It seems clear to me that truly *winning* the war on terrorism is going to
require eliminating the environments of oppression and ignorance that have
bred the lies, which fuels the desperation that underlies the decision to
turn to terrorism. This will require bridging the "freedom defecit" in
the Arab world, and bringing the Arab people into the world of the free
flow of information and participation in governance.
Thus, in my mind, I cannot imagine a scenario for *winning* the War on
Terror that did not involve regime change in Iraq. So long as Saddam
Hussein was ruling Iraq with an iron grip, feeding his people anti-Semitic
and anti-American propaganda, and moreover, convincingly portraying to the
rest of the Arab world that the suffering of the Iraqi people under UN
Sanctions was a direct result of American policy (rather than his refusal
to spend Oil-for-Food money on *Food*) the War on Terror would never truly
be over. To believe otherwise seems akin to believing that the "War on
Drugs" can be won by increased vigillance and polcing of existing drug
sources, rather than tackling the underlying causes.
In the long term, only a fundamental change in Iraq to a free and open
democracy will truly be able to turn the tide in favor of eventual victory
in the War on Terror.
Fine. Let's say that you have a point. Let's say that your reasoning gives an arguable justification for the USA's invasion of Iraq. Then - WHY THE F*CK DID BUSH NOT USE THIS AS HIS PRIMARY JUSTIFICATION FOR THE WAR IN THE FIRST PLACE? Why is he not making this case to the world NOW? Why are we supporting similarly anti-Semitic, anti-freedom regimes in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, etc.? Why the obsession with WMD - lasting to this very day even though every single human being in the entire world who does not work for Bush knows there weren't any? Why not just come out and admit that there aren't any WMD and there weren't any and it doesn't matter because of what you said above? And then, why not call the entire world in to help on this fundamental change to Iraq?
I'll tell you why - because Bush really doesn't agree with you. For him, it really is about WMD and US projection of power scaring the rest of the world into kowtowing to the mighty USA.
The rest of the world might actually go along with what you're saying above. But Bush does not want to lead - he wants to give orders and be obeyed, like any king.
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Tom Beck
my LiveJournal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/tomfodw/
"I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never thought I'd see the last." - Dr. Jerry Pournelle
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