Well the numbers are never right when you start off with the wrong war in the wrong country! We should never have gone to Iraq, we should have been in Afthanaistan all along - casualties may not have been any less but at least they would have been sacrificed for the right war. Probably just ole george in a drunken stupor trying to work that "fuzzy math" again.

I know it's been almost 9 years, but if you remember back, the American people wanted something done about the 9/11 attack. Congress overwhelmingly approved a bill to authorize Bush to take military action...Senate 98 yea and House 420 yea. Now does that really sound like Bush's war??? If you want to blame it on someone...blame Clinton for not taking Bin Laden seriously and capturing him when he could.

Bush actually had it right. We needed to get into Afghanistan to look for Bin Laden. When we didn't he left a security force there to protect the new gov't...that's all. He realized that a country where 5% of the population had electricity would never become a threat to the US.

No, but Obambie, the un-Bush, had to show he was as tough as Hillary and made a big deal that we were in the wrong war. This is Obambie's war and by sending in more troops and setting an exit date all he has succeeded in doing is getting our soldiers killed.

Iraq was the wrong war, the unnecessary war. Had Bush not gone to Iraq, the Afghanistan war would have been finished. The Afghan war had deteriorated to the point where it was necessary for the US to basically start over--after 7 years, we had to start over! Pres Bush failed to finish the job. It must be difficult for some to swallow that fact.

Hobie81, please tell me you're kidding.

Nobody disputes that Afghanistan was the right action and nobody has ever called Afghanistan "Bush's War". Iraq is "Bush's War" and it should be looked at as one of the great follies of American History (assuming we don't let Texans write the history books).

So, how do you explain our invasion of Iraq? Did you think we'd find bin Laden there?

The truth is we turned our back on bin Laden and we let him get away. So President Obama decides to get our focus back on the guy who counts and you want to pin this to him like it's some kind of radical policy that's doomed to fail?

The facts just do not matter to the right wingers. Why? Because they know they were wrong, they know they are guilty of cheering for people committing war crimes (the Bush administration) and they are trying to cleanse their souls of the guilt this knowledge brings

Is there ANYTHING the right wingers won't WHINE about?

Now they want President Obama to give credit to the ex-bumbling idiot in chief for his strategy that lead to the 'infamous' 'Mission Accomplished'... When in FACT what President Obama should SAY IS:

4000+ lives lost and countless injured all in the name of a vendetta for Daddy Bush! PERIOD!

Thank you Ed Schultz for reiterating my thoughts above on your show tonight!

The TRUTH hurts!

You said a mouthful Al . . . you can't make this stuff up . . . and the media dutifully repeats this crap like its "news".

Al,

The only ones that deserve a pat on the back are our service members. They made Bush's surge work that allowed for Bush's planned withdrawal.

Obama took almost a year to come up his plan, which calls for a surge with an announced pull out date. Weak plan and the fact it took almost a year to come up with might bring credence to the waffling question.

I'm amazed you find this amazing.

Is this pretty accurate, or did I make something up?

Fact. Bush had to accept the Iraqi Government's timetable which used then candidate Obama's recommended 16 months for withdraw. Many republicans were criticizing candidate Obama for wanting to establish timelines and withdrawl tables--the democratically elected Iraqi government supported Obama. Anyone else remember the Bush administration, supported by republicans, talking about establishing a permanent US military base in Iraq. That was their plan.

Bob, you seem to have conveniently forgotten that Bush said repeatedly that he would never agree to a "timetable" for a withdrawal from Iraq. Bush only agreed to it after Obama won the election and Iraqi leader Al Maliki demanded it. To call it "Bush's planned withdrawal" is intellectually dishonest.

You also sem to have forgotten the 30,000 extra forces that Obama ordered to Afghanistan soon after taking office. No waffling or weak indecision there. As for you overlooking this fact, I do find that amazingly consistent!

For some reason I just can't stop repeating myself on this subject:

The facts just do not matter to the right wingers. Why? Because they know they were wrong, they know they are guilty of cheering for people committing war crimes (the Bush administration) and they are trying to cleanse their souls of the guilt this knowledge brings

Al,

Sorry, he announced that at West Point in December of 09 and not all of them arrived yet. You might to look at the SOFA too, you're wrong there too.

"You also sem to have forgotten the 30,000 extra forces that Obama ordered to Afghanistan soon after taking office."

Guess again Paul. Less than one month after taking office, Obama ordered an additional 17,000 troops to Iraq (OK I was wrong about the 30K extra troops but was dead on in stating that he moved decisively early to add forces to Afghanistan after Bush let it languish).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/washington/18web-troops.html

Guess again Paul. Less than one month after taking office, Obama ordered an additional 17,000 troops to Iraq (OK I was wrong stating 30K rather than 17K extra troops but was dead on in stating that he moved decisively early to add forces to Afghanistan after Bush let it languish).

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/washington/18web-troops.html

Al,

January 2009 was the deadliest January of the war, February 2009 was the deadliest February of the war, March 2009 was the deadliest March of the war. July 2009 was the deadliest Month of the entire war. This record was broken the next month of the war when August 2009 became the new deadliest month of the war. September 2009 became the third deadliest month of the war falling behind the previous two months. The record was broken again as October 2009 became the new deadliest month of the war. Fighting is somewhat seasonal in Afghanistan and casualties dropped of as fighting dropped off. Nevertheless, October 2009 became was the deadliest October of the war and December 2009 was the deadliest December of the war.

Yea, Obama ordered a few more troops when he first got in. Obama put in a new commander too and then didn't talk to him except once in the first 100 days while record losses were occurring. Obama dithered till December, almost a year before even coming up with a plan, all the while average monthly deaths were trending towards a loss rate almost 5 times the averaged loss rate under Bush. 2009 losses doubled the annual loss record under Bush while Obama dithered.

Waffling is too kind.

Murdered 106,000(that we know of) .............

In case you did'nt see it the 1st time:

America Murdered over 106,000 Iraqis!

Yea Rick, we saw it the first time. It's dispicable you insult your troops the first time. It's pathetic that you felt the need to repeat the insult.

But, But, But, Saddam murdered his own citizens

I couldn't agree with you more. I can't tell you how many times I've heard this stupid stupid argument. The other really good one is "Saddam was a dictator and a tyrant!"

What a joke! My response to both of these is always, "But almost every one of the leaders of Mideastern countries is a 'dictator' and a 'tyrant' who murders his own citizens! Shall we now invade all of the rest of the countries over there as well?!"

If Sadam had WMD, so what?! All of them have WMD! Everyone of them! If I ran a country I would get me some WMD too.

You sir, are a complete waste of skin. Our troops actually died so that Iraqis would be saved. You have no class and less brain.

Rick

It's a shame just a shame want we have done.....or I should say Bush Admin done.

rICK i WAS OVER THERE IN iRAQ.

Its despicable that you equate my brothers and sisters in arms with murderers.

Have you EVER been in a situation like we were in over there? Where everyday you woke up was truly a gift from God above? I tend to doubt that you have.

If you disagree with what was done over there thats one thing....but never blame the service members....they just do what they are ordered to do.

M. Fisher while I agree with what Washington said regarding international affairs in his Farewell Address (that we should worry about whats happening inside our own borders -- should be mandatory reading for EVERY American) we have positioned ourselves as the last true superpower left on earth.

That being said sometimes we have to do things like invade Iraq to remove radical dictators like Hussein.

Do I want us to invade Iran and take out their dictator? No. Do I think it needs to be done? Yes

So why Saddam but not Ahmadinejad? Whats the difference?

I guess I'm a murderer too!! Hey Rick, since you live in KY, go to either Fort Knox or Fort Campbell and say that to them. Better yet, when you see one in uniform call him/her a murderer. When you do that post what happened to you, I would love to hear it.

Come on Paul & Larry(TY for your service), i'm smart enough to know, that Yall did what you signedup for.

It does'nt take away the Fact that both of ya are Wrong!

Bush was Afraid to letcha both Fight to Defend America's Honor(you know that thingy Beck talked about this past saturday).

He sentcha off to Fight for his Daddy's Honor!

Plain & Simple!

Like I said, when it's built, go to his Library & look at the Prize(A PISTOL) & come back & tell me, losing 4400 of your buddies was worth It.

Your both already to Brainwashed with radical ConservatISM to even Comprehend the Destruction that come from the Iraq debacle.

Hay, Ackmandinsjaud says Thank you George Bush, IRAN Is NUCULUR !

Nashville,

Didn't Biden say the same thing? By the way thank you for saying we lost the war and in a half hour later you say we did an amazing job. Kind of an oxymoron don't you think? Didn't Reid say the same thing? hmmmmmm...........I'm seeing a pattern here. You don't rank up there with Rick from KY, but that's probably the second worse thing you can say to a servicemen, to tell them "you LOST".

This is personal to me, I have friends and some of my old team members, now team leaders are there. If you watch the news over the last few days, you would see we took some hits and I'll leave it at that!

Hate Bush, hate Obama, I really don't give 2 F****S, don't tell our guys and gal we lost and then in the same breathe say that we're amazing!!

Paul,

There is no dishonor in losing a war, especially when the objectives set may have been unattainable to begin with.

Saying we did not reach those initial objectives is not the same as saying we accomplished nothing at all . . . we did not succeed with what we attempted to do . . . that is basically the human condition . . . no shame in that.

Sorry for the loss of your friends.

Here's the bottom line Nashville, Soldier do what they're told. We don't have to like it, we just do it. There's many things I didn't like doing. No Soldier that I know wants to lose. There's a saying when I was in and I only retired 2 years ago, Death before Dishonor! And those objectives you say, yes you're correct it's call the ROE. Our boy's hands are tied because of ONE person, I'm sure you can figure it out.

I'm kind of upset about this whole topic as a whole. Bush did this, Obama won't do that, I really don't give a S**T about the politics of it. You have one poster talking about a body count and who's to blame for Christ sakes!!!

Here's the best thing you can say to our guys and gals: Thank You

I think everybody is/was effected by these Wars............just support them. Honestly, if it wasn't for my wife barking at me to retire and stay home, I would be with my men. I still keep in contact with them, even over in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Paul,

I understand where you are coming from and I apologize if my original comment came across as flip or insensitive.

And I do thank you . . . I have nothing to compare to what you have been through.

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Agreed Ron.

Our troops have done an amazing job, as always.

Roger that, Ron.

I'm glad that most of our troops in Iraq will be coming home. I hope that the governement doesn't do it's standard bullsh1t and say what wonderful heros these men and women are and then sweep them under the rug, deny them the necessary physical and mental medical attention that they need and deserve and then forget about them.

Gets my vote Professor. Good on 'em

My vote, too. The troops are coming home. I look forward to the day when they are all home. I look forward to President Obama's address this evening.

We will be coming home from Afghanistan beginning in 2011--regardless of how much the military pleads for more time. The military always wants more time and more troops but at some point, it is necessary to say enough.

I hope that before the US decides that pre-emptive war is the answer to a dictator, those in charge take a long, hard look at WHO paid the price for Bush's Iraq War--the families of the military which is less than half of one percent of the population. All Americans had a vested interest in Vietnam because of the draft--rarely was a family, neighbor, or close friend not affected by a loved one headed to war. Today, people put flags on their cars and little stickers showing support--then drive to the mall with casual indifference. The media provides a brief reminder periodically that thousands of Americans are in Iraq and Afghanistan but most nights there is no discussion on the MSM except when there is a bombing or a death.

and Issa (R), CA can't wait to start investigations, when and if the Repubs gain control. Since My President won't investigate...........Issa, have the guts to get to the bottom of this whole Iraq war, WMD thingy! Let the investigations begin!

Sobering numbers, Dennis. Everyone needs to know this.

chilled. Good point, Issa can't wait to investigate everything from all 3 of the New Black Panthers to Joe Sestak--why bother fixing the economy, solving the energy and climate problems, poverty, hunger, or ending the wars when the Country clearly wants the GOPers to spend all their time investigating democrats. He won't bother with Bush or he would have done that when the repubs were in power. Issa should be careful what he wishes, it could fall down around his and the GOPers heads.

Absolutely Jody, Iowa! What's the addage---...don't start no *$it, there won't be no *#it!.....and people who live in glass houses...........

Issa is one piece of work! Threats against the Democrats! Subpoena power!.......go ahead Issa, cast that net!

Oh, the Republicans blame Clinton for 9/11, but if you mention George W. Bush's policies having something to do with the recession and deficit, then you're "blaming Bush again." Hypocrites.

Jody

Couldn't agree with you more but to hear it from the Rethugs side he took way to long to decide.

If I had to make a decision like that with 30,000 lives, I've would've taken my time also to think it out before sending.

But I'm very grateful for the service men and women of this great country of ours!!!!