http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/output/page66.asp

Note that violent crime double the year that Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997 was enacted, and have doubled again since.

I value your insight and your service to our country.

Cheers.

1. Still irrelevant to the argument. Let’s drop it.
2. Not only would a sudden withdrawal from Iraq have the same disastrous consequences to both our own international status and the safety of the Iraqi citizens that our pullout from Viet Nam had, it’s being orchestrated with the same arguments. Even the same people! (Kennedy)
3. Begin on August 29th. There are a few posts.
4. “Guerilla warfare” has too broad a base to say that the fighting in both instances is “identical.” As far as “better to fight them there,” I not only hear it all the time, I say it. It has nothing to do with “fanning flames,” I’d just rather deploy to occupy al’Qaeda in an area designated by both Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush as “the frontline of the War on Terror,” then afford them free reign to plan and execute attacks on American citizens in CONUS.
5. For all that you say that we are not wanted in Iraq, the ELECTED GOVERNMENT has issued several statements requesting that we stay.
6. Congress, not the president, declares war. In this case, Congress declared war with the 2002 AUMF. You can find a link to it on my blog; you might find it enlightening.
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1. What I am or am not prepared to do is not the question. Perhaps you should investigate certain oppressed minorities in the Deep South, prior to 1970. Or look in to how the Chinese were treated while they were building our railroads. Or the Irish, or… People can, you see, overcome these differences and become a nation.
2. Again, let’s drop it.
3. Okay–”as long as it takes.” I would not have the United States of America abandon people that we promised to help. Nor would I have us retreat in the face of al’Qaeda.
4. Darfur is a matter of genocide, not exodus. There is no comparison to be made there. The UK is a matter of exodus in response to violence.
5. Well, the Iraqis aren’t killing their friends, either. As for American history, I recommend a Google of “Ku Klux Klan.” You might also check out Timothy McVeigh (and his al’Qaeda connections). Perhaps a perusal of Malcolm X’s writings, or how Al Sharpton’s followers like to beat people to death.
6. Then refer to your son as your child, if you like. But it’s an offensive generalization, usually made by people like Michael Moore in order to portray the military as victims.

1. yes, daughter of a Lt Col from Vietnam, mother of a SFG in the GWOT.

2. Insulted as the above to have the war “spun” by our president comparing both Vietnam and post war Japan in a speech.

3. What historical examinations have you made Jason to support your point of view and why on the comparison between Japan and Iraq?

4. Geurilla warfare was seen on a large scale in Vietnam and is now being engaged in in Iraq. The same argument gets spun as well. “better fight em there and not here”, and fanning flames of fear. Notice how you don’t hear that as much anymore?

5. We are a western occupying force in a Muslim nation. We are not welcome in the region, much less the country. Yes, there are some Iraqis who want us there, but the majority overwhelmingly do not.

6. Bush went to war out of fear of WMD. Then it was to remove an evil dictator, then it was to bring democracy and elections to the region. Now it is, stay the course, oh wait, that was before November, then it was AQI, now it is to provide security while the Iraqis stand up and we still don’t have a non classified copy of the oil sharing revenue plan that for some reason “we the people” don’t have the right to see, even though it’s our blood and money “fighting for the freedom.”

LAST POST

1. There are several cultures in America. But are you prepared to kill your neighbor because he isn’t a neocon? Or, are you prepared to cleanse your neighborhood of evil democrats, or whatever you don’t identify with?

2. No we can’t make others decisions for them.

3. How much time, money, blood are you willing to invest? Short answers are okay. I’m just waiting for the “as long as it takes” response.

4. As of December 2006, 1.8 million people have fled Iraq. Refugees International predicts that the crises could take over the crises in Darfur if something isn’t done to stem the tide. Most of them are the educated professionals (doctors, lawyers, professors). How completely ridiculous for you to compare the crises to fleeing Brits because of gun violence.

5. America is unique for so many reasons, but we did not lack a common identity. We had a common enemy, and it took years for us to get our footing. WE DID NOT GO AROUND KILLING OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. How niave of you to think that we will allow this country to engage for a century.

6. Okay Jason, point taken. My son will always be my child. Many mothers can relate to this. Do you have a mother? I am sure she is very proud of you, as I am my son. My son signed his papers when he was 17 years old and needed my consent which I gave. I have always known that it wasn’t a safe job. I knew what he might be called to do. However, I do not have to submit to reckless leadership and I do speak out. My son supports it.

Points in your last post:
1. There are several cultures in Iraq. (Thank goodness I don’t live in a country like that.)
2. We can’t make other people’s decision for them. (Okay.)
3. The Iraqis aren’t forming a government. (For God’s sake, give ‘em a chance! This is an entirely new form of government to the region!)
4. Iraqis are fleeing the country. (Thousands are fleeing the rising violence in the UK in response to the rising rate of violent crime since the gun ban, too. Does that mean there is no cultural identity in England?)
5. Iraqis lack a cohesive national identity. (Possibly, but so did Americans for the first century we existed.)
6. Finally, you close with the question, “How many of your own adult offspring (since you took offense to this mother referring to them as children) would you like to send over for the cause?” (I have no offspring; nor, if I had adult offspring, could I “send” them. As adults, they would be responsible for their own decisions. The offense that I took was to you referring to servicemembers in general as children–since that would include me; however, it is still offensive in principle to refer to persons of legal age who have volunteered to put themselves in harm’s way to make the world a better place, as “children.”)

After years of being oppressed, the Shiites are unlikely able to overcome their differences with the Sunnis.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THIS DIVIDE JASON. All we can do is to offer some sort of security while they try to form a representative government. They aren’t doing that. AND, who’s left to not only rule the country but to live their in this wonderful new life we created for them? They have fled, they have been cleansed and purged. They no longer co exist with each other and THEY DON”T see themselves as IRAQIS.

Full circle here Jason. I don’t retreat. My original post, if you care to go back to it Sept 1st is completely related. How many of your own adult offspring (since you took offense to this mother referring to them as children) would you like to send over for the cause?

Then, perhaps you’d care to actually make a point, instead of retreating from topic to topic.