Posted on May 13, 2015
CH (MAJ) William Beaver
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Well, it may seem alot different now.....but we are back in Iraq. So....what sort of exit strategy do we have with Iraq now?
Posted in these groups: Strategy globe 1cfii4y StrategyC842160b Foreign Policy
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Responses: 18
Cpl Jeff N.
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Edited 9 y ago
I'd be more interested in seeing our Victory Strategy. We worry more about getting out (Exit Strategy) that getting the job done sometimes (mostly politicians).

I am not sure anyone has articulated our strategy in Iraq clearly. We are hitting ISIS sites ad hoc. We have some forces on the ground but not enough to do any realy damage. Iran is in Iraq, the Russians support Iran. We have foreign fighters (ISIS) all over a large swath. Atrocities out the wazoo. A situation created by our departure from there with no stabilizing force (you can argue the merits of a residual force).
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1SG Michael Blount
1SG Michael Blount
9 y
Cpl Jeff N. - we left Iraq because there was no SOFA in place. Listening to his version of the Tea Party, Malaki wanted us out of Iraq - bag and baggage. Not too soon after that, things fell apart.
My suggestion would be to at least push ISIS back into Syria - let them become Assad's problem - and then leave.
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Cpl Jeff N.
Cpl Jeff N.
9 y
1SG Michael Blount. It was our job to get the SOFA. I think Biden had lead on that. Not having the vision, leadership and determination to get that done has cost us many of the gains in Iraq and thousands of innocent people their lives.

Pushing back ISIS to Syria will require a large land force. This administration shows no desire to do that. I would agree with your premise that pushing them back to Syria while killing as many of them as humanly possible would be a good goal. Someone would have to secure that porous border though. I thought there was a plan for us to train up a force to combat ISIS, I wonder where that plan is in regard to completion?
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1SG Michael Blount
1SG Michael Blount
9 y
Cpl Jeff N. - I don't recall who had lead. I DO remember being there and, reading the Iraqi press - they were pressuring Maliki to send us packing.
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MSG(P) Ncoic
MSG(P) (Join to see)
9 y
Agree, you can't make a country accept your terms of a SOFA agreement. That is why we are gone.
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SPC Charles Brown
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Edited 9 y ago
Walk out the front door, lock it from the outside, nail the door shut, drop the keys in the sand miles from anyone, and walk the f away leaving the inmates in charge of their own asylum.
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PO1 Jason Taylor
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You know as well as the rest of us, we will be there forever!
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
9 y
As much as it pains me, I have to agree with you. I'm trying to think of a time that we have ever gotten involved in a war and didn't end up remaining in that country "forever" ...
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TSgt David L.
TSgt David L.
9 y
GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, I said the same thing while I was there. No lasting peace will be possible without maintaining a force there. Afghanistan is the same way. The Soviets proved that when they left. Nothing but a power vacuum which resulted in what was present when we went in. Iraq will be no different. ISIS loves what we did...
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MSgt James Mullis
MSgt James Mullis
9 y
We're still in Germany, we're still in Japan, we're still in Italy, and we're still in Korea. Anybody who thought there was (or could be) a quick "in and out" solution has been proven wrong. Of course their is another solution, which ISIS seems to be following, "Kill 'em all and let Allah sort it out".
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