Finally over

[Riverwind]

Mark your calendars. Today 8/18/10 we finally got our last combat troops out of Iraq, the war we never had to be in, Bush's war, the penis war is over.

Cost in Iraq, $742,175,000,000 and counting that's 742 billion. For what?

Cost in Afghanistan 325 billion and counting, total cost of both wars over 1 trillion dollars, 1 trillion of waist, republican waist, 1 trillion to the national debt, we owe a great debt of gratitued for 10% of our national debt.

This does not count the dead and wounded some that will last a life time.
American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03):4415 in combat 3493

Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03) (the list)

4276....3385
Since capture of Saddam (12/13/03):3954......3187
Since Handover (6/29/04):3556......2860
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09):187......88

American WoundedOfficial Estimated Total Wounded:31907 Over 100000

So lets all give the GOP a round for another job well done.

This will cost us even more billions over the next couple generations.

So tell me, do you feel safer?

River

[bobover3]

We have about 50,000 "advisors" left in Iraq. They can still be killed or wounded, and I expect some will be. Democrats are to be congratulated on finding, perhaps, a winning political formula: remove "combat" troops, satisfying the left; keep a large number of "advisors," satisfying the right. The war is far from over, but Obama can insist he kept his campaign promise, even as billions continue to be spent and lives continue to be lost. Why should we agree to suckered?

[Paolo]

I'd feel safer if some cute guy would feel ME up at the airport, and not Jesus.

I mean, god-dammit, what's it take to get 'em to cop a good feel?

Seriously, though - I hope George W's penis is happy now. It's cost enough to enlarge it.

[kristoff]

We have about 50,000 "advisors" left in Iraq. They can still be killed or wounded, and I expect some will be. Democrats are to be congratulated on finding, perhaps, a winning political formula: remove "combat" troops, satisfying the left; keep a large number of "advisors," satisfying the right. The war is far from over, but Obama can insist he kept his campaign promise, even as billions continue to be spent and lives continue to be lost. Why should we agree to suckered?

Actually, the terms of the withdrawal were negotiated by the Bush administration. Obama is merely living with those terms. And, as far as I am concerned, it ain't over until every soldier is out of Iraq - presumptively by the end of 2011.

[seriously curious]

I believe that we had every right to invade and blow Afghanistan back into the stone ages (Not htat they weren't already there) for allowing Bin Laden to use that country as a recruting ground for the attacks of 9/11. However I certainly agree with River that we had no business going into Iraq None what so ever. The thought that the individuals responsible for attacking that country based on a calculated pack of lies never being prosecuted for war crimes or treason namely Bush, Cheney and the Lot makes my skin crawl.

Bush actually claimed that Bin laden was no longer important in the war against terror the simple fact that the Bush admistration dropped the ball in Afganistan and left our soldiers there to rot while invading Iraq should be grounds enough for treason but as a Sitting President he and his administration are imune from any type of prosecution I think he made sure of that. The war in Afghanistan should have been over by now, long over but we still havent learned a damn thing from Vietnam. Politicians do not have the experience or knowledge to run wars. Roosevelt knew this and that's why we we won WW II He let the Generals do thier jobs.

The war in Iraq will never be over so long as there are American troops there whether they be in an advisory role, training role what ever, so long as they are there we will never be free of Iraq

The simple truth is as a nation Iraq is of stratigic value to us and as such we will always keep a presence there mark my words there will be an anouncment of some type of military base in Iraq so that we can and will maintain a presence there we have to in order to keep Iminutjob in check.

This depression we are in is a result of two things deregulation and GOP stupidity Borrow a Trillion dollars from China in order to give the wealthyest 1% a tax break Oh and there is a war we need not have gotten involved in either.

Fear is a wonderful sword when weilded against a populace that doesn't understand the the first thing about how politics work. that's what got BUsh his secong term FEAR.

[gareth19]

Actually, the terms of the withdrawal were negotiated by the Bush administration. Obama is merely living with those terms. And, as far as I am concerned, it ain't over until every soldier is out of Iraq - presumptively by the end of 2011.

Yes, Reluctantly negiotiated under intense public pressure. Unfortunately, although Obama insisted that we should withdraw, the most qualified candidate of 2008 kept pointing out that logistically and politically we were in a quagmire and extricating ourselves from this fiasco would take years no matter how badly we wanted out, but no one listened to her because hers wasn't a happy message just a realistic one.

[jemagirl]

I believe the cost of the Iraq war will be over three trillion when we account for all the wounded and disabled vets, and all the car it will take to get them whole again. We can't even begin to put a price tag on all of the lives lost in this horribly tragic war. That's just the cost to America by the way. Let's not forget our allies.


AND also the Iraqis who paid in blood. No one even bothered to keep a good count.

[bobover3]

Agreed with Kristoff. Good to know Bush did something right.

And lets not forget the US civilians in Iraq - unknown numbers of contractors, construction workers, intelligence, diplomats, etc. We could still populate a city with them all.

[erikboy]

What a waste! The whole Space shuttle program took only $174 Billion...
And now NASA is going to fly with computerized Apollo technology. Well we don't even know when the first flight is going to happen.

[A-1]

we have about 50,000 "advisors" left in iraq. They can still be killed or wounded, and i expect some will be. Democrats are to be congratulated on finding, perhaps, a winning political formula: Remove "combat" troops, satisfying the left; keep a large number of "advisors," satisfying the right. The war is far from over, but obama can insist he kept his campaign promise, even as billions continue to be spent and lives continue to be lost. Why should we agree to suckered?

...because you agreed to let "W" do it, that's why...

gee, Kristoff beat me to it... damn!