Thread: Is Iraq a quagmire?

Originally Posted by Shek

Is it a quagmire?

Only in the minds of the MSM (when they bother to report on it these days), the Democrats that forgot that they won the Election and idiots who rely on the MSM as their sole source of news.

Originally Posted by TopHatter

Only in the minds of the MSM (when they bother to report on it these days), the Democrats that forgot that they won the Election and idiots who rely on the MSM as their sole source of news.

The democratic election machine hasn't simply gone away. Iraq has to be continued to be reported as a disaster until the anointed one can step up in full glory to claim victory. Any suggestion that it's getting better already before he can take centre stage has to be quashed. BTW Shek, you linked a while ago to a study on living standards in Iraq pre invasion and current. Do you remember where that is?

Originally Posted by Parihaka

BTW Shek, you linked a while ago to a study on living standards in Iraq pre invasion and current. Do you remember where that is?

You could be referring to the UNDP Iraq Living Conditions Survey (link to the report is bad, but I've got it on my hard drive) from 2004 or the Brookings Center Iraq Index.

Originally Posted by Parihaka

The democratic election machine hasn't simply gone away. Iraq has to be continued to be reported as a disaster until the anointed one can step up in full glory to claim victory. Any suggestion that it's getting better already before he can take centre stage has to be quashed.

Yeah, no doubt about it.

I can't wait for Barack Obama to take office so that V-I Day can be proclaimed.

Originally Posted by TopHatter

Yeah, no doubt about it.

I can't wait for Barack Obama to take office so that V-I Day can be proclaimed.

Here's a piece of trivia - when was victory declared over the insurgency in the Philippines once it became a US possession following the American-Spanish War?

Originally Posted by Shek

You could be referring to the UNDP Iraq Living Conditions Survey (link to the report is bad, but I've got it on my hard drive) from 2004 or the Brookings Center Iraq Index.

Thats them, thanks Shek

Originally Posted by shek

here's a piece of trivia - when was victory declared over the insurgency in the philippines once it became a us possession following the american-spanish war?

1935? Wasnt it declared a commonwealth

Well it depends on the definition of quagmire. A quagmire just means difficult or precarious, and Iraq is certainly difficult and precarious. Iraq is far from perfect even as the security situation improves.

Only when it rains.

An increasingly sunny success otherwise. Let's hope for continued clearing skies in the forecast.

Originally Posted by Shek

Here's a piece of trivia - when was victory declared over the insurgency in the Philippines once it became a US possession following the American-Spanish War?

Wow, good question.

I know that the insurgency itself lasted for years afterwards (from reading American Caesar, among other books), though I had to look up the answer to your question

The war officially ended on July 4, 1902. However, remnants of the Philippine Army, and other resistance groups continued hostilities against American rule until 1913.

Originally Posted by S-2

Only when it rains.

Very true. The mud is awful. )

From first hand experience, the situation is improving and has improved drastically. In my mind, "quagmire" is linked to the Vietnam War. It seems that almost every description of that war uses the term at one point or another. I think certain elements in the media and politics have made a concerted effort to paint Iraq as the next Vietnam. A subtle use of language can help this case along in spite of ample evidence to the contrary.