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If our soldiers were here at home where they belong, they wouldn't be getting killed over seas. If our soldiers were here at home where they belong we would be able to defend against the terrorists who COME HERE to attack us.



Our soldiers are exactly where they need to be, because, as present, our enemies are concentrated in Iraq and Afghanistan. Al Quada knows what is at stake in both of those countries, which is exactly why they are pushing back so hard. If they lose there, they have lost it ALL. If we pull back, it will allow them an opportunity to regroup, rearm, and hit us again at the spot of THIER chosing. Where will that be? New York again? Washington, again. Los Angeles? We need to stop them there, so the don't try to hit us here.

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What are we doing in Iraq?



See the above. Marines (and soldiers) run to the sound of gunfire, ant Iraq (and Afghanistan) is where the fighting is.

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We're pissing off the Iraqi civilians so they join in on the jihad.



That actually doesn't seem to be the case (see this). It is my understanding that currently, most of the insurgency/terrorism is Iraq is being fomented by outsiders from Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Native Iraquis are getting fed up with it, even the the former Saddam Bathists, and as we are seeing in Anbar Province, even the Iraqui insurgents are starting to kill the Al Quaida terrorists. This is how the just in the last day or so, the top Al Quaida guy in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, was killed.
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Where does that leave us? With a bunch of pissed off Iraqis who would A) sit at home and not bother us in the least or B) come here to the US (ps - they can't attack us if they aren't here) and attack us. Remember, this is a war on TERROR, not a war on IRAQ, Iraq just happens to be where the potential terrorists live.



Not potential terrorists. This is where the no shit current active terrorists are. If we leave, as we did when we helped Afghanistan kick out the Soviets leaving the way open for the Taliban to take over, these guys won't just go home and start herding goats again. We have to knock there dicks into the dirt OVER THERE.
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Oh, and oil. (FYI, if the Bush administration said "We're going to war with Iraq for their oil." I would be totally cool with that; empirical wars serve a clean cut purpose, whether it's good or bad.)




Oil is a consideration, but it's not the only consideraton. The primary goal is the defeat of Islamic Fascism, and like it or not, that is best done over there.


To the everlasting glory of the infantry...

Owain ab Arawn
KGB Supreme Knight
King's High Council