Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
Hello, excon to Earth	excon	11/17/04
Dear Experts: In the world that I live in, we ARE losing the war in Iraq. We HAVE lost the war in Iraq, and we are never going to WIN the war in Iraq. Do you remember the Russians in Afghanistan? No, I suppose you don't! excon
Clarification/Follow-up by excon on 11/17/04 1:05 pm: Helloooo, excon to the bewildered: >>Is Afghanistan your proof that we are losing the war in Iraq?<< Afghanistan is proof that a popular insurgency can't be won militarily - by anybody. Viet Nam is further proof. You're right LT, our military could defeat any conventional army, and the terrorists don't fight that way. But, that's the way it is. That IS the war we are involved in. What we lost, and why the insurgency has gained popular support, is the hearts and minds of the people. Oh, in the beginning we had an opportunity for their hearts and minds, but that began to disappear with the looting of the Iraqi treasures. We have never recovered from that. As a matter of fact, it got worse - a lot worse. You may think Abu Grahib was an aberration, but the Iraqi's don't. We have so brutalized them, and so disrespected them, that, no matter how long it takes, I believe they will ultimately defeat us - just like the insurgency defeated us in Viet Nam. >>>Not only have we not lost the war, we have actually already won it. It's all over except for the terrorists dying.<<< Duuuhhh! Maybe you haven't been paying attention, but it's the terrorists who we're at war with. And, LTGolf, I've saved the last for you. Free speech is good. It just is. That's the way the founders designed it. They didn't say, only "popular" speech is free. If only popular speech was free, there would be no need to include that provision at the very top of the Bill of Rights. Plus, if you're looking for a message that my unpopular speech sends to the terrorists, it would be that in a free society, anyone can speak their mind without fear of death. This country was founded in dissent. Criticism of the government (my specialty) is VERY, VERY patriotic. I hope we win the war on terror, but closing my eyes to the facts does not support my government, my family, my neighbors, or more importantly, our boy’s in harms way. Let me say it louder, DISSENT is NOT belittling my country. Here's a little more for you. The insurgency is not in Afghanistan. It's in Iraq. Anyone who wants to fight us is going to Iraq, not Afghanistan. Elections in Afghanistan mean victory to you?? It's a country still run by warlords growing the world’s supply of opium poppies, propped up by our puppet. Is anyone here paying attention??? excon
Answered By		Answered On
labman		11/17/04
The Russians in Afghanistan was a long time ago. Can you refresh my memory about when they held elections? No? Bush could not have gotten the cooperation of the neighboring countries to go into Afghanistan in time to have stopped 911. Now those opposed to freedom and democracy are limited in fighting us there. We can not win in either Afghanistan or Iraq. The peoples of the countries must decide that freedom and democracy are worth fighting for. If they do, they will win, and not because of our military greatness, but the greatness of our ideas. Forget help from neighboring countries. In many of them, those in power are desperately afraid freedom and democracy are winning. Add a stable Iraq and Afghanistan to the better countries such as Turkey and Egypt, and it will become impossible for many other leaders to keep their people down. With Arafat gone and Israel well on the way to a unilateral solution, the Palestine problem may wind down. This is an exceedingly desperate time for the terrorists. They lose in Iraq, and all the dominos fall. It is their last chance. So forget your made in Hollywood gloom and doom. In the real world, Iraq and Afghanistan will win, unless you and the nay sayers sabotage the will of the American people.

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