Posted on 06/13/2014 6:44:03 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
The end of the Iraq war in 2011 was a high point of President Obama's first term, marking the completion of one of his most important campaign promises. But as Islamic militants capture cities and towns throughout Iraq and march toward the capital, Baghdad, the president once again faces the criticism that his foreign policy has failed.
The violence has swept Iraq just two and a half years after the last U.S. troops departed following a nearly nine-year war. The gains made during the war have been wiped out with the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The group's advance raises questions that will likely dog the president during the remainder of his time in office, from whether U.S. forces should have stayed behind, to how he might have tried to alter the course of events in recent years, to whether a similar policy in Afghanistan is doomed for failure.
Experts almost entirely agree that Mr. Obama could have done things differently, but differ on the question of how much blame he bears for the situation, when he might have changed course, and even whether it would have substantially changed the situation.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
As it turns out, a war only ends when BOTH sides decide it has ended.
Yes. It was all “Cheney, Rumsfeld * Co.” - and Bush, of course. All of it. Everyone else knew Iraq did not have WMDs and was not working on nuclear weapons- EVERYONE - and they were quite vocal about it, too:
“The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow.” — Bill Clinton in 1998
“Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.” — Al Gore, 2002
“I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to use force – if necessary – to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.” — John F. Kerry, Oct 2002
“Every day Saddam remains in power with chemical weapons, biological weapons, and the development of nuclear weapons is a day of danger for the United States.” — Joe Lieberman, August, 2002
“Whereas Iraq has consistently breached its cease-fire agreement between Iraq and the United States, entered into on March 3, 1991, by failing to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction program, and refusing to permit monitoring and verification by United Nations inspections; Whereas Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological capabilities, and has made positive progress toward developing nuclear weapons capabilities” — From a joint resolution submitted by Tom Harkin and Arlen Specter on July 18, 2002
PS - There’s more where those came from...
Not at all, since I never believed him. A lot of other people were stampeded easily enough.
No question it was “bipartisan”, as politics at the highest level so often is. A gang of crooks and sellouts.
Bob, you're always very prescient, and it looks like you have a winner again.
From Reuters today, "Iran is so alarmed by insurgent gains in Iraq that it may be willing to cooperate with America in helping Baghdad fight back."
A scarey and treacherous ally indeed.
BoBo, the Dog-Faced Boy could very well fall for Iran's "will-you-walk-into-my-parlor-said-the-spider-to-the-fly" moment. The vacuum IS going to be filled, and it looks like it won't be the U.S. filling it....thanks to the brilliant strategist in the White House. Iran won't let this perfectly good crisis go to waste, that's for sure.
Good post.
Leni
OF COURSE the Iraq collapse is the Kenyan’s fault! Don’t be silly!
Personally I blame Global Warming and a movie that mocks Islam.
But that’s just me.
“We should have permanent bases in Iraq. We are still in Germany.”
I agree. And “we”, ie, a POTUS that has the interests of America at heart, would have done this.
Why should he feel shame? It’s not his fault. He hasn’t made a decision since he was elected. He is told what to do. Right now he’s being told to go play golf and keep his mouth shut.
Basically, this.
It is almost as if they are going out of their way to sabotage the Iraqi government. Oh wait, they are.
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