Posted on 08/04/2002 4:58:16 PM PDT by Pokey78
AMERICA’S National Security Adviser during the Gulf War warned President Bush yesterday that invading Iraq would cause an “explosion” in the Middle East and consign the United States to defeat in its War on Terror. Brent Scowcroft, who remains close to the Bush family, urged the President to concentrate on trying to broker peace between the Israelis and Palestinians while separately pursuing terrorist threats to the United States. But he said that by going to war with Iraq without linking President Saddam Hussein and September 11, Washington was risking a conflagration in the Middle East that would also engulf its efforts to defeat global terror groups. His warning came as a former British Chief of Defence Staff said that Britain risked being dragged into a “very, very messy” and lengthy war if it supported a US military assault on Iraq. Field Marshal Lord Bramall called on Tony Blair to exercise caution, saying that an invasion to topple Saddam may not be morally or legally justified. “You don’t have licence to attack someone else’s country just because you don’t like the leadership,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World This Weekend. “We are supposed to be taking a lead on the moral issues of the world.” Mr Scowcroft, chairman of the President’s foreign intelligence advisory board, said: “It’s a matter of setting your priorities. There’s no question that Saddam is a problem. He has already launched two wars and spent all the resources he can working on his military. But the President has announced that terrorism is our number one focus. Saddam is a problem, but he’s not a problem because of terrorism.” Mr Scowcroft added that he had no doubt a US military campaign could dislodge Saddam. But he added: “I think we could have an explosion in the Middle East. It could turn the whole region into a cauldron and destroy the War on Terror.” Mr Scowcroft pointed to the “almost consensus” around the world against the United States going to war with Iraq. British officials have since September 11 repeatedly warned the US not to use the War on Terror as an excuse to attack Saddam. Joseph Biden, Democrat chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is hearing expert evidence on Iraq, said yesterday: “I believe there probably will be a war with Iraq. The only question is, is it alone, is it with others and how long and how costly will it be?’ "
Oh yes you do, if they are trying to kill you. Here's a moral for you Bramall; don't attack other countries and not expect a fatal response in return, including surrogates like terrorists doing your bidding.
If we wait until we finish brokering a peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, we'll be waiting forever. That's a never-ending game, with out pocketbooks turned inside out to play it and everybody knows it. It's a classic "stall".
Scr^w 'em! This guy is either a threat or he isn't. If he is, we need to go to war and soon. Let's go and get it over with. If he isn't a threat, we need to take all our marbles and come home. Either way, let the rest of the world's handwringers stay on the sidelines and do what they do best; bitch and ask for more American handouts!
There's nothing wrong with pressuring the president. God knows everyone else does. As for friendship, I don't see that expressing a dissenting view on a public policy issue is an act of personal betrayal. I'm sure General Scowcroft has never claimed that Bush was disloyal to him for having taken a contrary position on Iraq. It seems to me that General Scowcroft is a good loyal American. I for one appreciate his sharing his views with the people of America. If we're going to war with Iraq, the last thing we need to be doing now is suppressing contrary views.
If there's solid intelligence, it should not be hard to convince the British about it. I think it's well worth it to at least get them on board. The rest of Europe is out to lunch, but Britain has been and should be a true ally.
What he overlooks is that such a wider war is the outcome desired by non-uniformed Defense War Deparment staff. Scowcroft is a General so what does he know about war even pundits know how to solve everything in a few weeks from their home desk.. (/sarcasm)
Wouldn't want to step on any toes.
Surely we can top Carthage in the history books.
What does any of this have to do with Iraq or Saddam?
Yet when faced with a wretched evil man with a history of violence, who mercilessly slaughters his own people for sport, who finances and exports terrorism, and is threatening to miniaturize weapons of mass destruction... they are acting and sound like morally irrelevant chickensh!t panzies.
The European left are the new white trash of the world. They say “We are supposed to be taking a lead on the moral issues of the world” but in fact are revealing themselves as egocentric, amoral cowards.
as many as it takes to go to hell in a hand cart.
But of course, it's OK for Saddam to gas his own people, and threaten to gas or nuke everyone else, right?
Yes you do! That's what the terrorists did to us on 9/11.
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