Has Iraq passed the point of no return?

[fastwalker]

Nearly four years into the war in Iraq, what will be the future for that country from here on out? Partition of the country along sectarian lines? Outright civil war? More US troops to stabilise the situation? US/ colalition withdrawal? Increasing influence for Iran? Or stabilisation with slow but steady progress?

[kev100]

Iraq is another name for Vietnam, America doesn't ever learn anything

[anotheoldgit]

I think at last Blair is coming round to what everyone has been saying that there is little that can be done to alter things in Iraq, plus the fact that i think he can't wait to poke our noses into the Darfue, Sudan. I think that is why he went over to see Bush. It make take Bush a little longer to be convinced. I think we will partially withdraw by next summer, and followed by the Americans in about 18 months time.
There will then be a Civil War in Iraq, and when the dust settles, Iran will move in to pick up the pieces.

[NH]

Bush's poll ratings show that, slowly, Americans are learning something. But Republicans seem to be learning nothing, least of all Bush himself, who is still doggedly claiming that Iraq will result in victory and liberation and democracy even now Blair admits that it's gone wrong. I read an article recently (possibly the (RED) Independent) that compared his attitude to Andropov during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Undoubtably this cannot be too far wrong.

[kwicky]

Some serious thought needs to be given:

1. Iran (who support the Shias)will help to solve the crisis if all the coalition troops are withdrawn.
2. Assuming the troops withdraw will Iran be able to tame the breakaway groups such as El-Sadr who are also Shias?.
3. The Sunnis who had Saddam Hussain as leader are now rudderless and will continue to kill the Shias until restorative equal justice in the governence of Iraq.
4. Assume that peace is made between the Sunnis and Shias the problems of Al quieda insurgents remain.

All these problems stem from the invasion of Iraq. The first step therefore is to remove the troops. Peace should then be attempted between the Shias and Sunnis, not by means of the USA or UK but by neighbouring countries. Only then can they act in a concerted way to remove Al quieda from Iraq.

[dyli795]

The shear topographical scale of the country of Afghanistan precludes any chance of influence being braught to bear upon the established way of things there. For all we can do with armed forces we have but the effect of a tick on a hippo. Is this a defeatist attitude or an acceptance of undeniable reality? The Ruskies, with their overwhealming numbers of boots on ground had no effect and that should show enough evidence, if any where needed, that a Brit. attempt would only prove a pale comparison. Am I the only one who takes this view? The way things are going, and it's not Britains fault, we should be considering not an iron curtain, but a water wall and we as a nation decide who and what does and or does not happen with an effect on this nation. Who or what comes and or goes accross our border. Or is it a better idea just to throw everything open to the effects of all the global sillynes going on like some piece of blotting paper? No other nation is being so ultra ultruistic! They're too busy laughing at us. Simply put, we should shut up shop take what is to our advantage and repel that which is not. Once there is a global monetary unit things will be a lot differant, but until then............... When we see a bit more evidence of other nations doing a bit we should gladly and readily reciprocate there's no prob. there; there's no real progres without humanity. We all, as a species, share, equaly this mudball in a bubble after all.