I disagreed with you earlier and you said I was in fantasy and not in reality. Because you think you have the market cornered on truth, facts and classified information. But when someone tires of your rheteric you whine.

So France took a cut. That's not very new. As to the economy the only jobs that are being created are minimum wage food service and bed pan empting. America has lost millions of jobs since Bush took office.

If America goes to war on Iraq there will be a draft and hopefully you will be drafted to fight all the terrorist who doens't like America taking what ever they want. And that is exactly what this is about, not "war on terror" but oil war and all you seem to care about is the oil being produced in Iraq. And as I said before, the cost of this war in human life and monetary value was never worth it.

Considering Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, Saddam was not associated with Alqaeda, bin laden was not in Iraq, Iraqis did not ask for our help, we have no business resolving Iraqis civil disputes, most of all Iraq is not the central headquarters of terrorism, etc... I think he is right on.

Being in Iraq is not stopping a terrorist attack on our homeland at any level shape or form. We are not being attacked mainly because of our new awareness here at home, homeland security, etc...

I'm guessing you meant Iran, not Iraq. The way you are saying that "doesn't like America taking whatever they want," you are forgetting something. It is the UN who is imposing these sanctions and restrictions. Not just the US, but many countries all around the world that make up the UN as well, including all of the EU. We are not imposing OUR will, there is a collective congregation of will to stop Iran from enriching uranium that can be used for nuclear weapons.

How can you say all I care about oil being produced in Iraq when I just said, in my previous post, "Iraq has always been a far more diverse economy than just oil as well, and should it go into full production and trade it will assist to the future rise of the world market, which will happen in time." You are distorting my words and not understanding my reasoning for the hope of a success of the Iraq economy.

Iraq is a democratic state, and now I hope it becomes the economic powerhouse that it can be as well. This will lead to a rise in exports of oil and other goods that will contribute to the world economy, and many goods will flow into Iraq as well. Iraq will become a very rich country with its oil production. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis will have middle class jobs in the oil sectors, trade sectors, energy sectors, shipping sectors, technology sectors, and so forth based around oil and their diverse economy. The Iraqi education system is good, it has always been so. Iraqi has always been an advanced technology country as well.

High-Tech Iraq on the rebound - http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2006

This boom in oil exploration, drilling, and shipping will enrich IRAQ and enrich the Iraqi people. Massive middle class citizens will be a high buying, spending, and investing society that will make Iraq a gold mine. The citizens there by majority will live in a true democratic capitalist state, even more than Kuwait who were considered a long time as the model for democracy of the Middle East. Thank you western influence, especially that of the US. Democratic influences bring prosperity and happiness for the citizens of those countries.

Allowing a free people to live freely, having free will, and with the entrance of multiple private sector markets that will bring them economic success and betterment to their lives, I believe it was a good thing and will be a good thing when Iraq becomes the next rich, oil rich, technology rich, trade rich country of the Middle East and world.

Absolutely idiotic statement.

I guess this poster did not see the empty airplanes used to train terrorists in Iraq? I recall seeing those videos vividly.

Iraq is not a democracy. How can it be a democracy when it is being controlled by occupation of America?

Even American officials are seeing the reality and curbing their vision for democracy in Iraq.
The officials now say they are willing to settle for a government that functions and can bring security.

What makes you think this is possible in a war torn country when it is not even a reality in America...."Massive middle class citizens will be a high buying, spending, and investing society that will make Iraq a gold mine. The citizens there by majority will live in a true democratic capitalist state"

And we are not in a civil or geurilla war.

You need to watch the documentary No End in Sight.

I can't predict what is going to happen with Iran but the way I see it is that Iraq is closer to Iran now than they are America. Maybe they think that they went down, America destroyed their country, killed their loved ones, humiliated them in prisons, and America can come down with them.
I don't think they are thanking America. They want America out of their country. And Russia is backing Iran, so figure that.

Bush took America in over our heads and now our economy is a mess. The only people he helped are the wealthy and corporations. Our country has lost all respect in the world. The whole world has their eyes on us and how stupid this country is for electing that idiot twice and if we are stupid enough to stay the course of disaster.

Talk about starting out with unsubstantiated propaganda. Is South Korea a democracy, how about Germany, how about Japan? Is Kuwait a legitimate sovereign government, how about Qatar? We have bases and presence in each. Iraq has a very complex government now, I suggest going on the government website to see just how complex it is. They even have an Environmental Ministry Division.

Can't seem to find the English version of the cabinets and ministries right now, but here is the Arabic version: http://www.cabinet.iq/

Iraqis are in full military control of over 9 of 18 provinces, and in full governmental control of them. We only provide the assistance to the officials and security. Many of those remaining to be secured are peaceful, but have not all the manpower in government and so forth to control it absolutely yet.

Foreign Investors are throwing millions of investments into Iraq for they see the security and feel there are great possibilities for returns on their investment in the Iraqi government, people, and businesses. They aren't just going to throw money into something they don't see great possibility in. These people aren't so blindly stupid to waste their own money. 500 million invested, at least 1 billion dollars invested by end of this year. - http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2008-06-16-iraqinvestment_N.htm

And, with the ever increasing rise of the Iraqi currency, the Iraqi Dinar, this shows that Iraq's economic and government successes are true. A rising currency that started at 0 is the sign of a country that will prosper. And, they will.

Violence is down in Iraq by huge percentages. Most of the countries provinces are nearly 100% violence free, if not totally. Sectarian violence is way down, and in fact, Sunni's are now actively participating in government.

Iraqis are now returning to Iraq in great numbers once having fled the violence. 1000 a day, and this is from November of 2007, and violence is way down since that time.

"An estimated 1,000 people a day are returning across Iraq's borders having previously moved abroad to escape the violence, Iraqi authorities say. " - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7105216.stm

If there is a civil war and it is all doom and gloom, they would not be returning in waves of a THOUSAND A DAY.

Iraq has paid every debt they've had, way ahead of schedule as well. They are becoming the economic success I know they will become and as many Iraqis and foreign investors see coming as well. - http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jan/23/remarkable

Just like festivals and carnivals taking place in Baghdad, where the streets are full of people enjoying the festivities, kids running around enjoying it all, and no explosions to be seen, others are bringing out old hobbies, living the way they want, enjoying life and prospering in an Iraq that is very different from even 2 years ago.

Education is UP as well: "Education. Primary-school enrollment has jumped 20 percent over the Saddam years, according to the Brookings Institution's Iraq Index." - http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/dec/06/20051206-091140-1752r/ And this article, report from the Brookings Institution was from 2005! Much is for the better since then.

The news from Iraq, though not rosey with gumdrops, is VERY good and impressive considering what they came from and what they've gone through.

Iraq is successful and will even be more successful in the future.

This is a pretty accurate opinion of the facts!
Glad to see you arent brainwashed!

It is openly accepted now that this war was about oil. It still doesn't matter to the hawks that it was illegal and immoral and not worth the cost of human life, monetary value and destruction fo a country.
And it is a land of wreck and ruin. The highly regarded British polling agency, Oxford Research Bureau, has just updated its estimate of deaths. Their new estimate a couple of days ago is 1.3 million. That’s excluding two of the most violent provinces, Karbala and Anbar. On the side, it’s kind of intriguing to observe the ferocity of the debate over the actual number of deaths. There’s an assumption on the part of the hawks that if we only killed a couple hundred thousand people, it would be OK, so we shouldn’t accept the higher estimates. You can go along with that if you like.


Uncontroversially, there are over two million displaced within Iraq. Thanks to the generosity of Jordan and Syria, the millions of refugees who have fled the wreckage of Iraq aren’t totally wiped out. That includes most of the professional classes. But that welcome is fading, because Jordan and Syria receive no support from the perpetrators of the crimes in Washington and London, and therefore they cannot accept that huge burden for very long. It’s going to leave those two-and-a-half million



http://www.democracynow.org/2008/2/26/noam_chomsky_why_is_iraq_missing



I can agree with this, Iraqi's are becoming more confident and they want America out and are standing up more to the lame duck Bush.

Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab, added his support for a withdrawal timetable.

"Iraqis must know when the American and other forces will leave Iraqi land. It is our right to know, and know the truth of where the situation stands, if there is an intention for American forces to leave or not," Hashemi told Iraqiya state television in an interview broadcast on the weekend.

The Post said the "bridge" security document would likely cover only 2009, and be limited in scope, allowing basic U.S. military operations to continue once the U.N. mandate ended.

Iraq has rejected a number of Washington's demands, insisting they infringe on the country's sovereignty.

There is strong domestic pressure in Iraq to set dates for a withdrawal of U.S. forces, especially with violence at a four-year low and with Iraqi security forces getting larger.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's political opponents would also likely try to exploit the issue of an undefined U.S. troop presence in provincial elections later this year.

"Iraqis of all sectarian and ethnic groups believe that the US military invasion is the primary root of the violent differences among them, and see the departure of [what they call] ‘occupying forces’ as the key to national reconciliation.”

Iraqis are determined to get their nation removed from the purview of the U.N. Security Council under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter, which allows the international body to declare a country a threat to international peace, a step the U.N. took after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Iraqi officials say that designation clearly is no longer appropriate.

But even on that basic request, the U.S. has not promised to support Iraq, Saghir said, and is instead withholding that support as a pressure point in negotiations

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/40372.html

Looks like the Iraqi's are making Bush work hard these days.