"And as for the future plans for Iraq or its government: I don't really care - nor do I think it should be any of our business. Whatever happened to the Bush who said nation building wasn't going to be something he'd ever attempt?
My goals are strictly punitive and meant at most to set an example. How, (or if) our enemies ever pick up the pieces is their problem - not ours."
Good question. When GWB was running the first time, he did make comments to the effect he was not planning on nation building. I think we should try to be fair and very carefully examine the whole record/history of events 9/11 and post 9/11. The GWOT came pretty much in focus, though we obviously can list dozens of terrorist attacks both, ground,sea,air, prior to 9/11, that where against civilians in general, US interests, US military, etc..
How can we place in a few sentences an anwwer that requires carefully prepared reams of data/dialog to be displayed to approach what you brougth out as to how now we all should view what he said some six years back.
As for the "nuke solutions", many of us propose, I have gotten to the point, where it seems futile to address the ramifications involved in such a military action. I just seems like many of us speak on the fly, or often a very justified anger, and the nuclear option comes out because out of frustration, folks don't know what else to say, etc..
Surely we must respect all freepers opinions. So I'll leave it go at that.