Another way to look at Iraq
 

At one point, the struggles in Afghanistan and Iraq were supposed to be the proving ground for Generation X: the battle that showed that we were a serious generation capable of dealing with a serious problem and achieving excellence.

How ya like us now USA

Generation X is in the middle management positions at this point. The top leaders responsible for this mess are baby boomers.

What the hell? Are you trying to manufacture a political generation gap, UT?

Sure, blame everything on us. We're used to it. We're a big generation and we can take it, but you'll be sorry when we're all gone and you won't have no one to kick around anymore!:p

Nah, they'll just kick around Gen Y :D

every generation is to blame for the problems of the next. only history will tell if the generation left the world a better place or not. it is impossible to tell while we are in the middle of the situation. i think 50 years is a good point to start looking back accurately at the effects of a generation's actions.

i think 50 years is a good point to start looking back accurately at the effects of a generation's actions.

So, what actions should be we look at fifty years from now concerning this generation and this war? I'm a little confused -- what does this war and generation X have to do with each other?

I think this was the Boomer's second attempt to make up for the failure of Vietnam. Gulf War I wasn't quite epic enough, so they had to try again.

i was just saying that for all the hoohah (yes, that's a technical term) surrounding this war, we will have to wait about 50 years to see the real net effect on the world.

i wasn't really saying anything about gen x. we didnt' start the war, but we are the ones fighting it. this war will shape our politics and our military's future, just as vietnam did for the baby boomers.

did you oppose gulf war I, as well?

I was pretty young. I suppose I primarily considered it to be saber rattling. I didn't support it, or oppose it much.

You're right, Lookout, I guess we won't know the full implications for years from now. I have to say that despite the polarity and disagreements going on right now, I'm kind of glad to be able to witness these times, as the events of these years are going to radically change an enormous amount of things. It'll make for good stories to tell the grandkids, too.

So far a number of them have graduated from gen X to gen ex.:(

And two entire nations are now free as a consequence. It'll work out. The leaders were brutal. brutal people...I swear some of you have shorter memories than me.

I don't entirely agree with GWII, I think it was the right war at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. I of course totally agree with pounding the Taliban and Al Quaeda into the sand.

Right or wrong millions of people are now free to bitch about the USA and lead better lives.

Well, I sort of agree. The point was that at least in the short term, Iraq is taking away resources which could be spent in REALLY dealing with Afghanistan and possibly preventing genocide in the Sudan.

Rounding up, since the butchers bill is still being tallied, we are talking about almost 1000 US dead and a quarter of a trillion dollars . I'm counting the current and future money the Pentagon has probably been shuffling around to keep down the reported costs. Not to mention the pain, suffering, and resources required to deal with the wounded for at least the next decade.

If I owned a company and an employee, on his own initiative racked up a bill like that, well intentioned or not, I'd boot his sorry ass.

I have always heard a lot of griping about how a few well spent dollars backing the White Russians in the revolution would have prevented the trillions spent in the Cold War. The difference being Russia was a large country with tremendous resources and a large, effective military.

Iraq was a caged beast which the world would have cheerfully shot down had it tried to escape. Short of secretly acquiring nuclear capability and long range missiles, the best he could hope for would be a random act of terror which he could not take credit for.

250,000,000,000 dollars is a lot to pay out for one man.