As the title says, how many terrorist attacks do you think we've prevented by being in Iraq? I believe the number is probably less than 10.

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I wish I could say that it actually mattered. The main motivation for Al Queda was economical, and no amount of military action or non action would've changed their strategy. I think it's a no win scenario. On one hand I'd like to fry the whole middle east, but that would just galvanize any sympathizers living abroad to become terrorists (perhaps justifiably). Considering the state of our collapsing economy and the issue of illegal immigration, I would pull back all/most overseas military bases and become an isolationist for a few decades. Use the personnel and equipment to secure both borders and all ports (air and sea), and potentially respond to local crime issues similar to what Chicago has recently considered.

I think this country is being damaged from within much more than from outside terrorists threats. With the state of politics and a lack of moral values, we really don't deserve much better. The hard working people that founded and improved this country would spit at what it's become - a place full of lazy and corrupt PsOS.

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Well said. The problem is that as much as we all know our system is run by thieves and lawyers things won't change. That being said I think like you that we need to pull back from overseas. I'm not talking about down sizing the military but we should repair the hemorrhaging of money and resources that is the Middle East campaign. Our country is falling quick in the context of World leaders in a lot of areas, especially as an economic leader. Cities are drying up, debt is climbing and people are losing hope on all fronts. I see it is about time to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan, redirect the money being lost there to our home turf and start rebuilding so we can have something that resembles what our founding father wanted to give to our children.

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How many shutouts would Lalime have gotten if he dressed for every game this season? <--hypothetical question

I say 6. <--answer to hypothetical question based on nothing

Oooo...this is fun, let me think of more...

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Oh no. Some one said something potentially negative about a republican issue, here comes the thought police. You are not allowed to speculate about these things, only those evil goings on that the Dems caused like that big oil spill or gay marriage. i kid.....kinda.

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Thought police? Give me an effin break.

It's a hypothetical question....no one can answer, so why bother.

If you want to get into it, the war in Iraq was started over WMD's, not preventing terrorism.
So that question is like asking "how many licks does it take to get tot he center of a groundhog"?

If the question were about Afghanistan it would only be slightly less silly.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

42

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mechaphil

Dammit...I came up with 45. I coulda swore I was right!!!

I wasn't asking for a number, XC. More of a "what are your thoughts" on this. Obviously, you think we're preventing attacks by being over there. Fine. Thanks.

I'm not going to go into a "have you been there?" debate, because that's not fair. Based on my experience though, the only intelligence we received from ANYONE over there (when I was in Iraq or Afghanistan) had to do with John Mohammed Doe who was laying bombs under a bridge or something...not planning anything to take place on U.S. soil.

Instead of taking the controversial (and in my mind, holier-than-thou) stance, I ask that you actually give us some sort of opinion on the topic, or just stay out. Isn't that the moderation you preach?

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It's a negative number, because being in Iraq is INCREASING terrorism.

really?



And why would you come to that conclusion since I've said nothing to that effect at all?

I think Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism.
Iraq is about WMD's, regime change, oil or whatever you want to say it is, but we're not there to "fight the terrorists".
That was never the premise or intent of that war.

If you want to talk about Afghanistan then fine, because we're killing them there and some in Pakistan.

Iraq has nothing to do with it.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Seriously, enough of the "I have nothing better to say so I'll stir the pot" XC. I left this f'ing forum once because of your crap. If you don't wanna actually talk about an issue and would instead prefer to throw an adult version of a tantrum then fine, throw up your hands after you do you say "Hey! What? Me?". But nobody is buying the "I didn't mean anything by it" act. We get it. You have conservative leanings, whoop dee do.

Just waiting for the pick and choose XC method of quoting random things from my post then throwing up a "?" or a "Really?" after them.

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I think it's just as valid to hypothesize that you're creating more terrorists/terrorism with an extended engagement of an arab/muslim population, as to say you're preventing terrorism by 'fighting them over there'.
I'd have to imagine that if some occupying force was in the US, killing lots of people, that there would be some long lasting grudges formed (I dont know about you, but I STILL dont fully trust the english...) What if we've unwittingly supplied al quada (sp?) with their next generation of soldiers?

There's no doubt in my mind that this is just exactly what has happened. All the proof you need is that there was no "al Qaeda in Iraq" before the US invaision. Now such an organization exists.

me: I have an issue with the hypothetical and misguided assumptions of the OP. Here are some reasons why.
you: you're throwing a tantrum and don't like liberals.

You have no counterpoint, only personal criticism?

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Hold my beer and watch this...

Just a boogy-man made up label by the Bush administration.

I've never been concerned with Iraq, then or now when it comes to actual terrorism in the US.
That distinction goes to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

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Hold my beer and watch this...

I agree with this (except Korea and a few others). Bring them home and let them buy their food, cars, TV's, etc. here in the US, instead of dumping those dollars in Germany and Japan and elsewhere. Our economy could use a little jump start, and bringing most of them home would help a lot. I don't know how many Army Corps of Engineers troops serve abroad (or their counterparts in the other services), but our infrastructure could sure use as many of them as possible here in the US.

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This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
--Emerson

Maybe if we gave Al Queda a Temper pedic mattress, they wouldn't be so angry.

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"Counting all the assholes in the room, I'm definitely not alone!" ~ Michael Poulsen, Volbeat, Still Standing.