Why the US has to win in Iraq

[The Lady Kate]

Alarum,
I didn't say anything about staying the course. I think we need to stay till we win. Unfortunately we will probably lose for the same reason we lost in Vietnam.
Houseape pointed out the rules of engagement and how we couldn't win in Vietnam with the rules we had.

So far I agree...

I believe that we can win in Iraq-- just like we could have easily won in Vietnam-- but the current rules of engagement have to go, and so does the media that is treacherous in its behavior towards this war.

Now we're discussing throwing the rules out the window... why is that? This could be justified if we were fighting a war for our very survival, for our existence, but what does it mean when we claim to be fighting for freedom and democracy (other peoples... ours is in no danger) while at the same time implying that these concepts don't work?

Saddam Hussein, despite his barbarism and cruelty... or perhaps because of his barbarism and cruelty... held Iraq together while facing all the same problems the US now faces there. We could stabilize Iraq by imitating him... but then what was the point?