The ISIS says they are marching on Baghdad next. Should we go back to Iraq?

Sgt Welsh that is more PC than I was headed....and in the interest of not sounding like a loooooooonatic, I will watch Fox news and await further instructions.

Yes, the region powers SHOULD be able to hold their own, but you also hinted as to why they won't. The militants have a common agenda that transcends national borders. Howver, the governments in the region all have differing agendas. In other words, they lack cohesion while the militans have it in spades.

I do not think we should go back in to save political face, or for oil. I agree with you Major Petrarca, we have enough oil, lets quit selling it and take care of our own oil needs for once.

The reason I believe we should go back in is to prevent the terrorists from gaining a country of operations in the Middle East. I think we pulled out too soon to begin with. I think part of the problem the new Iraq government failed is because of the terrorists keeping the three main factions from uniting. Perhaps this would have never happened, but the fact Al-Qaeda moved in and stirred up dissent among them is a testimony they were making some measure of progress.

If Obama gets his way in Afghanistan, and he will most likely stay the course, terrorists will have two countries of operations in the region. I agree with you LTC Labrador. The domino theory you mentioned will become a reality, and the entire region could become destabilized.

As you mentioned LTC Labrador, the end game scenario is elusive. America cannot police the entire region, but if we can prevent the terrorists from taking over, maybe we can prevent all out war in the region.

Excellent comments LCpl Wininger (owe you a thumb, I'm fresh out). With this new movement all of Iraq will become a terrorist state and Syria is well on its wayl. George Bush may have his "axis of evil" come to fruition after all. (the first time was a mere PR stunt)

My concern is if we escalate again and now, will hell and WW III follow? We're not talking 4400 dead we're talking geometric progression as things escalate.

My oldest son unfortunately will be medically exempt from military service but my youngest son & daughter will be at draft age in 7 years and will be watching this all unfold before them prior to that. Their generation is who I fear for now.

In regards to oil, I take the long term approach. Stockpile our own and buy someone else's while they're still selling it. When they run out, I'll still have my own. That is the concept behind the Strategic Oil Reserve.

Should we go back? No sir. Should we have left when we did? I didn't think so then, and I certainly don't think so now. I would say "if" Baghdad falls, but it is more likely "when", the Iraq war at that point will have been a complete failure. I have said it before, I think that the KRG is positioning themselves to declare independence. Most recent evidence was the Kurdish troops that filled the vacuum in ethnically mixed Kirkuk as Iraqi Police and Army left their posts and ran.

But will that ISIS and Iran be willing to temporarily put aside their differences until they've dealt with the bigger Satan?

Spot on, Maj Whitehorn. I had a History professor at LSU back in '82 say much the same thing, only in much more colorful language that would likely get him fired today...

"Spare me the political events and power struggles, as the whole earth is my homeland and all men are my fellow countrymen." Khalil Gibran

The poll provides and interesting perspective and one that undoubtedly will elicit very specific viewpoints and much emotion. Pros and cons of any course of action will be debated and most likely the challenges and struggles will persist regardless of what our leadership decides. Following WW I and the apportionment of nation states, some surmised that the creation of the boundaries would only foment strife and discord in this region. It was there before and it has persisted since. Reading from the likes of T.E. Lawrence and Khalil Gibran amongst a myriad of other insightful accounts are somewhat helpful in understanding the dynamics past, present and future of this entire region.

History has a tendency to repeat itself and regardless of why we got in there in the first place, regardless of whether we did or did not succeed, regardless of what decisions are made in the near and long term; it mostly likely will continue to do so in this neck of the woods.

The reality is that consequences intended or unanticipated occur when one blindly turn ones back on something that undoubtedly influences all of us internationally in some form or fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating for comprehensive military action and I really don’t want to take a “poll” to gauge whether or not we should do something. I also don’t want to get on a bully pulpit for peaceful coexistence, but a challenge is not to figure out how to perpetuate military engagement and involvement, rather to figure out how to end the madness collectively.

If that means pulling chocks and letting the locals figure it out, then fine—so be it. I just hope we don’t find ourselves in an OODA loop of decision making, tactical to strategic, that is merely oriented at saving face and positioning for political gain and is based on a poll regardless of how helpful gauging public opinion may be.

"I just hope we don’t find ourselves in an OODA loop of decision making, tactical to strategic, that is merely oriented at saving face and positioning for political gain and is based on a poll regardless of how helpful gauging public opinion may be."

So right.

Of course we will go back in if that is the decision those above us make.