Bitch punch

[Almighty Colin]

Originally posted by RawAlex@Jun 22 2004, 12:20 PM
Colin, major policy decisions can be swayed by such things as:

- your father being used as a doormat (literally) in Iraq
- your family position in the oil industry
- the position of your key advisors and close staff in the energy business
- your desire to be a "tough president"
- your desire to make the world think like you.

I sort of like the US way: We will make you free if you like it or not.

The ultimate decision to invade or not invade IRAQ was made by one man, and there were many different things that could be read into his choice.

As for 9/11- even the commission has concluded that there are no provable links between Saddam and BinLadin, that Saddam had refused AlQaida training facilities in his country, and that before the war, there was no indications of terrorists using Iraq as a home base. That was Afghanistan, remember that country?

Linking 9/11 to Saddam is stroke of genius that allows them to write off every dead soldier as a "vicitm of the war on terror".

It is impressive.

The "little lies" of a film maker are nothing compared to the "little lies" of the current US administration, IMHO.

Alex

I think they are more likely along the lines of ...

What should our post Cold War policy transform into given that 9-11 happened?

What could be worse than 9-11 and what can we do to prevent those possibilities?

Should we continue and even escalate the pre-emptive strikes policy used in the 1990s?

How should we deal with "rogue regimes" in light of 9-11?

Given the above, what kind of response to 9-11 are we prepared with at this point? (Until that date, not coincidentally, the US military had prepared largely for land wars intending to overthrow and replace regimes).

You know, the kind of things everyone - including us citizens - with an interest in foreign policy has been asking themselves since that fateful day.

And yes, in the end, one man made the final decision but there were literally hundreds who had influence and a voice, including National Defense Council members and the Department of Defense. The question was not "who has responsibility" but rather "how did that decision come about"?

As far as "freedom", maybe it's an illusion like that preceding World War I
but it sure looks like major powers war is over. Why? Maybe it's the newest round of globalization - economies integrated into a functioning whole. If so, Middle East Democracies - if they indeed can be created by the sword - may be the solution to Middle Eastern violence. Side note: this would also seem to indicate that a war between the US and China is highly unlikely.