[soothsayer99]

I'm glad you mentioned Somalia. I happen to believe that that action turned into a disaster because Clinton didn't want to put in enough force because of fear of Republican backlash.

It goes both ways, though. I think Bush Sr. didn't take Saddam out the first time because of fear of Democratic backlash.

So there you go ... two examples of cases where fear of the other party "forced" us to make bad decisions for the nation.

[IncPen]

So there you go ... two examples of cases where fear of the other party "forced" us to make bad decisions for the nation.

Your point is well taken.

It also makes Bush's recent foray into Iraq all the more remarkable.

[normy]

I think Somalia was way to early in his presidency to earn a Republican backlash. Not only that but Somalia occured because the White House wouldn't allow the General in charge the weapons needed to protect the forces on the ground. They feared it would be too high profile.

After the events in Somalia the Republicans would have loved to see vengance exacted on the perps but instead Clinton ran like a coward and embarassed our troops and our country. Clinton isn't reviled for the Black Hawk Down, he is revile for the cowardly way he reacted to it.

[SolutionsOnly]

Clinton cut and ran from Somolia like a coward. It only served to embolden terrorists by making us look weak - which I suppose we were with that sort of 'leadership'.

[Bob]

I think Bush Sr. didn't take Saddam out the first time because of fear of Democratic backlash.

Baloney. It had everything to do with the fact that the UN resolutions on the Iraq-Kuwait situation didn't authorize it. Doing anything more than liberating Kuwait from Iraqi occupation and establishing sanctions on Iraq would have been an international relations disaster.

Taking out Saddam was not an option. Had GHWB tried, the whole world would have gone nuts over his exceeding his UN authority.

[Fawnn]

I think Bush Sr. didn't take Saddam out the first time because of fear of Democratic backlash.

That was not Bush Sr.'s decision alone. Saddad wasn't taken out because the first Gulf War was one fought by committee. It's my understanding that the huge UN coalition, but primarily Saudi Arabia, objected to going after Saddam. The coalition's objective was to get him out of Kuwait, period.

[RinaseaofDs]

Sorry, but in both cases you have examples of poor leadership. Bush, Sr. and Clinton.

Kennedy had his faults, but Profiles in Courage is a classic. It ought to be dusted off and read again by R's of all stripes.

[Paulus Invictus]

But didn't the UN say that all the coalition was authorized to do was get Saddam out of Kuwait? They were not "authorized" to bring about the end of Saddam. The media also helped stop the drive into Iraq with the publication of the Highway of Death photos.

[Cvengr]

You are clueless on politics if you believe the Democratic Party had squat to do with Bush Sr's policies in Iraq the first time over. Don't confuse national politics with international policy and security.