Bill,
Good places to start and discuss on your strategy and COA's. Like the ideas for our withdrawal as the job continues to be wrapped up, especially with the public statements that need to be made while simultaneously withdrawing as situations dictate.

I am thankful for the support we do get from home and any cheerleading that comes with it. But no one else has had to bear the brunt of this war beyond the military and our families. No disagreement from me on those points.

You said we were pissing off the Iraqi's in populated areas, which I know we are in some cases. Sometimes they love us being there when we provide the security and stability, but when we don't we can be complicating.
I sometimes hear others take that a step further and say that "our presence is fueling the insurgency" which I have trouble getting my head around.

When they attack us directly, I can see that point. When they attack the ISF because they simply are an extension of our presence or our policy, I can even see their thought process and how they might justify that to themselves. But on days like yesterday when so many civilians are targeted, how could that be our presence fueling the insurgency? Any thoughts from anyone on this? What angle or perspective am I missing?
Personally I don't agree with that line of thinking and feel it's for personal reasons as we discussed in the "Insurgents on Drugs" thread and for an endstate of destabilization to establish a safe haven i.e. Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Opened up for beating and/or enlightenment from all.....