I've been reading.... I'm curious as to what you think...

xx SF

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"I would do anything for love, including the thing Meatloaf won't do... (In fact, I sometimes insist upon it...)"xx SF

The most recent rationale put forth by the war hawks for invading Iraq was the idea that having a permanent military base there would be beneficial for the entire region. That the presence of an armed American force would help to stabilize the surrounding countries. Seeing what has been happening in that area of the world, citizens of despotic regimes taking to the streets and demanding accountability... it has me wondering. Would the uprisings have taken place if we had never invaded?

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I am an isolationist at heart. I think "we" (USA) should pack our toys and come home or turn the place into another state (Puerto Rico for instance). This is a global thought on my part, not just Iraq. I think we should focus our resources internally and resolve our own problems before meddling with others.

That said, I can't think of a way to make money doing this or how to influence others in the world, so I guess, we'll be out there "saving" the world for the foreseeable future.

Are we safer? My feeling on this point: The day the twin towers came down we became safer, because each and every one of us is now painfully aware that a hijacked airplane is a potential weapon. I think the vast majority of us would respond to a hijack attempt on our plane as a threat and address it immediately. This phenomena can be observed with the men with the exploding shoes (Richard Reid) and underwear (Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab). I know that prior to 9/11, I would have thought Oh! I'm being hijacked. We'll probably go to Cuba and be back in a day or two. Now, that action would receive a different response one calculated with terrorism in the equation.

Terrorism exists, it has always existed. The fact that we are aware and personally involved in minimizing it makes us safer, not armed troops occupying another country or the local airport.

I don't think that by invading Iraq, the US became safer. I agree with Shibui, that our awareness of terrorism has made us safer. By this I mean, terrorism wasn't anything new. Unfortunately it has happened all across the world but americans were blind to it because it didn't affect them directly.

I believe that now we (America) need to ensure the safety of the Iraqi people. As much as I would love for every single solider/military personnel to come home, I know that it's not going to happen. We'll probably occupy Iraq until my grandchildren or until there is a stable government in place...which ever comes first. Day by day it looks as if it'll be the former instead of the latter. There are currently Less than 50,000 personnel total there. I want them all to come home as soon as possible as well.

The US needs to get out of Iraq as soon as possible. It is up to the Iraqis to now give themselves a free and stable democracy. I hope they can do it but have serious doubts. They will have major interference from Iran and Syria.

The US also needs to get out of Afghanistan which is a no win situation. Afghanistan is incapable of establishing a free democratic stable government. They are too uneducated, too poor with way too many ancient tribal hatreds. But all of that does not matter. It is their problem! We need to get out!

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http://www.lushstories.com/stories/milf/10-items-or-less.aspx
Or my previous story: http://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/in-the-land-of-salvation-and-sin.aspx

first there were attacks that go further back than the first attempt on the world trade center. my understanding was a gang in Chicago(I forget the name) that was making arrangements to get surface to air missiles to shot down airplanes.

Second point. Americans are very familiar with terrorism. Some of us can just look outside our windows to see terrorism. Gangs are nothing but home grown terrorist that terrorize the neighborhood they occupy.

Third. we have extremest that wish to over throw the government. if we think that terrorist are our main issue then we dont have to worry about other countries first.

We as Americans live in fear everyday just walking down the street. it just took the hijacking toshed light into the shadows.

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Just let it go.

We shouldn't pull out. Do like a Mormon and let it "soak".

My strong belief is that presence of US soldiers in any part of the world outside USA makes the rest of the world an unsafer place.

I believe the US should only maintain a presence in countries we've been invited to. I understand the belief that we need to keep troops spread around the world to maintain stability but I don't think that's entirely true. I think having some overseas troops where we are asked to be or a partnership has been agreed upon would assist in rapid deployments to "hot-spots". I don't view us as the world's police force and think we should force ourselves where we are not wanted. What other country has as many permanent military bases outside their own territory?

Outside of the perception and "safety" issues there is also the monetary factor. How much less in debt would our country be in if we did not have to finance such a large and, for a majority of the time, idle military.

To bring it back to the original question answered, in a word, NO. How would our continued presence in a country that formally asked us to leave help make America safer?

Never admit it or do it.