that that is what he'll be remembered for. Anything good he has done while in office will be overshadowed by that. He'll be the guy who started Iraq War III. Obama is going to be LBJ redux if he isn't careful.

Do we really want to be caught in the middle of a Saudi/Iran proxy war in Iraq? Because that is what it will be. Broker a peace deal between those two countries and let them figure out how to clean up the mess in Iraq. We don't need one more soldier to die for those bastards.

but I just don't believe Obama will send troops into Iraq. He seems to be too level-headed and rational to do that. He's not a republican, thank goodness. He knows, also, that most Americans would pretty much condemn him for it.
Hagel did state that all options are open, but some options are so far on the back-burner that they will be overlooked. The option of sending ground troops is way back on the last of the back burners. Hopefully, it will stay there.

Obama will be remembered as the guy who tried to change the tone of washington dc. Six years he tried and tried and all to no avail. If he sends ground troops back to Iraq it will be regarded as a necessary evil, not as some nefarious thing for him to be remembered for. Obama's legacy is cemented and like concrete will only get stronger and stronger with time.

In addition to our current ongoing clusterfucks, expect one or two NEW fronts when--not if--President Jeb Bush takes office in 2017.

Our country's biggest exports are high-quality pornography and the materials and personnel to protect the interests of the world's elite wealthy. I guess we should be thankful to even have both of those.

Unfortunately for me, I'm too old for the porn biz and have no interest in killing anybody.

personal lives relative to others, I think all of us should give thought to our country and its role in the world. Are we a positive or a negative influence on the rest of the world?

I'm critical of America, but I will acknowledge that we do good things as well as bad things. We have the capacity to do so much more good and we could stop getting involved in the atrocities we commit as well. Of course, that would require some self-examination and effort to change. The question is, do I and does the rest of the country have the will?

But I'm starting to accept that countries have sharply delineated purposes in the world--their "jobs", if you will, based on what they're best at. The Middle East produces oil. China produces cheap shit. We produce both cannons AND cannon fodder to protect those people in charge of the above.

Thanks for that!

We simply pretend that we don't.

Make an omlet without breaking some eggs (or soldiers in this case). War is so nasty, only those that make a fortune cheer for it to happen, hoping it leads to more killing and wars...

..that a war based upon lies and lust for their oil is unwinable. Just declare victory and come home, and let them figure out how best to fix the mess we have made their Country.

or maybe a pool of oil?

If the true goal is security for the American people, we will cease killing people in the Middle East and elsewhere.

But the real goal of those who make the policy is increased wealth for the Powers That Be.

Are desperate for another war in the Middle East