I was against both wars before they started. I thought we did have to go to Afghanistan, but we should have bombed the crap out of the Taliban / Al Qaeda and left. Iraq to me was unwinnable from the start. The problem has to do with how the British and French drew the maps after WWI. Iraq and Syria are really 4 countries (Sunni, Shiite, Kurd, Christian). Neo-cons in my opinion think everybody wants to wear jeans and eat McDonalds, that people in the Middle East want to be Americans. It was a pipe dream. My biggest reason for being against the war though is I knew that the left would politicize it and eventually the military would be facing another quagmire. That didn’t take to long. Don’t beat yourself up over the neo-cons, I think their influence is coming to an end...
One of life's lessons is to examine ones own weakness... There was a time when willie Kristol sounded very wise, to my mind. But during the W presidency he showed his primary colors.. A trouble making punk.. W listened to these war mongers and allowed them to dictate the parameters of war. Saddam had to go, because of him using the 'rotten food for oil' UN program he was funding those homicide bombers that kept plaguing Israel. Course now it was Putin that was up to his eyeballs in assisting the pit dwelling Saddam in the corrupt 'rotten food for oil' UN program.