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Iraq could cost US its leadership: Brzezinski
The Bahrain Tribune ^ | February 21, 2003 | News Column

Posted on 02/21/2003 1:41:53 PM PST by Lando Lincoln

Iraq could cost US its leadership: Brzezinski

WASHINGTON: The United States should give UN inspectors more time, link Iraqi disarmament to the Israeli Palestinian conflict and avoid engaging its allies in tit-for-tat polemics, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote yesterday in The Washington Post. To avoid risking its global leadership the United States should avoid “demeaning and destructive” polemics with its important allies,” wrote Brzezinski, who served in the Carter administration in the 1970’s. How and when to apply force to Iraq, he wrote, “should be part of a larger strategy, sensitive to the risk that the termination of Saddam Hussein’s regime may be purchased at too high a cost to America’s global leadership.” In his op-ed piece, Brzezinski blamed the behavior of US President George W. Bush’s administration for the widespread international opposition to its policy on Iraq. Washington’s initial eagerness to wage war on Iraq on its own, he said, generated suspicion that its subsequent decision to seek UN approval for the use of force “was essentially a charade.” Washington’s definition of its war on terrorism, he added, is seen by many abroad as “excessively theological (‘evildoers who hate freedom’) and unrelated to any political context.” Brzezinski cited the Bush administration’s “reluctance to see a connection between Middle Eastern terrorists and the political problems of the Middle East;” its “unsubstantiated efforts to connect Iraq with Al Qaeda;” and its “evident, if unstated, endorsement ... of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s notions of how to deal with both the Palestinians and the region as a whole.” He also said that the US “preoccupation with Iraq – which does not pose an imminent threat to global security – obscures the need to deal with the more serious and genuinely imminent threat posed by North Korea.” Washington should also “acknowledge that the quest for peace in the Middle East requires both the disarmament of Iraq and the active renewal of the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians.” The United States and its veto-wielding allies on the UN Security Council, Brzezinski said, should “impose on Iraq a bill of particulars, defined as specifically and realistically as possible, perhaps also with staged deadlines (i.e., ultimatums), so that at each major stage it would be easier to reach consensus regarding Security Council certification of Iraqi compliance or defiance.” – AFP


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: brezinski; carter; iraq; warlist; x39; zbigniew
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To: Lando Lincoln
Hey Ziggy, go buy a vowel.
21 posted on 02/21/2003 2:48:03 PM PST by philo
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To: Tequila Mockingbird
There are various reasons to oppose the Iraq war. But the disapproval of Clinton and Carter is not one of them. The disapproval of the United Nations is another. Going to the United Nations was and is one of Bush's biggest mistakes.

Another mistake was giving Saddam two years warning that the United States was coming after him. Saddam has had two years to prepare his defenses which is not good. This is going to cost plenty of American lives. Broadcasting your intentions is one thing that smart military men avoid.

There has been way too much talk for too long a time with no action. We should be in Iraq a month ago. Part of the problem was Bush having to drag the public along but bluster and repeated threats do not help the boys that have to go in.

I am very skeptical that NK and China will not take advantage of the situation to attack South Korea and Tiawan. I do not have the faith that Red China is our friend or ally in the war on terrorism. Aid and diplomacy makes us look weak in Asia.

North Korea has repeatedly told us that they will attack if we don't give them aid. Blackmail is not a tool of foreign policy, it is encouragement to take a harder line to see if more blackmail can foster more aid.

22 posted on 02/21/2003 2:59:57 PM PST by meenie
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To: AdamSelene235
Truly astonishing - the Carter and Clinton administrations did more harm than we will ever fully understand. Generations of Americans will pay for their lack of understanding and competence - in blood and treasure.
23 posted on 02/21/2003 3:03:59 PM PST by Lando Lincoln (God Bless the arsenal of liberty.)
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To: meenie
Carter chose him as NSA ...that's all you need to know. His assertion that the Iraqi situation be LINKED to the Israeli-Pali problem is a non-starter that any person in a community college foreign policy class would recognize.
24 posted on 02/21/2003 3:05:38 PM PST by rbmillerjr
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To: Lando Lincoln
It can go either way. Personally, I think that a successful intervention in Iraq will enhance, not hurt, whatever amorphous quality Zbiggie has in mind when he says "leadership." One thing that definitely will NOT enhance leadership is to hang back, hesitate, dither, and wait for unanimous approval from those who would not lead themselves but are happy to criticize.
25 posted on 02/21/2003 3:24:48 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Mr. Mojo
Has Brzezinski ever been on the right side of any issue?

For openers Jimmy Carter and  Brzezinski despise Israel...... and Brzezinski was Carter's national security adviser
26 posted on 02/21/2003 3:28:20 PM PST by dennisw ( http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/weblog.php)
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To: Tequila Mockingbird
Yes, indeed. This from the man who arguably created Taliban/Qaeda Afghanistan, a man who should have slipped quietly away after 9/11. The gall is simply incredible. Shame, shame, shame.
27 posted on 02/21/2003 11:43:56 PM PST by kevinmc
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To: meenie
"Going to the United Nations was and is one of Bush's biggest mistakes"

The book is only half written and you are judging the last chapter when you don't know what it is yet?

28 posted on 02/22/2003 12:06:07 AM PST by america-rules
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To: america-rules
Not to pile on, but I don't see any upside of this UN pandering. I think it was Bush taking Powell's advice and it blew up on them. The stalling for time to prepare the military explanation doesn't fly, because Bush could have simply not talked tough about Iraq every day for a year and let things simmer until he thought things were ready. Instead, he made this THE issue, but instead of dominating it, he gave the UN the hammer to beat the US with. He gave time for Saddam and the left to mount their respective defenses. If he listened to the "hawks", we'd be done w/Iraq and on to other issues, foreign and domestic. Instead, this has becomea worldwide dog-and-pony show, where everybody gets their two cents in and nothing is done. Powell for the second time in 12 years gave a President Bush bad advice that was listened to, and the UN was given final say over our sovereignty. There are far too many contradictions in this messy affair.
29 posted on 02/22/2003 12:14:40 AM PST by over3Owithabrain
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To: Lando Lincoln
Yes, the United States may lose it's leadership role to ...uh...emmm...uh...Bulgaria?
30 posted on 02/22/2003 12:19:38 AM PST by paul51
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To: Mr. Mojo
Has Brzezinski ever been on the right side of any issue?

He was behind our decision to fund the anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the late 70's. That US policy (which a lot of the left tries to bitch about and to pin on Reagan) was actually a good policy that came from the Carter era.

31 posted on 02/22/2003 12:22:34 AM PST by krb (the statement on the other side of ths tagline is false)
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To: Lando Lincoln
former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski

National Security ... in the Carter Administration ... enough said.

32 posted on 03/09/2003 2:23:50 PM PST by catpuppy (They came, they saw, they cowered.)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; bigheadfred; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; ...

Note: this topic is from February 21, 2003. Six years ago...
The United States should give UN inspectors more time, link Iraqi disarmament to the Israeli Palestinian conflict and avoid engaging its allies in tit-for-tat polemics, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski wrote yesterday in The Washington Post... Brzezinski cited the Bush administration's "reluctance to see a connection between Middle Eastern terrorists and the political problems of the Middle East;" its "unsubstantiated efforts to connect Iraq with Al Qaeda;" and its "evident, if unstated, endorsement ... of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's notions of how to deal with both the Palestinians and the region as a whole." He also said that the US "preoccupation with Iraq -- which does not pose an imminent threat to global security -- obscures the need to deal with the more serious and genuinely imminent threat posed by North Korea." Washington should also "acknowledge that the quest for peace in the Middle East requires both the disarmament of Iraq and the active renewal of the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians."

33 posted on 09/20/2009 6:28:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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