In his memoirs, A World Transformed, written five years ago, here is
how George Herbert Walker Bush explained why he didn't go after
Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War.
"Trying to eliminate Saddam . . . would have incurred incalculable human
and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible. . . . We
would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. . . .
There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of
our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a
pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in
and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations'
mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response
to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion
route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power
in a bitterly hostile land."
IF ONLY HIS SON COULD READ . . .
Start in November by removing the administration that got us into the mess in the first place.Originally posted by: tnitsuj
But what can you do? What is done is done. Now all Americans must work to clean up the mess.
But what can you do?
Same conclusion. This parody from the Wizard of Oz puts it in perspective:Trying to eliminate Saddam, extending the ground war into an occupation of Iraq, would have violated our guideline about not changing objectives in midstream, engaging in "mission creep," and would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible. We had been unable to find Noriega in Panama, which we knew intimately. We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. The coalition would instantly have collapsed, the Arabs deserting it in anger and other allies pulling out as well. Under the circumstances, there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land. It would have been a dramatically different -- and perhaps barren -- outcome.
If I Only Had A Brain
Author: George Mann
(Dubya)
I?d read poetry for hours, circulate in ivory towers
Know Mexico from Spain
I would say it very bluntly Africa is not a country
If I only had a brain
I would postulate and lecture but not make false conjecture
Correctly pronounce names
They would let me get my war on and no one would call me ?moron?
If I only had a brain
Oh I cannot deny that the world thinks I?m a boor
But listen while I tell you what?s in store
We?re gonna bomb and bomb some more
(Dick)
I wouldn?t kill Iraqi children and terrorize civilians
Pretend that war is art
I would be a good neighbor not keep rattling my saber
If I only had a heart
Though my veins are full of oil and my greedy hands are soiled
I could make a brand new start
I?d love Saddam and his mama like I used to love Osama
If I only had a heart
Picture me, big Dick Cheney
With a heart that?s full of gold
And a conscience that cannot be bought or sold
Too hard to see? Well good for me!
(Duet for Dubya and Dick)
We will trample world opinion and confirm it?s our dominion
If we only bomb Iraq
We?ll turn cities into rubble there will be no more trouble
If we only bomb Iraq
Copyright 2003 George Mann
Re-reading these trenchant and salient points just makes me sad, then angry beyond belief at our current asshole administration. No viable exit strategy! The US could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land today!Originally posted by: arsbanned
In his memoirs, A World Transformed, written five years ago, here is
how George Herbert Walker Bush explained why he didn't go after
Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War.
"Trying to eliminate Saddam . . . would have incurred incalculable human
and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible. . . . We
would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. . . .
There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of
our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a
pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in
and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations'
mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response
to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion
route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power
in a bitterly hostile land."
Originally posted by: Perknose
Re-reading these trenchant and salient points just makes me sad, then angry beyond belief at our current asshole administration. No viable exit strategy! The US could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land today!Originally posted by: arsbanned
In his memoirs, A World Transformed, written five years ago, here is
how George Herbert Walker Bush explained why he didn't go after
Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War.
"Trying to eliminate Saddam . . . would have incurred incalculable human
and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible. . . . We
would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq. . . .
There was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of
our principles. Furthermore, we had been consciously trying to set a
pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in
and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations'
mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response
to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion
route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power
in a bitterly hostile land."
This was all obvious even to me before this dog of a war. What excuse for their actions do the Bush Boyz have? WHAT FVCKING EXCUSE ?!? :|