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FOX News Contributor Lt. Col. Bill Cowan argues that Iraq will have stronger relations with Syria and Iran after the U.S. leaves.
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-- -- There's -- Fox News Channel -- -- Retired Marine Corps officer spent three and a half years on come -- to combat -- -- in Vietnam.
On a bunch of stuff fees and I've saved.
There's joins us now from Washington DC please -- -- -- -- -- program.
-- -- -- countered -- current account.
Morning I'm in nice to be with you as always thanks sir scenario.
I'm doing fine thank him a little bit tired and still.
Operating another time zones is that just left Iraq the day before yesterday but first job I'm happy to be with you I always appreciate being invited on your show -- -- Strong -- Iraq.
It's a mess -- and -- are I've spent most of my time this five trips this year I've spent most of my time up in Kurdistan and the autonomous Kurd region in the northern part of Iraq.
Very stable up there economies prosperous -- can be oil wells B and tapped into -- a lot of commercial activity going on up there but down in Baghdad.
-- any area I'm and then there's the southern part of Iraq -- we really.
Put a lot of American blood and a lot of money time and effort into it's an absolute disaster.
Headed for a tragedy for most of those Iraqis is supported us.
Throughout the war and we're probably gonna end up with an Iraq that's a much more friendly to Iran.
And Syria than it is to to us here in the United States.
So on balance.
It's been admitted to crush a mosque and anywhere will be the first.
Question press star.
It is.
-- Iraq better off now than it was before one and there.
That that's a good question actually and then a lot of people have told me that they.
Although they didn't like Saddam the reality -- a lot of people as at least under Saddam things were fairly stable he was the brutal guy.
And they all know that we all know that put them the truth of the matter is the reality is these days.
With the kind of violent sectarian violence going on.
The Iranian influence going on I man there are selective assassinations going on every day they're not newsworthy the big bombings or newsworthy but every day.
There are people who supported us for pro America -- work alongside Americans being assassinated.
Individually on the streets.
Generally speaking when -- when the Iraqis stand back and look at the situation in their country it's much worse off than it was once Saddam was there.
Back when Laura Bush and Cheney and their -- -- -- not -- Or -- and about a billion.
Weapons of mass destruction or did you think there were learn.
I I didn't I man and I never understood I was I was of course I was on fox a lot talking about the war always try to be objective I I've personally.
With my knowledge experience and understanding of that region never for once supported us going to fight that war in Iraq and that and the truth is Afghanistan which we -- talk about here.
You know we said before lunch -- I've said with you on the show.
By the year 2002 we really had one in Afghanistan we had about 83% of the population totally pro American and -- and for happy future and then suddenly we up and pulled all of our forces out.
-- over to Iraq to fight a war we didn't understand the war the first few years depending on the White House the military.
They're all guilty Condoleezza Rice I blame -- as much as anybody all guilty.
Of how long it took to gonna get Iraq turned around to where we were gonna win.
And and frankly -- man every Iraqi I speak to over there and I do speak to a lot of very high level Iraqis they'll say the same thing at this point -- -- if we have all they say had we only left a small military presence.
Just the presence not to fight not to be engaged with the enemy but just -- The situation today.
Nine month straight months after -- pulled out would be much better than it did it's kinda like -- policeman on the corner of your city block he doesn't have to be in every.
Apartment you know chasing down bad guys he just needs to be there under that light at night time.
To make sure there's some stability and so we you know by up and leave in -- ever had we not left.
At least left some little presents things would be a little bit better but the fact of the matter is Iraq's southern Iraq.
Outside the Kurdish reason region is a disaster -- man and it's a tragedy it's a tragedy for the sacrifice.
Over 4500 American men and women.
Servicemen and women died over there all -- as taxpayers helped finance the war it's there's there's no happy ending to Iraq.
Talking Fox News.
Military.
Analyst.
And -- from the comparable town.
The memory incorporated after -- -- Well stricken and Afghanistan home.
Bring in our drama this morning.
Sickening videos for these.
American prisoners of dumplings and are gonna have dinner weather's allies -- target until bomb innocent -- to have to test every there and here we have.
-- -- lieutenant -- liked those Senator John McCain.
Or even a bit from liberal or don't agree -- -- melanoma suspect foreign.
And and and a ban on -- the president announced its rock Obama.
All I'm back -- -- all employment we wonder.
Armory and and episode -- generous.
And dishonest that -- -- -- this it's enormously frustrating.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- It's a bigger mess I'm man in of course I've told spoke with you a few times on the show about Afghanistan and despite what the Pentagon may say.
Despite what the military leadership and Afghanistan they -- -- the White House.
I don't I don't I think there's a lot of Smart people in this town who have been there that's the first thing spent time over there and understand that.
And and believe as I do believe that there is no good outcome for Afghanistan we period only what we -- to -- al-Qaeda out we get a good job at that.
And then the Bush Administration decided we'll look well we're here let's do some nation building let's make them look like us let's make sure they have democracy there's no way.
I'm -- if we spent another 200 years there that we're gonna change the mindset.
Of what's not too far removed in the main from a stone age culture I -- sure there -- some Smart people.
In the big cities in good businessmen and all that stuff but when you get out to where the country is controlled.
By the tribal elders in the members of the different ethnic groups you're not gonna change those people because they don't wanna change so you're trying to push something on them.
That they're not inclined to wanna to wanna want to and you know that the good look at history of the last few hundred years all the other people went and tried to do -- -- Nothing's changed so -- you know I I agreed by man for every American in fact every NATO casualty.
Over there because these -- -- needless sacrifices of young.
Men and women from all of our NATO allies in sterling from here in the US -- actually right when this when this group of I think it was Marines.
I have -- -- out on the news I think three young Marines -- To have dinner with a police chief and some of -- other people.
When they open up fire and kill leash these young men or women whatever you you just it's it's incredulous you can't comprehend how something like that can happen but I think.
That tells a story about where we are in Afghanistan.
-- applause and out on a program.
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