Part of Bush’s reasons for taking out Saddam was to knock out one of the three Nuclear Tripod legs of Iraq, Iran and Syria (all of which had active nuclear weapons programs underway or planned, Syria being the Johnny Come Lately to that triumvirate).
Not adequately planning for a realistic post-war Iraq is a valid criticism.
(all of which had active nuclear weapons programs underway or planned
BS. Bush and Cheney both admit now there were no WMDs in Iraq. And invading countries - at the cost of trillions of dollars - because of hypothetical “plans” in the future is INSANITY. Notice Reagan didn’t invade any countries (except a two-day rescue operation in tiny Grenada). Reagan defeated communism without invading countries. Bush the FOOL invaded the middle east, and set it on fire, sending jihadis running wild in every direction. Anybody who still defends his disastrous decision must have been asleep for the last 15 years.
There isn’t a Republican candidate in the country who would ask George Bush to campaign with him. Bush was not welcome at the 2008, 2012 or 2016 Republican conventions, because even the GOP bigwigs know the American people consider his presidency a disaster. He deserves it, for sending 4,100 Americans to die in Iraq and 500000 Iraqis, and destroying that country, which is still in chaos. He was warned that taking out Saddam would let the jihadis run wild. But he was too stupid to listen to anybody but the neocon warmongers. Obama listened to them, too, when he destroyed Libya.