SMBC Comics Forum

Sahan wrote:Anyone who knew anything about the world outside the US knew it was a mistake, so you're not saying much.

I don't know if I would say mistake, persay. I mean, I wasn't convinced about WMDs, and I wasn't sure it would be worth the risks to the American people, but that doesn't mean that it was a mistake to liberate the Iraqis from Mr. Hussein. Granted it was done poorly, too. Mostly because it was done in a rather heavy-handed American way.

it isn't so much that the liberation went poorly it is that there were no plans for the occupation afterward until it had already started. the administration just assumed that everyone would get along and work together to rebuild. When you look at US occupations that went well, there was always a lot more planning involved. Roosevelt had people working on how to operate the occupation of Germany before we even entered WWII. Preparation is key and we've failed on that front in most of our more recent military operations.

A plan for AFTER we "liberated" Iraq? Brilliant! You've proven you're more qualified than the actual American strategists.

ruotwocone wrote:it isn't so much that the liberation went poorly it is that there were no plans for the occupation afterward until it had already started. the administration just assumed that everyone would get along and work together to rebuild. When you look at US occupations that went well, there was always a lot more planning involved. Roosevelt had people working on how to operate the occupation of Germany before we even entered WWII. Preparation is key and we've failed on that front in most of our more recent military operations.

Absolutely. Germany was easier to do, though, because there was a closer similarity in culture. The problem with going in and enforcing democracy is that you are assuming that they want democracy. Or rather, they want Western democracy. Sure it sounds good, but when there is religious zealotry (I recognize that you might say Germany was such, but at least there was culture similarity, which took one thing out of the equation), people don't tend to think the voice of the people is the right voice to be dictating law. Leave it to the religious leaders. Which is a major part of the problem. Another is that you can't expect democracy to work perfectly right off. As you said, it takes preparation and work. And the people need to get comfortable with it, and support it, or else it falls apart.

The first time, or second time? Because the first time, germany was forced to wear a maid outfit and was forced into a system of perpetual poverty for a while, which enabled someone like hitler to come to power.

So one, just because you bomb the crap outta people doesn't mean you've won. A hug might make a person think you're a swell guy, bombing their parents won't. And two, bad foreign policy causes further bad foreign policy.

Having completely forgotten that he returned, your_face proceeds to re-return.

BACK TO THE VERY RECENT PAST (all past is recent if you look at it from the POV of a rock or god or something)
Hitler did nothing in the years of 1942-1945, he just sat in his underground bunker waiting for his butler to bring him his Yakult and bowl of Cheerios. One day his butler accidentally replaced the Yakult with Danone and Hitler died. The End.

Hey! Look's like your_face needs a Title! Who's turn is it, again?

I vote for a title along the lines of, 'doesn't show around here that often'.

Edminster wrote:Hey! Look's like your_face needs a Title! Who's turn is it, again?

I think I did Astasia last. So I think it's your turn.

Didn't Astasia get titled before CCT, though? If so, that makes it your turn, unless you don't want to count that whole debacle.

I think we should count it which makes it Mage's turn.

I suggest eminem. As we can guess who's back.

Cirtur wrote:I think we should count it which makes it Mage's turn.

I suggest eminem. As we can guess who's back.

Not just back, but back again.

I don't like rap, and I especially don't like Eminem.

your_face's title has officially been assigned!

"Not to be taken at face value" sounds much more awesome, if you want my opinion.

I can't underscore that fact enough.