posted on January 9, 2004 07:55:03 AM new
I can see this real easy -
The US will stay in Afgansitan and Iraq indefinately. They may move into Iran or Saudi Arabia also. Especially if the Saudi family goes under to extremists. We could end up with a PanArabic American Protectorate in a huge arc across the middle east on top of all the oil.
Conditions will never be suitable for local control because the people there don't WANT a government that would be acceptable to the US.
The senseless steady drain of life will erode both the number and quality of enlistments so that the darft in some form will come back. They will also stop making public what the casuality really are and if the families reveal the loss of their loved one they will lose all benefits. They may stop bringing the bodies home unless they have a certain minimum rank. Mercenaries under guise of civilian guards will be used first as guards for support companies such as Halliburtan and then authorized to do sweeps and hunt instead of just passively guard. Their losses will be invisible.
Tell us your possible visions of the near future. What do you think is possible?
posted on January 9, 2004 12:24:02 PM new
Gravid, what if the Democrats get elected? Will they be expected to continue with these never-ending wars?
If the Democrats decides to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq, will any and everything be blamed on the withdrawal, making it appear like Bush's plan was correct?
posted on January 9, 2004 01:08:24 PM new
I think the Dems will approach the region with a carrot and big stick program. Get your house in order or we'll do it the hard way.
Bush is floundering. It is as though he took a bite bigger than he can chew so he just sets there with his mouth full paralyzed. If the current economic problems aren't properly addressed, Bush is a one termer.
I'll say this for the Dems- under Clinton they sure managed international trade and the economy better.
posted on January 9, 2004 01:30:33 PM new
Bush will be re-elected and yes, a small number of our military will remain in both countries after the reigns are handed over to the Iraqi's. [Just like how we are in most countries now Japan, Germany, Europe, etc.]
I have no doubt Bush will go into whatever country he thinks is a threat to our nation. And I believe that's what will be the major deciding factor to his re-election.
But right now, thanks to clinton, our forces are a little too lean [overstretched] and just a tad too busy. But we have seen the changes that have occurred since he took us into Iraq. The other ME countries ARE paying attention, and they're making positive changes.
And on the economy, as during the clinton administration, it will pick up even more so in his second term. Anyone doing a check during clinton's first four years can easily see the economy was not in great shape. It was only during the technology boom years, the last three years of clinton's administration, that the economy took off. Democrats give clinton that credit....undeserved imo. I give the technology boom the credit.
posted on January 9, 2004 03:28:34 PM new
I think the economey goes in cycles and the very most any administration can do is speed it up or retard it a small amount.
If they were smart they'd let the other side win when it looks like the economy will be taking a dive instead of thinking they can change it.
