and radical Islam?
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".
Daniel Pipes replies:
"Should the Coalition keep--or even increase--human intelligence gathering in the cities in order to know when and when not to intervene there?"
Sounds like a good idea.
"Can borders or oil installations be guarded without an increased number of troops?"
I don't see coalition troops guarding the installations but serving as a deterrent force.
"Lastly, can Iraq be secured for US vital interests without a more pan-regional approach, specifically as regards Syria, Iran, and radical Islam?"
I don't aim at securing Iraq so much as making sure nothing goes hugely awry there - a lower ambition than yours.
Reader comments (112) on this item
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Title | Commenter | Date | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurdistan Strategy For Iraq [408 words] | Mike K. | Nov 19, 2006 17:50 | 66640 | ||
 Cut Off Oil Buys From Middle East, Lock-Down Iraq in Miltary Law, Hand over to U.N Control! [106 words] | UniversalSoldierOfFreedom | Dec 30, 2006 21:44 | 66640 | ||
| Americans have spoken [59 words] | Unbiased | Nov 9, 2006 02:08 | 65629 | ||
| Here is a sensible exit strategy [438 words] | Naseem | Nov 1, 2006 11:07 | 64994 | ||
| Iraq and Democracy [262 words] | trans-parere | Nov 2, 2006 00:13 | 64994 | ||
| Bringing Iraqis to West to learn democracy is wild goose chase [380 words] | Jaladhi | Nov 2, 2006 11:21 | 64994 | ||
| Destroy the embassy! [95 words] | MelM | Oct 30, 2006 23:47 | 64850 | ||
| The Forgotten Question. [145 words] | MelM | Oct 30, 2006 18:57 | 64832 | ||
| Retreat to the Nevada desert [288 words] | Bader S | Oct 29, 2006 09:59 | 64737 | ||
| Retreat to Saudi Arabia before the Taliban take over.. [361 words] | Harrak | Oct 29, 2006 21:21 | 64737 | ||
| Leave Iraq and make it Afghanistan Number 2 [177 words] | American Muslim | Dec 10, 2006 23:17 | 64737 | ||
| very good [9 words] | nabil | Apr 17, 2007 13:54 | 64737 | ||
| Wait a Minute [232 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | K.H. Ahmed | Oct 29, 2006 07:20 | 64729 | ||
| Pay as you go [317 words] | Darryl Davis | Oct 28, 2006 12:44 | 64681 | ||
| Ray as you go [132 words] | Harrak | Oct 28, 2006 23:37 | 64681 | ||
| iraq [211 words] | Dennis | Oct 27, 2006 14:36 | 64629 | ||
| Another option: moving from Iraq into Iran [411 words] | M.Cizin | Oct 27, 2006 13:42 | 64628 | ||
| Israeli Army should smoke them out of their holes [108 words] | Peacemaker | Nov 2, 2006 23:10 | 64628 | ||
| The only realistic, sensible article I have seen recently on Iraq. [82 words] | Martin E. Weinstein | Oct 27, 2006 11:30 | 64622 | ||
| I have said it before [122 words] | Yuval Brandstetter MD | Oct 30, 2006 16:42 | 64622 | ||
| response to Yuval Brandstetter's response to me [166 words] | Martin E. Weinstein | Oct 31, 2006 12:21 | 64622 | ||
| If we retreat, the enemy will follow us home : We have to take War to enemy countries [228 words] | Indian Friend | Nov 1, 2006 09:55 | 64622 | ||
| Redeployment in Iraq [122 words] | SLC | Oct 27, 2006 10:29 | 64614 | ||
| Hold on a minute. [71 words] | someone | May 28, 2007 00:55 | 64614 | ||
| We are at war with Islam. [208 words] | D Williams | Oct 27, 2006 03:53 | 64597 | ||
| Islam has attacked us and we are at War with Islam & We have to win this War [288 words] | Pulla | Nov 1, 2006 10:53 | 64597 | ||
| Perhaps not ethical, but: Support the Sunnis [239 words] | Noto | Oct 27, 2006 02:01 | 64595 | ||
| There is a simple solution. [195 words] | Charles Stewart | Oct 27, 2006 01:23 | 64594 | ||
| the WOT ends with Iraq? Re: "The President Replies..." [151 words] | MelM | Oct 26, 2006 20:12 | 64576 | ||
| Sounds Good To Me [392 words] | John R | Oct 26, 2006 14:36 | 64556 | ||
| Why is it so violent? (Iraq) [80 words] | Harrak | Oct 26, 2006 18:41 | 64556 | ||
| Why so violent.... [264 words] | J.S. | Oct 30, 2006 13:14 | 64556 | ||
| JS narrow mindedness [54 words] | Harrak | Oct 30, 2006 17:11 | 64556 | ||
| In defence of JS [65 words] | Octavio Johanson | Oct 30, 2006 18:15 | 64556 | ||
| Wait a Second, Harrak.. [292 words] | J.S. | Oct 30, 2006 18:44 | 64556 | ||
| about generalizing [62 words] | Harrak | Oct 31, 2006 16:07 | 64556 | ||
| no wmd, no al qaeda, and saddam is out of power, is there anything else left for americans in iraq? [95 words] | syed mohammad ali | Oct 26, 2006 10:03 | 64542 | ||
| anything else left for americans in iraq? he asked.. [2 words] | Harrak | Oct 26, 2006 18:31 | 64542 | ||
| Be careful what you wish for [207 words] | Rick House | Oct 26, 2006 20:16 | 64542 | ||
| Response to Mr. Seyd [356 words] | Faqi Hussain | Oct 26, 2006 20:42 | 64542 | ||
| caliphate system. it is the only solution for islamic world (to get rid of Islam) [262 words] | Harrak | Oct 31, 2006 10:54 | 64542 | ||
| Give This Proposal Legs [73 words] | Arthur Schiff | Oct 26, 2006 07:56 | 64536 | ||
| Just Leave [14 words] | Zan' | Oct 26, 2006 05:55 | 64528 | ||
| But, could the Iraqi government last even a week? [274 words] | MelM | Oct 25, 2006 19:37 | 64496 | ||
| Oops, Too Late [175 words] | Blackspeare | Oct 25, 2006 17:56 | 64491 | ||
| Worth trying [66 words] | Christine | Oct 25, 2006 17:19 | 64484 | ||
| In Iraq, Stay the Course - but Change It [90 words] | mike | Oct 25, 2006 16:31 | 64478 | ||
| Do this, do that !!!! [268 words] | dfwhite | Oct 25, 2006 16:15 | 64477 | ||
| To dfwhite [173 words] | rickz | Oct 26, 2006 09:33 | 64477 | ||
| spineless !!! [74 words] | dfwhite | Oct 26, 2006 21:30 | 64477 | ||
| RE: IRAQ, STAY OR CHANGE... [118 words] | Bob Burmeister | Oct 25, 2006 13:45 | 64471 | ||
| This post is germain and should be read by all [3575 words] | Gellin and Infidellin | Oct 25, 2006 12:53 | 64468 | ||
| Mind blowing stuff !!! [185 words] | dfwhite | Oct 27, 2006 21:37 | 64468 | ||
| To Gellin & Infidellin,You are right!DO NOT FORGET 9/11 and ON-GOING WAR BY ISLAM [558 words] | TTS | Oct 28, 2006 02:12 | 64468 | ||
| Saracen Assassins not new. [88 words] | Jackdaw | Oct 29, 2006 18:08 | 64468 | ||
| November 7 legislative elections : Support Republican Agenda to wage a Global War against Islamist Terror [214 words] | Mumbai | Nov 1, 2006 10:26 | 64468 | ||
| still worried [10 words] | Daniel R Droll | Mar 18, 2008 22:22 | 64468 | ||
| Recommendations for the President [148 words] | linda | Oct 25, 2006 12:28 | 64467 | ||
| mistaken and misguided [194 words] | Cevert | Oct 25, 2006 11:55 | 64466 | ||
| well argued [35 words] | jack hawkins | Oct 25, 2006 11:47 | 64463 | ||
| Free election in Iraq [56 words] | Bob Groothand | Oct 25, 2006 11:04 | 64458 | ||
| You've been reading General Clark? [5 words] | John Philips | Oct 25, 2006 05:27 | 64442 | ||
| Changes for the US in Iraq [179 words] | chuck moody | Oct 25, 2006 03:59 | 64437 | ||
| A Terrible Business [508 words] | Right-of-Center Filipino | Oct 25, 2006 02:24 | 64434 | ||
| Do Democrats care about Iraq? [326 words] | Caesar M. Arevalo | Oct 25, 2006 01:50 | 64433 | ||
| What are the stakes? How about catastrophic failure--which is what I think we'll get. [899 words] | MelM | Oct 24, 2006 23:56 | 64425 | ||
| Mid-course Adjustment [377 words] | Frank K. Hoover | Oct 24, 2006 23:31 | 64423 | ||
| A Loss of Will [203 words] | Ex-Marine | Oct 24, 2006 22:36 | 64416 | ||
| split the difference [57 words] | J.MANITTA | Oct 24, 2006 21:27 | 64412 | ||
| This is War, let us conduct as they would. [799 words] | D Williams | Oct 24, 2006 20:48 | 64406 | ||
| To D Williams [30 words] | Gellin and Infidellin | Oct 29, 2006 11:11 | 64406 | ||
| If only someone would listen......excellent advice [42 words] | R.A. McClain | Oct 24, 2006 20:45 | 64405 | ||
| Solution to Iraq problems [124 words] | Gunther Schiff | Oct 24, 2006 20:35 | 64404 | ||
| Special plan for Muslim World : Last Solution left [398 words] | Aryavrat | Oct 30, 2006 09:47 | 64404 | ||
| Crusades Anyone? [7 words] | Jaladhi | Oct 30, 2006 16:50 | 64404 | ||
| War is inevitable ! The sooner the better for civilised world [208 words] | Sonu | Oct 31, 2006 12:12 | 64404 | ||
| Iraqi freedom, democracy or oil? [387 words] | trans-parere | Oct 24, 2006 20:21 | 64401 | ||
| A course on Boxing..Redeploy vs.Retreat [281 words] | Jay | Oct 24, 2006 20:15 | 64400 | ||
| Partition [238 words] | Leonard Markowitz | Oct 24, 2006 18:44 | 64392 | ||
| Stay the Course??? [137 words] | Robert Langfelder | Oct 24, 2006 18:01 | 64388 | ||
| Backing Off in Iraq [83 words] | Drew | Oct 24, 2006 18:00 | 64387 | ||
| Stay the Course? [303 words] | Maurice Picow | Oct 24, 2006 17:29 | 64382 | ||
| Go to the desert [83 words] | Donald W. Bales | Oct 24, 2006 17:27 | 64381 | ||
| change the course [129 words] | Terry Senum | Oct 24, 2006 17:08 | 64379 | ||
| Comments from a non Iraqi reader [78 words] | Juliana Levine | Oct 24, 2006 16:47 | 64377 | ||
| A Good and Wise Word [158 words] | Robert Odean | Oct 24, 2006 16:42 | 64375 | ||
| U.S shouldn't leave Iraq [131 words] | ibrahim | Nov 24, 2008 00:43 | 64375 | ||
| When D. Pipes first... [81 words] | LDC | Oct 24, 2006 16:31 | 64371 | ||
| Advantages and drawbacks Part 2 [57 words] | Harrak | Oct 24, 2006 16:29 | 64370 | ||
| Advantages and drawbacks of Dr Pipes' suggestion [80 words] | Harrak | Oct 24, 2006 16:26 | 64367 | ||
| Yeah True, But What If .... [283 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | Lars Nielsen | Oct 24, 2006 16:11 | 64366 | ||
| One must know the rules before one plays the game [481 words] | Rick | Oct 24, 2006 15:25 | 64360 | ||
| Can we call this the Pipes/Murtha plan? [2 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | J. Sheff | Oct 24, 2006 15:20 | 64359 | ||
| Great idea! [11 words] | Ephraim Lior | Oct 24, 2006 15:04 | 64358 | ||
| The future and "next time" [75 words] | RIck | Oct 24, 2006 15:02 | 64357 | ||
| Logic is not always practical [461 words] | Rick House | Oct 24, 2006 14:46 | 64355 | ||
| Reply to Rick House [145 words] w/response from Daniel Pipes | IBK | Oct 25, 2006 15:12 | 64355 | ||
| On the redeployment to our desert bases [302 words] | Rick House | Oct 25, 2006 20:25 | 64355 | ||
| Correct [28 words] | Abu Nudnik | Oct 24, 2006 14:37 | 64352 | ||
| Well Said! [115 words] | Ted McLean | Oct 24, 2006 14:37 | 64351 | ||
| Do Iraqis care about their future? I suspect not. [330 words] | Pat | Oct 24, 2006 14:07 | 64349 | ||
| Strange logic! [187 words] | Rodni E. Chalet | Oct 24, 2006 22:32 | 64349 | ||
| So what do we do? [631 words] | Pat | Oct 26, 2006 10:13 | 64349 | ||
| Daniel Pipes is correct [150 words] | William Grayer | Oct 24, 2006 14:05 | 64348 | ||
| Afghanistan again? [156 words] | Safraz | Oct 24, 2006 13:56 | 64347 | ||
| ... and prevent power vacuum for Iran [100 words] | IBK | Oct 24, 2006 13:50 | 64346 | ||
| At last a solution for war torn Iraq [47 words] | David Goshen | Oct 24, 2006 13:29 | 64345 | ||
| iraq [42 words] | morph | Oct 24, 2006 13:26 | 64344 | ||
| How many of us really care about the welfare of Iraq? [29 words] | Bobby Stern | Oct 24, 2006 13:18 | 64343 | ||
| They have to be taught [88 words] | David W. Lincoln | Oct 24, 2006 12:41 | 64339 | ||
| The wisest advice I've yet heard! [35 words] | J.S. | Oct 24, 2006 12:41 | 64338 | ||
 A Few Questions [129 words]w/response from Daniel Pipes | Alex | Oct 24, 2006 10:55 | 64335 |
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