Will Iraq have a massive civil war if we leave or will the violence slow down?

[originalpckelly]

Poll question: Will Iraq have a massive civil war if we leave or will the violence slow down?

:shrug:

[AndyA]

1. I believe there already is a civil war, and that's something we should not be participating in.

Our military cannot and should not deal with a civil war in Iraq, even though it was brought on by George Bush. The Iraqi people are going to have to work this out themselves to some extent, but as long as we're in there micromanaging things, we'll just be creating more conflict.

[yourout]

2. I would really love to be wrong on this one but.

Civil war and/or genocide is likely the outcome unless the whole region intervenes.

[barb162]

4. I think you're right

And I don't think the whole region will intervene though

[yourout]

5. Historically.....religous based conflicts are seldom settled...

without massive bloodshed.

[originalpckelly]

7. And the thing is, this could get even worse if the regional powers intervene...

because it would cause a massive Sunni-Shi'a war.

[barb162]

18. Yes, that could happen I guess. I think it is going to get worse

[hippiechick]

3. Nothing will change ...

... we just won't hear about it in the Media every day because Shrimpy will have had another Codpiece Ceremony and to Joe and Jane Sixpack, the 'war' will be over and 'we' will have 'won'.
Meanwhile, all hell will continue to break loose over there, daily.

:puke:

[yourout]

6. And then the Right would blame it on the Dems for forcing us to pull out.

No matter how this ends they will blame the Dems.

[originalpckelly]

9. That's the reason the Democrats in Congress are not willing to cut the funds...

they're going to be blamed for the catastrophuck, while if they let Bush do his thing and tell him they disagree, and it fails, then they won't be blamed.

Sadly, American lives will be lost in the meantime, ones who would not have to be lost if we would just get the fuck out of there.

[yardwork]

8. Iraq is already having a civil war and our presence makes it worse

[spanone]

10. America went through the same 'growing pains'. Democracy can be messy.

[blm]

11. It's been in civil war for a YEAR now and that is what Murtha and Kerry have been TELLING US

throughout 2006, but senate and congress would not support their withdrawal plans even though EVERYONE in DC has KNOWN that Iraq has been in civil war since early 2006.

[Ravy]

12. Ask Cheney, then vote the opposite. Sure winning strategy. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

13. There will be civil war in Iraq whether US troops are there or not

What precipitated the civil war was the fall of Saddam. If he had died in bed in the Spring of 2003 and were there no US invasion, there would have been a massive power in Iraq among the Sunnis and the disenfranchized Shia, with the Kurds likely making a bid for independence.

Mr. Bush cannot be blamed for the fact that there is a civil war in Iraq. He can be blamed for not taking the idea that there would be one seriously and not planning for the contingency.

[barb162]

20. I think there was a period of a few months when there wasn't

going to be a civil war if we had handled things right. But we brought Bremer in instead. He screwed things up royally and alienated all groups. People who didn't want to fight, such as the old Sunni military people...if we had just given them some small monthly stipends to feed their families. See the book "State of Denial" and watch some old Joe Biden TV interviews

[walldude]

14. Civil War, no way around it unless we go in with

a few hundred thousand more troops to secure the country. Hmm just like certain Generals said before the war started, too bad they were told they didn't know what they were talking about and were fired. Fired for daring to question the military genius of Bush Cheney and Rummy...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Probably. But it will brief after they kick us out and the neighbors step in.

The Iranians, Syrians, Saudis, Jordanians, will intervene to stop the sectarian violence in their own interests. All of them are on shaky ground with their own minorities and conflicts. The last thing they want, or need, are internal threats to their power spurred on by the Iraqi situation. Add to that the vast majority of Iraqis are disgusted with the internecine slaughter.

[rman]

16. What do you call the current mess in Iraq?

Not civil war?

[barb162]

17. I think it is a low grade civil war compared to what it could be

an all-out civil war. Maliki , I don't trust him a bit.

[rman]

19. dozens of dead every day, death squads roaming the streets

Hardly low grade.

[barb162]

21. it's low grade when there can be thousands a day dead

and I think it could very well go that way

[rman]

22. yes it can get worse

Doesn't mean it's low-grade now.

[mdmc]

24. yes

[cgrindley]

23. Since there already is one going on, I'd say yeah.

There's no point in sticking around and continuing to be a part of it.