Have we already lost the war in Iraq ?

[kentuck]

Military experts have stated in the last week or so that we are losing a battalion each month by wounds or killed in action. In this volunteer army, we do not have enough troops to resupply those that we lose. On top of that, if we look at the activity of the insurgents, they seem to have gained strength in the last few months.

Looking at the situation as realistically as possible, do you think there is any way to "win" this war militarily? It seems to me the only honorable way out is to work out some solution diplomatically, if possible. It may be too late. George W Bush and his war hawk Cabinet may have bitten off more than they can chew?

[irancontra]

1. personally I believe 'we lost' along long time ago

around the day we started bombing (was it around 2002), or maybe it was when we put sanctions and killed scores of iraqi people.

You CANNOT 'WIN' this war. it is unjustified. it is illegal, and it's purpose is theft, not victory. distraction, not freedom.

[SCDem]

2. What is a "win" and what is a "loss"?

That is the difficulty in Iraq? Because the objectives and goals of the "war" were always changing and never pin-point defineable I believe that most of the American public and elected officials for that matter do not really know what a "win" is. And I think because we don't know what acceptable defineable parameters should be that we focus on the minutia of Iraq rather than a bigger picture of what is our goal and what are defineable objectives.

[Inland]

3. There WAS a way. But then Bush was re-elected.

I don't care how you draw up the last play of the basketball game, if the only person that is allowed to take the shot is an incompetent stumblebum, you are going to lose.

Kerry could have made lemonade out of the lemons. Bush can't, because the lies and incompetence radiates out from him like stench from rotting fish, and because his interest lies in making sure that he doesn't get blamed.

[bowens43]

4. The war was never winnable.

The US invasion and occupation of Iraq was immoral and illegal. There is no 'winning'in this situation.