We're going to destroy Hussein, ostensibly because he might kill hundreds of thousands of people...yet we don't even raise an eyebrow when that happens in actual fact somewhere else.
And many here still maintain there is nothing wrong with US foreign policy?
Here's the difference:
Kosovo is in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe has had civilized rule in the past. High Culture. Literature, Music, Art. It's had good times and bad times. If Kosovo could be straightened out, it might possibly turn into a happy place.
Iraq has been home to great civilizations. Although the Middle East is often violent and backward, it is not always so. There have been great societies there. Literature and Art and Peace and Philosophy. If Iraq could be straightened out, it might possibly turn into a happy place.
African countries have never had a truly great civilization. No real art. No real literature. The great age for Africa was the age of Colonialism. Left to their own devices, the Africans cannot build a stable society. There is no hope that they will be straightened out. There is no hope that they will become happy places.
Now, let me tell you what I really think ...
You can bet that if Zimbabwe had a vast oil supply, Bush, et.al. would be beating the war drums for action against Mugabe and his terrorists.
talk to The Hand, le-roy.
Just part of the perils of being the World's Pragmatic Policeman.
CHARLIE ROSE: What are the implications for the future in terms of those who say, ``If you go to Kosovo with your bombs, then you have to be prepared for every other moral issue to take a position and be willing to use and employ your treasure and your men and women in the armed forces''?
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: That's a very troublesome question. And it's a very good question, and one to which there is no easy answer. But there is, nonetheless, an answer. Just because we cannot stop a crime everywhere we should not fail to stop a crime where we can stop it. The fact is we are in Europe. We have an alliance in Europe, therefore we can do something about what is happening in Kosovo. We can't go into Tibet without starting a massive, huge war with China. We are not present in other parts of the world with our forces and with allies and so forth. And then, last but not least, even a self-serving argument. What happens in Europe impacts on us much more. so, in that sense, yes, we cannot do it across the board. We cannot have a moral imperative on a universal scale. But it doesn't excuse us from the obligation of doing it where we can do it.
CHARLIE ROSE: So, we say to the Tibetans, ``You know, we can't do it because we don't want to get into a big deal with China, a fight with China.''
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: That's right.
CHARLIE ROSE: ``They're too big and strong.''
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: That's right.
CHARLIE ROSE: We said with Chechnya, ``We can't do it because morality plays no issue here because, you know, we don't want to get into a big conflict with the Russians.''
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: That's right. That is unfortunately--
CHARLIE ROSE: And we say to the Africans, ``We don't have a big stake here. It's Africa. It's not Europe, and so -- therefore -- we can't get involved.''
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: And we can support the African states doing-- You're absolutely right, Charlie. That's exactly the reality.
"Events in Kosovo" BRZEZINSKI SCOWCROFT LAVROV Interviews of 3/25/99
I don't know, maybe its because Sadaam's potential victims could be US citizens (you know - you, me, your mother/wife/daughter). Therefore, the US is going to act pre-emptively.