tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post593380896337643894..comments2023-10-30T06:06:10.496-07:00Comments on Keeping Up With the Blogses: Executing Saddamsouthfield_2001http://www.blogger.com/profile/12377814431642627185noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-80530423227168046632006-12-31T11:19:00.000-08:002006-12-31T11:19:00.000-08:00Well, Shoshana, partly the Bush administration was...Well, Shoshana, partly the Bush administration was tricked. There was an Iraqi, whose name escapes me now, who was touted as potentially the guy to take over from Saddam who turned out to be pretty much a fraud. The US had relied on a lot of his information.<br />Also, I have no doubt they really did think there were WMDs in Iraq - and there may well have been. Saddam, from what I've read, certainly thought he had them. It makes sense that his scientists would have lied to him if they thought telling the truth would end up with them being killed for failing him.<br />I further believe that western nations make a great mistake when they attribute our characteristic reaction to things to the arab world as well. If a westernized nation run by a dictator was suddenly freed, mostly it would go about building a democracy (as we have seen in much of Eastern Europe since the decline of the Soviet empire). I still don't understand why anyone thought the Iraqis would react in the same manner...wishful thinking, I guess.<br />As Carl says, it's pretty easy to go with hindsight and criticize everything that has happened over the past three years. I was never thrilled with the idea of going to war in Iraq and I think most Canadians are of the mind that we're pretty glad we stayed out of it.<br />That said, though, I really hope the US can figure out an exit strategy that leaves the country in one piece with a stable government. If the Iraqis destroy themselves after that, that's their business.southfield_2001https://www.blogger.com/profile/12377814431642627185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-74229515378649472282006-12-31T06:25:00.000-08:002006-12-31T06:25:00.000-08:00So let's discuss this arrogance. What drove it? ...So let's discuss this arrogance. What drove it? What made them so willing to forego military advice? What made them ignore the warnings of civil war that were sounded so loudly before we went into Iraq? What compelled them to ignore the lessons of Vietnam?<br /><br />Did they really think it was going to be easy despite all the warnings? <br /><br />I gave this administration too much credit in thinking they had a game plan to keep all these issues in check. <br /><br />But honestly, they behaved like amateurs and wasted a lot of lives. <br /><br />I guess this all culminated for me when Bush Sr. started weeping over the demise of his political dynasty. <br /><br />I wonder if it is too late to turn things around in Iraq. Bush owes it to this country to do that.Suzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676407750018410042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-79726256849836591682006-12-30T21:10:00.000-08:002006-12-30T21:10:00.000-08:00Your comments are pretty much parallel to my own. ...Your comments are pretty much parallel to my own. In my case a lot of it is based on hindsight; so I can't be terribly critical of what has been done.Carl Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12018306904698257808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-48461512322116349092006-12-28T18:42:00.000-08:002006-12-28T18:42:00.000-08:00"I think it's a lot more complex, and perhaps driv..."I think it's a lot more complex, and perhaps driven more by arrogance than greed. "<br /><br />I think you're pretty much spot on, Shoshona. They figured the Iraqis would welcome them with open arms and democratize immediately.<br />I have no idea why they thought that since there is virtually no evidence to possibility of such a transition in a ME nation. Had they said, "we're going to go in there and bring democracy even if it takes us 10 years, several trillion dollars and 10,000 American lives", most Americans would have said, "the hell you are."<br />But, I don't think it was done out of greed. There were valid reasons to get rid of Saddam but no real reason to hang around waiting for the civil war afterwards.southfield_2001https://www.blogger.com/profile/12377814431642627185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-87136010103054416002006-12-28T15:35:00.000-08:002006-12-28T15:35:00.000-08:00I am really enjoying your commentary (this is Shos...I am really enjoying your commentary (this is Shoshona from yahoo, btw). I would love to have intelligent debate about why the White House failed to win the peace. <br /><br />I am surrounded by people who think it's about big business and oil tycoons. And that Bush and Cheney were just out to make big bucks by any means necessary. That just seems too simplistic, jaded, and partisan to me. I find it hard to have intelligent discussion with anyone who talks like that. I think it's a lot more complex, and perhaps driven more by arrogance than greed. I dunno. That's why I'd like to discuss it....Suzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07676407750018410042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1466799064761687361.post-54560485096193600282006-12-27T20:02:00.000-08:002006-12-27T20:02:00.000-08:00They may have thought they could have learned some...They may have thought they could have learned something new by questioning Saddam.<br /><br />In hindsight, the grenades up his ass would have been a better idea.Baconeaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11134934827966299989noreply@blogger.com