Posted on 11/26/2004 9:29:52 AM PST by quidnunc
Why are we in Iraq? It is not, as some ranters claim, because George Bush is stupid and bloodthirsty and John Howard a spineless crawler. Nor is it because the US has regressed to Wilsonian imperialism.
For those seriously interested in the question I recommend a seriously interesting new book, America's Secret War by George Friedman. Friedman is founder of Stratfor, a private, subscription-financed global intelligence service, which I find consistently well-informed. Friedman writes of the struggle in Iraq in relentlessly Realpolitik terms.
-snip-
From this fortress headquarters, Friedman writes, al-Qa'ida ("the Base" in English) pressed its grand design for an Islamist world federation, a new Caliphate, which would ultimately match, if not dominate, other superpowers. Global terrorism would be the means. Al-Qa'ida's opening moves — attacks on American embassies and other establishments abroad — were aimed, in Friedman's opinion, less at damaging the US than provoking it to a reckless assault on Islam.
-snip-
The invasion and speedy subjugation of Afghanistan staggered the jihadists. But the US, having succeeded only in dispersing al-Qa'ida and the Taliban, rather than eliminating them, believed it needed to strike another heavy blow.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
They harbored and funded terrorists...all I need to know.
Since the commie side said all along that GeeDubya wasnt
Elected, he was SEElected, then I guess he can run again in
'08.
Bump.
One of the least mentioned benefits is that the "Palestinians" have virtually ceased "suicide-bombers".
read later.
I've never thought WMD's were the reason either, although, IMO, the idea of Saddam or any other radical Islamic possessing them is unthinkable.
I said from the beginning that the primary usefulness of the Iraq campaign came mainly from the fact that Iran and Syria are now thoroughly flanked.
Add to that the fact that we now have an experienced, blooded army? Well, it doesn't take a brilliant mind to see the consequences...
I use to think during war, there are no presidential elections. Am I dreaming or did it use to be that way.
I would only add that Saddam was rapidly advancing to the point where he could have made the Iraqi military very, very dangerous in a short amount of time through purchases with oil revenues, because the sanctions, leaky already, were falling apart...
ROFLMAO!
Wolfowitz himself said the whole WMD crap was just a sham for you sheeple!
Whoa!
Folks like you are just as whacked out as the old FDR voters.
And that ain't the only parallel by far!
I keep trying to explain this to people. Some never seem to get it.
Neither of your reasons is adequate. Study the neo-con philosophy, it darn near mandates a US altered Iraq as the first step in creating a new ME and hence global paradigm.
Nice analysis, only Germans didn't have those nasty habits of strapping bombs on themselves and sawing off the heads of noncombatants.
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So did/does Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Indonesia, China, etc....
I keep trying to explain this to people. Some never seem to get it.
Yeah boy, I'll bet you are having some problems selling this nonsense.
1)How many regimes had "fallen to al-Qa'ida" before the preemptive invasion?
2)[There has been] complete failure of al-Qa'ida to generate the political response they were seeking ... UNLESS you count the massive infusion of "insurgents" into IRAQ.
3)"The war goes on." No argument there, but 1 out of 3 is really only good in baseball stats.
No, but they certainly did have a few of their own nasty habits such as mass executions in front of burial pits, concentration camps, and gas chambers.
I guess you liked Clinton's method better. Hide your head and pretend it isn't happening.
Hmm, expatpat wrote this in response to my post.
"Don't say that! The DUngeon folks will split a gut."
Hope your gut is still in tact.
Dreaming.
SORRY IRENE, I WAS REFERRING TO AFTER THE WAR. WE CAN'T USE BIG CRAYONS HERE, BUT I'LL TRY CAPS AND MAYBE WE CAN COMMUNICATE.
OUR PRES DECLARED VICTORY A WHILE BACK ON THE BIG AIRCRAFT CARRIER, REMEMBER.
SORRY YOU WERE CONFUSED.
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