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What are your views on the war now? Let us have a clean and civilized discussion here, shall we?

I think it is time to bring our troops home. Nothing seems to be getting any better over there.

I would like to believe we could bring our troops home,but the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan do not allow that. Both governments are unstable and threaten by the Taliban and local warlords. We can not allow either country to collapse. Even worse would be the decreasing stability, and possible collapse, of both governments. It could have a devastating effect on the region and the world. If the Taliban and other radical groups gain control in this region it will have serious and long lasting effects for the region and the world. Remember Pakistan has nuclear weapons. It is unlikely they could fall into the hands of radical groups, but can we take that risk? The mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan is where the Afghans were able to defeat the Soviet army. It is were many terrorist training and planning has occurred, including the planning for 9/11. Can we allow this area to remain as safe haven for terrorists and violent radical groups. I say "No". They are a threat to these two countries, to the region, to the United States and all the nations of the world. We can not afford to leave this area and we may be there for a long time to come.

Doesn't Pakistan has nuclear weapons as well?

Yes Pakistan has Nuclear weapons.

Here is a list of Nuclear nations

China: 100-200 warheads.

France: Approximately 350 strategic warheads.

Russia: 4,237 strategic warheads[1], approximately 2,000-3,000 operational tactical warheads, and approximately 8,000-10,000 stockpiled strategic and tactical warheads.

United Kingdom: Less than 160 deployed strategic warheads.

United States: 5,914 strategic warheads[1], approximately 1,000 operational tactical weapons, and approximately 3,000 reserve strategic and tactical warheads.

India: Up to 100 nuclear warheads.

Israel: Between 75 to 200 nuclear warheads.

Pakistan: Up to 60 nuclear warheads.

for details see: Nuclear Arms - Who has What!

Well...you have brought up some very good points, Craig58. Looking at things in the light you show makes me rethink about leaving those countries to their own problems.

Phyllis, wars like this are so difficult and dangerous.

Then you have situations like the the watch guards who didn't learn any lessons from Abu Ghraib prison scandals. It makes you wonder where our country is morally.

It is not just our country that has slipped on the morals side. I think the whole world has lost a sense of morality and respect - respect for human life and respect for Mother Earth. I do not think this war, or any other, is geared towards peace and saving our Earth, but, rather is a show of power and who can shout the biggest threats.

Yes, a nation that does not protect its unborn or children, kidnaps, murders randomly, litters while the adopt the highway folks are in the roadway cleaning up, harms the environment in other ways, creates a sad image. Everyday, it is something else. And yet, there are many caring people who are the mirror image of the others.

Agree 1000%.

[quote=Craig58]We can not afford to leave this area and we may be there for a long time to come. [/quote] Don't you ever think that maybe, the fact your army is in occupation, occasionally blowing up innocent women and children, you may actually be fuelling more anger towards the west? Just a thought.

On this issue Big alignment has a point, we're just fostering the next batch of religious fanatics. If the USA closed Gitmo and sent the prisoners of war to a Moslem country for trial (Saudi Arabia, for example), Terrorists would think twice before attacking the US, because under their own laws, they would be "excommunicated" ( a fate worse than death)

There will never be a time when the US is totally detached from the middle east.
We need to be where the religious fanatics are to stop them. It's a lot easier being where they are than trying to monitor them from afar.
That doesn't mean we have to be at war, just that we need to have military presence there.

So that probably explains why the Obama administration is handing out 100 million to Moslem countries for "green energy": its a bribe. Saudi palaces need solar panels, right? So what if seniors in US rural areas don't have access to Meals on Wheels- or the fact that Low income diabetics can't get their SNAP food credit increased. Foreign countries' interests are more important, at least thats what it looks like.

How is Obama doing? Well, its hard to tell the difference between Bush and Obama: Both allowed gitmo to remain open, both sent troops overseas to fight a war in two countries- with no clear exit strategy, both tried a stimulus that didn't tranlate into lower unemployment numbers AND both presidents have not vetoed one single spending bill.So I really can't figure out why Democrats hate Bush- his policies and obama's look almost identical.

Indeed...meet the new boss, same as the old one. There isn't a dime's worth of difference between the two.

both Bush and Obama have another thing in common- Bush never called Republicans to task for overspending and Obama rubberstamps anything Reid and Pelosi bring to the Oval Office.