What are 5 reasons that Republicans don't want to leave the war in Iraq?

moonman

One reason: Responsibility. We went in and overthrew an evil dictator, but we cannot leave it at that, because conditions will worsen. We stay and own up to our actions and don't look for easy outs to let other people clean up our messes. (Note this difference between elephants and donkeys extends into other areas to in my opinion)

mnid007

The consequences of leaving Iraq prematurely could be
1.) a radical Islamic regime funded with oil revenues
2.) an unfettered platform for terrorist attacks
3.) destabilizing the Middle East
4.) and threatening America itself
5.) we broke it, so now we need to fix it

But, I can think of 100 reasons why we should leave as well.

SFC_Ollie

Makes me wonder if there's a Liberal teacher out there ready to spin out on anything that is said.

But one reason is that many haven't given up on the chance for 25 million people to obtain freedom.

Another is that we are winning, why would we want to leave now and allow the region to destabilize more.

A third reason is that the Iraqi elected government doesn't want us to leave yet.

I am sure you will get other answers from other people, please take them with a grain of salt.

XxIhateLifexX

Remember 9/11
terrorism
iran
more instability in iraq
trainig the iraq army

promethius9594

Aside from the obvious political motivations (which are coming in to play on BOTH sides of the issue):

1) Preventing the establishment of a sovereign nation dedicated to radical islamo-terrorist attacks: you can look it up on Al Quaida's webpage. One of their expressed GOALS is to destablize and overthrow the elected Iraqi government in order to establish a sharia law driven totalitarian government. This would give them vast oil resources to fund their activities as well as an extensive platform by which to train and equip forces. Furthermore, the French have already shown they have little in the way of qualms about selling weapons to bad people, seeing as they'd been violating UN agreements for YEARs by the time we invaded (and THEY scoffed at the US for not listening to the UN...)

2) Freedom. America stands for the idea that the principle rights of mankind are given freely to ALL of humanity, not JUST American citizens. To paraphrase Bobby Kennedy: "as long as there are people who are starving and opressed, that long is the American Revolution unfinished." While Bobby Kennedy was a Democrat, I have to say that I agree that America has been and should remain a bastion of individual freedom. That includes supporting the freedom and rights of the Iraqi people to be able to go to a marketplace and shop without some radical islamo-fascist blowing them up.

3) Stable base of operations - Just like Al Quaida wants Iraq, except we really don't care about their oil. We let the government of Iraq become stable and form their own police forces. As time goes on we form SOFA agreements and establish permanent basing in Iraq. Generally, the problem with logistics is long supply trains. Permanent basing in Iraq will ensure that we are closer to "hot spots" in the world... areas where problems might errupt... so that we're not launching from outdated bases in Spain and having to fly 9 hours before the pilot can even BEGIN their mission. Afghanistan can provide SOME of that too, but it lacks the basic infrastructure at this point.

4) Obviously, we went in and debased their stability with combat operations. Any time you defeat an opponent in battle there is a resulting power vacuum. World leaders failed to take action on this after WWI and the resultant was Hitler's rise to power and more than 8 million innocents slaughtered. By staying we fill that power vacuum with out military presence... we take a few more losses now, of course, but in the long run it ensures that the GOOD GUYS come to power and don't get overthrown by the presently stronger, violent, and opressive warmakers in the region. We owe it to the Iraqi people to give them back a whole country that is capable of defending itself from insurgents AND outside threats alike (a la Iran)

5) We owe it to our troops. Our troops took an amazing blow to their confidence in the American populace following the Vietnam War, and to repeat the SAME mistake of the past would be devastating to morale. Essentially, many of our troops feel that withdrawal right now would mean that all the troops who have died in this conflict did so in vain (per point 1 above). Imagine asking the troops to fight in the next conflict... when they have to wonder just how many will die before they are again stopped from reaching the objective end state? We CAN win with the appropriate effort.

gregory_dittman

1. To stop the influence of Iran in Iraq.
2. So the U.S can train the Iraqis and help rebuild their infrastucture.
3. To contain Iran (It's now surrounded by U.S. troops on three sides which are Iraq, Afganistan and the gulf).
4. To prevent a civil war in Iraq. The chance of this happening is decreasing.
5. To hunt the terrorists including preventing the PKK from attacking Turkey.

Victor Bout

Sounds like your teacher is a liberal. Try and name 5 things that will benefit the US or the world by abandoning Iraq?

1. The surge is working

2. Millions of people were slaughtered throughout South East Asia after the US ran from Vietnam. 10's of millions would be killed from the resulting conflict if we run from Iraq.

3. Having been there 3 times, I wanted to finish the job so my children or grand children don't have to go back and finish it.

4. Iraq would be the worlds largest terrorist safe-haven.

5. The Iraqi Army is working.

Dennis

if we leave the war now then we will look weak to other countrys since this will be the second war that we started but didnt finish. more countries will hate us because we dont finish what we started. also are enemys will thinck are weak and begin attacking us.

allen a

do your own homework!

wichitaor1

It will be impossible to get an "accurate" answer to that question, especially here. We all have our own bias on the issue and personal politics enter into the discussion too much.

Is this a high school project? If so, a better question would be to ask for five reasons for staying in Iraq and five reasons to immediately withdraw. Then each answerer can state their own opinions (and I do mean opinions, not facts).

If this is for college level, you have so much greater access to information and should not have waited until the night before.

BTW. What is the class subject? Is it debate or current events?

Ravin

1. The job isn't finished. There is still a real threat of terrorism in that country, as well as sectarian, tribal, and racial instability, plus negative interference from its neighbors on many fronts. Leaving prematurely only means creating a far greater problem later than the one we're facing now.

2. Iraq is an ally, and one of the few allies we have in that region. You don't generally abandon allies when they're in the most need of your help and support, particularly when much that instability is your fault coupled with their inability to stand on their own two feet, figuratively speaking.

3. Because it is extremely unwise for military missions to be jeopardized by unpopular opinions back home, especially when those perpetuating those opinions are only doing so in a ploy to gain more domestic political power at home and care nothing about the success of the mission or the lives of Iraqi depending on that success.

4. Because leaving prematurely would also negate all the sacrifice and hard work those of us who have BEEN there have put in over the last five years, including the sacrifice of those who have died.

5. Because, quite frankly, it's the right and responsible thing to do--for our sake, and for theirs. Leaving before the job is done will guarantee decades of worse instability than they have now, and possible worse threats for us and our other allies in the future from a state that has been converted into a haven of thugs and killers. It's in our best interests, and Iraq's best interests, to stay--why do think Iraq itself has been repeatedly requesting us to stay? Or do their requests even matter?

steven h

many people beleiv different things, some think that it is beacuse there is lots of oil in iraq and we just want to take it all other people say its to help these people(i think its the first one personally) aslo people say that they are trying to change theyr government but i cant think of 5 reosons i can only get you started with these three, hope they helped even a little.

klbythebay@sbcglobal.net

I believe that all of these listed reason are correct but that there are likely reason we don't even know about and if we did we would have it stopped by now !

eg. profiteers are benefiting in parts of the world that we don't even know to have any connection with events in Iraq ! I bet George W. does though, he is not divulging it because he knows what would happen if the American public found out more than is already known.

beardog4314

1) They haven't figured out a goal, so it's hard to claim a victory.

2) They mistakenly believe that Iraq is the headquarters of Al Qaeda, and refuse to leave until they find it.

3) President Bush told them that if we leave Iraq, Al Qaeda will attack the United States.

4) Some of them probably still believe there are weapons of Mass Destruction hidden somewhere.

5) It's hard to admit that you've made a mistake. Especially such an important mistake as voting for an inept President.

caldude1010101

1) Leaving would show that President Bush's invasion and occupation is a failure, and ultimately a failure for the GOP.

2) Most of the military contractors donate to Republican causes, PACs, special interest groups, and Congressmen and they don't want those donations to dry up.

3) Many Republicans think that the Iraq occupation is tied to Bush's Global War on Terrorâ„¢ even though Al-Qaida makes up only about 5% of the insurgents and is responsible for less than 15% of the attacks on US forces.

4) Some feel that with the occupation of Afganistan and Iraq, we have Iran surrounded, which sets us up for an "easy" invasion and overthrow of the Iranian govt.

5) Some feel that by staying in Iraq we are helping secure and develop the largest remaining untapped, easily accessible oil reserves in the world.

yoitzdavid

This won't answer your question (sorry), but the true answer is there is no money to be made in winning the War on Terror, only in perpetuating it.

Only Congress shall declare war (that didn't happen), and the reason is Congress mandates the mission and the scope, and what classifies as a "win."

Without a clear and concise mission, the war simply can't end--- the threshold for success is ALWAYS "just ahead."

Ron Paul rEVOLution!

Future CHEF

they are stupid and stupid of you to hold it off to the last minute-slacker!

Pepper of the Moon

Because they actually think it's a movie & not the real world.

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