Iran and Iraq-problems-outlook-discussion

[Spock]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

Many times, the West simply lacks the determination to see a thing through. We aren't willing to take casualties, and thus we become easy prey to Islamic militants who are. This is the public in the West I'm talking about, specifically the populations of Israel, Britain and the US. I expect that kind of feeling pervades the whole of the West though.

Meanwhile, the Islamic militants don't care how many of them die. They're willing to accept very substantial losses. That makes them more dangerous than us.

Well said.

Personally I'm of a mind that neither place will be able to move on without humungus help. IMO in Afganistan, where we've been longer, the new attacks on Nato troops just show how porous the borders are that allow insurgents to go and come back. The Afgans cannot hold the line, it's just a fact of modern warfare vs guerilla war fare-although they did get rid of the Russians, this time it's a whole other ball game.

Iraq is too beset with sectartian rivalry and clan warfare, as it has been for centuries. Sadaaam or a ruthless dictator did/can hold it together but only by brutal means. Their culture just isn't familiar with nor interested in adopting a democratic society-voting is nice but there's much more needed to make the change and it's not getting done.