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‘If I Had to Do It Over Again’-Condi Rice admits the U.S. should have understood Iraq better.
newsweek.com ^ | Nov 8, 2007 | Michael Hirsh

Posted on 11/08/2007 6:51:57 PM PST by RDTF

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To: Rembrandt
Would Bawney Fwank have done what Bawney does?

Do elderly fags lurk in the handicapped toilet?

21 posted on 11/09/2007 12:00:45 AM PST by Octar
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To: Catholic Canadian

No religion is of peace, but Bush wouldn’t understand that.


22 posted on 11/09/2007 3:51:56 AM PST by Solitar ("My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them." -- Barry Goldwater)
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: RDTF

Condi is feeding the fish here. Wish she would spend more time with John Bolton.


24 posted on 11/09/2007 5:48:24 AM PST by cricket
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To: RDTF
As Gen. Franks said: There are probably a lot of things that would be done differently, but we have no guarantee things would turn out better.

So much wasted time on whether to call something an "insurgency" or "civil war".

IMHO, the largest mistake was underestimating how utterly destroyed the People of Iraq were by Saddam. You can't take people who have lived such a nightmare, give them freedom, point them at democratic government, and expect it to work itself out. Democracy can flourish but it requires basic Rule of Law and Human Rights to be in place first. The occupation of Japan after WWII is a good example of such a conversion.

You can't take people who have had to lie and steal for thirty years just to feed their families and expect them become law-abiding citizens overnight. They have to see some benefit of being good citizens and significant detriment to committing crimes. Also, the torture and murder inflicted by the Sunni government on the Shia and Kurd population would not, could not be simply forgiven.

Now, could the President have convinced the American People that Saddam had to go if we knew it included a prolonged occupation as part of the package?

25 posted on 11/09/2007 6:00:46 AM PST by Dilbert56 (Harry Reid, D-Nev.: "We're going to pick up Senate seats as a result of this war.")
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To: RDTF

No, you didn’t. My mistake.


26 posted on 11/09/2007 6:03:35 AM PST by gracesdad
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To: RDTF
I think Condi responded rather gracefully considering how the lying liberal left and some other world government conspirators were all about US loosing in Iraq. She could have said that the majority of the world tried to keep Saddam in power because they already had oil contracts. When Saddam had to hide himself in that snake-pit these global oil men encouraged the ensuing bloodbath.
27 posted on 11/09/2007 6:08:28 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: liberallarry
Leading a country is just as difficult and the party out of power is always too quick to criticize.

That is true. I was merely pointing out the hypocrisy of the Dems.

28 posted on 11/09/2007 10:43:07 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: RDTF

There was only one key mistake made, and it occured between the end of the 2004 election cycle, and the day after the 2006 election cycle.

The Administration played ‘not to lose’ in Iraq during that time frame, instead of playing ‘to win’.

The success of the ‘surge’ demonstrates this conclusively in my opinion.

When dealing with religion based fanatics determined to die and take you with them, there are only two viable options.

1. Kill them.

2. Surrender

We tried a ‘third way’ for the 2 years between November 04 and November 06. The results were predictable.

As are the results we are seeing today, because to be blunt they are based on #1.


29 posted on 11/09/2007 10:47:26 AM PST by Badeye (Ron Paul joined 88 Democrats.....)
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To: Eyes Unclouded
Quiet you! This whole thing will pay for itself I tells ya!

LOL!

30 posted on 11/09/2007 5:09:28 PM PST by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: cricket
Condi is feeding the fish here. Wish she would spend more time with John Bolton.

She did spend a lot of time with John Bolton. She was the one to suggest him for UN Ambassador post, was his superior when he was UN Ambassador, and was supporting his nomination for permanent position until it was obvious that that was no longer feasible (due to, first to Sen. Voinovich and later, 2006 elections).

As a private citizen now, John Bolton can says things that he couldn't and wouldn't say were he still in the employ of State Dept, even if he were Secretary of State today. Different jobs, different obligations, different standards, different approach... same goals.

31 posted on 11/09/2007 6:11:53 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: Dilbert56
IMHO, the largest mistake was underestimating how utterly destroyed the People of Iraq were by Saddam.

Agree with all of your post but, IMHO, the word "mistake" is a bit strong here - these things just have to take time, in some circumstances longer than others. Took us long enough to "recover" (if one can say that) or at least get used to post-9/11 world, because it was entirely different than "September 10" world that [unfortunately] far too many people still think we are in.

I think that is the point that Rumsfeld was trying to hammer time and again in his pressers, very effectively, in my opinion, if anyone cared to listen and understand.

32 posted on 11/09/2007 6:26:26 PM PST by CutePuppy (If you don't ask the right questions you may not get the right answers)
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To: CutePuppy

> . . .the MO here is crucial. . .still; despite Condi’s familiarity with Bolton’s MO; even by agreement; do not see them singing, from the same page. At least by methodology on how to accomplish it...


33 posted on 11/10/2007 6:52:06 PM PST by cricket
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