OT: What would happen if the US left Iraq completely tomorrow?

[gil1]

Originally posted by PeelingPaint98 I think you should re-read the thread, my comments were not advocating the US targeting civilians. My comments were a reaction to dood's comments about the so-called immorality of insurgents and such doing that. It's a matter of fact if you are a small under-armed pseudo-military, to target anything other than civilians would be foolish. I don't cloud my own thinking with wishes of an enemy playing up to our level, I can appreciate what the goals are to achieve by targeting civilians.

Oh, I missed that.

But in that case (and I still haven't re-read the thread ), I agree with both of you.

I'm not surprised Al Quida is attacking civilians. It is one loud, utilitarian choice to getting their point of view heard. There are other choices - other small armies have made impacts by attacking larger armies directly- as the Iraq insurgents and Vietnamese are doing/have done. I'm not sure killing civilians is an effective way for them to get their point across - people's perception goes right to "those {censored}ers are killing civilians" and skips over the issues that the group may have. And then the larger Army comes down hard, with public support - witness Afghanistan, Palestine, Ireland ect.

And of course it's immoral. Utilitarian, but immoral.

It's also immoral for England, France and the US to micromanage middleeastern governments till the region is in turmoil.

Immorality breads immorality, IMHO.

[gil1]

Originally posted by gr8fuldodd Maybe the only good thing that came out of this was that I've restored my good name with Gil.

You never lost your good name with me, buddy.