Iraq

[Shamrock]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8101422/site/newsweek/

 

June 13 issue - Two years ago I went to Iraq as an unabashed believer in toppling Saddam Hussein. I knew his regime well from previous visits; WMDs or no, ridding the world of Saddam would surely be for the best, and America's good intentions would carry the day. What went wrong? A lot, but the biggest turning point was the Abu Ghraib scandal. Since April 2004 the liberation of Iraq has become a desperate exercise in damage control. The abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib alienated a broad swath of the Iraqi public. On top of that, it didn't work. There is no evidence that all the mistreatment and humiliation saved a single American life or led to the capture of any major terrorist, despite claims by the military that the prison produced "actionable intelligence."

 

A good read for those who spew the "at least it's better than when Sadaam was there!" Limbaugh talking point.

[legacyofCangelosi]

This article is a 'depends who you ask" issue. I spoke with a marine recently who just got back from Iraq not long ago. He told me (in summary) that although he felt that they should have finished the job in afghanistan before going into iraq, the progress that has been made in Iraq is tremendous. He said that the public is clueless about how much better conditions are for the most part, for example according to him an increase in roadside bombs and a decrease in armed combat is a sign of a weakened insurgency and is good. Aside from that he claims that for the most part Iraqis just want this overwith, they want the bulk of the american troops out, but they hate the insurgents much more as a whole.

 

So again, this gentleman didnt write an article about it, but his opinion isnt worth less than the author of that articles. Neither speaks to the facts of the matter and simply as perceptions and opinions.