Bush asks for 'a chance' on Iraq

[Phenom]

US President George W Bush has urged America to give his new Iraq strategy "a chance to work", in his seventh annual State of the Union address.

Failure in Iraq would have "grievous" consequences, Mr Bush told Congress.

His speech also focused on domestic issues, and he called on political opponents to join him in tackling the US's most profound problems.

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[MarkVI]

He's had the past 4 years for "a chance." He's missed his chance.

Failure in Iraq wouldn't be grievous, it IS grievous now. We are failing as there is not a real policy for this illegal occupation.

Victory is not a goal, it's something nice to go towards, yes, but not a real goal.

It's like in school with grades, you may want an A. An A is good, like victory, but it's not what you should be going for. You should be going for the knowledge, or in this case diplomatic solutions, that will bring you to your goal righteously.

And also, an A is different from teacher to teacher from college to college. Victory for one person may be disaster in the eyes of others.

It's all about the point of view.

Mr. Bush, what is your point of view?

 

[InterestedParty]

I have to ask, what is an acceptable alternative Mark? Please don't tell me that we should never have invaded Iraq. That is beyond the point. We are there now and we need to deal with it. So what is an acceptable alternative that serves the best interest of *everyone* involved?

What is your definition of victory in Iraq?

I can't claim to know what victory in Iraq is. I would tend to believe that victory probably resembles the goal laid out by President Bush that "it is a democratic Iraq that is able to govern itself, defend itself, sustain itself and is an ally in the war on terror."

If that is unacceptable and could be considered disasterous to some, who are these some and why would it be a disaster?

Do you think the goal as quoted would be considered disasterous to the 12 million Iraqi's who voted in the first nationally democratic held election in over 40 years?

 

[MarkVI]

A honestly don't know what an acceptable alternative is, it's all chaotic. I agree we are beyond that point of invading etc... so I'll move on.

We need to let the Iraqi people have control, real control of their country, of their economy, of their oil. None of this puppet government and inside oil-deals that give all the "loot" to the occupying countries.

We need to give the Iraqi's their country back and leave them be, if that's what the majority wishes.

I don't feel that the quoted goal would be disastrous, but the current military solutions to the ordeal is. It's not so much the goal that is a problem, it's the means by which we are attempting to get there.

You have very good points in that post. There is no easy fix and it's all just very complicated.