Here We Go Again... The Start Of McCains "100 More Years"...

[Pale Rider]

This shit will never end. You people that want to believe that someday there'll be bliss, love and peace ANYWHERE in the ME, I believe you're living in lala land....



US, Iraqi Troops Battle Shiite Militia



2008-03-26 00:41:55
By ROBERT H. REID Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's leaders faced their gravest challenge in months Tuesday as Shiite militiamen loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr battled government forces for control of the southern oil capital, fought U.S. and Iraqi troops in Baghdad and unleashed rockets on the Green Zone.

Armed Mahdi Army militiamen appeared on some Baghdad streets for the first time in more than six months, as al-Sadr's followers announced a nationwide campaign of strikes and demonstrations to protest a government crackdown on their movement. Merchants shuttered their shops in commercial districts in several Baghdad neighborhoods.

U.S. and Iraqi troops backed by helicopters fought Shiite militiamen in Baghdad's Sadr City district after the local office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa Party came under attack, the U.S. said. Residents of the area reported intermittent explosions and gunfire in the area late Tuesday.

An American soldier was killed in fighting Tuesday afternoon in Baghdad, the U.S. military said. No further details were released, and it was unclear whether Shiite militiamen were responsible.

Although all sides appeared reluctant to trigger a conflagration, Brig. Gen. Ed Cardon, assistant commander of the U.S. task force operating south of Baghdad, said the situation in the south was "very complicated" and "the potential for miscalculation is high."

Story continues here... (http://charter.net/news/news_reader.php?storyid=14503482&feedid=249&storyid=14503482&feedid=249)

[bullypulpit]

The "potential for miscalculation" was actualized 5 years ago when Chimpy McPresident invaded and occupied a sovereign nation that posed no credible threat to the US or its allies. Poppy Bush had the good sense not to try and topple Saddam, and the neo-cons never forgave him for it.

[Roadrunner]

I think sensible people understand that McCain was looking to the future and stating only that we might have to maintain a peace keeping force in Iraq for a number of years like we have in Japan, Germany, Korea, Bosnia, etc. I have never heard the MSM (or their favorite party, the Democrats, for that matter) complain about the cost to the U.S. of keeping our military in these countries for as long as we have. If we're going to get on our high horses about Iraq, perhaps it's time that we start saying something about maintaining forces in Japan, Germany, Korea, Bosnia, as well. Isn't it about time those countries took care of their own security needs?

[gabosaurus]

McCain enjoys the conflict. He wants to see it continue indefinitely. He wants to expand it to Iran and other venues.
McCain is a militarist who can not be trusted as POTUS. Your kids are his pawns of war.

[theHawk]

McCain enjoys the conflict. He wants to see it continue indefinitely. He wants to expand it to Iran and other venues.
McCain is a militarist who can not be trusted as POTUS. Your kids are his pawns of war.

And you'd say the same if it was President Clinton or Obama fighting wars?

[Pale Rider]

I think sensible people understand that McCain was looking to the future and stating only that we might have to maintain a peace keeping force in Iraq for a number of years like we have in Japan, Germany, Korea, Bosnia, etc. I have never heard the MSM (or their favorite party, the Democrats, for that matter) complain about the cost to the U.S. of keeping our military in these countries for as long as we have. If we're going to get on our high horses about Iraq, perhaps it's time that we start saying something about maintaining forces in Japan, Germany, Korea, Bosnia, as well. Isn't it about time those countries took care of their own security needs?

I agree Rr, and your point was addressed several times by Ron Paul during his campaign, and one of the reasons I was thinking of voting for him.

In the last couple decades America has gone from a defensive posture to an aggressive posture militarily, and I think that's wrong. We don't need to be bent over taking it in the rear by other countries, but we don't need to be running around the world acting as the worlds police invading countries, remaining as occupying forces and engaging in nation building either. I believe we need to find a spot somewhere in the middle of all that, and we start that movement by pulling out of Iraq... and Japan, and Germany, etc.. We planted ourselves there back in the days when it was all but impossible to move quickly around the world. Well those days are long over and gone. We have the ability to be anywhere almost immediately. Obviously we can change our strategy. It's time for a change, and mccain's 100 more years of war warmongering isn't what we need.