Why can't we bring the troops back with the caveat that if need be we'll will go back?

[Maraya1969]

I mean why does this war have to be continuous? Why can't we come home, regroup and assess the situation from here?

I believe Keith Olbermann when he says we can't afford another war. We can't.

But to the ones who are yelling about the "war lords and terrorist training camps and big ugly things that are going to happen if we leave" why can't we just say, "We'll go back if we are needed" We have all the intelligence we need to monitor the situation from right here at home.

[Maraya1969]

1. Well then will someone please tell me why this is not a good idea?

Since no one has said anything.

[leftstreet]

2. Uh...er....you're obviously sober

Excellent question!

:thumbsup:

[FrenchieCat]

4. The logistics of moving in and out would be more cost prohibitive

than the cost we are dealing with now. The equipment that has to be moved, etc.... makes it an impossible proposition. If we can be out soon, I'm good with that. This war has been going on under our noses for the last 8 years....so I'm not sure why an finally coming up with an exit strategy seems to be a bad idea for so many. Guess if we would have gone on at status quo, no many would have said so much as boo.

[dysfunctional press]

8. yep.

as it is, it's going to take a year to get all of the troops and their equipment into afghanistan that the peace prize winner will be ordering in tomorrow night.

[EFerrari]

3. Maybe because the billions of dollars that defense contractors make

depend upon selling a story to the American people that they will believe. It has nothing to do with warlords or terrorist camps (which are in Pakistan anyway) and big ugly things. It's about a story that they can use to sell the ongoing expense.

[Maraya1969]

10. One good thing I heard about this is Obama will finally stop the no bid contractors

So maybe that will save a lot of money although I don't know what process is still going on in Iraq.

I wonder if they stopped that deal where if Halliburton et al bought something they were paid by the price of it plus a percentage above. Which is why, in "Iraq for sale" they said if a truck had a flat tire Halliburton, (or one of its siblings) would buy a whole new truck because they would make a lot more money doing so.

Stopping that business, (crap) alone would save a lot of money.

[Bigmack]

5. All this time...

I've been advocating blowing-in-place all the equipment over there so it couldn't be used in the civil war, and flying the troops home ASAP.

But...

Your post gave me a nasty idea, brought on I suppose by a "mines & booby-traps" school I attended in the Corps many years ago. (I got an A !)

Leave all the tanks, choppers, and other major gear over there and booby-trap the shit out of 'em!

We could tell everybody that we're leaving the gear there in case we have to come back.

Something more sophisticated the the "Rubber band grenade" would really do the trick.

That would certainly thin out the bad guys, huh?

Why don't they put me in charge of this thing? I'd have it sorted out in no time.

[Iggo]

6. It would also thin out the good guys.

[Bigmack]

16. Only half-serious here.... but

Any booby-traps would have to be set so that the explosive wouldn't go off until.. oh, say, the 4th time the engine starts, or 5 miles on the odometer.

As I say, you couldn't just use the rubber band grenade.

[yurbud]

7. yes--as a compromise, we will restart the war with a trigger

the Blue Dog warmongers couldn't complain about that could they?

[dysfunctional press]

9. we should allow states the right to "opt out" their soldiers and national guard units.

let the 'for profit' sector guys like blackwater xe handle it all.

[hayu_lol]

11. Only the President can make such decisions...

not posters on DU threads.

Besides, we couldn't possibly leave that new $60,000,000 prison behind at Bagram.

[dysfunctional press]

12. du posters don't get to make those decisions?

:eyes:

[Hannah Bell]

13. because then the contractors would have to come home. their profit

margins would crash, taking down part of the market, & a lot of rich stockholders would be angry.

[eridani]

14. Major logistical hell

However, we could leave and say we won. The dim bulbs cheering every war might just buy it if it's done right.

[Taitertots]

15. The Old Vietnam Bait and Switch

Why even bother pretending to have the intention of going back, when you know we wouldn't regardless of what happens?

Baghdad will be the new saigon.