Re: not to stir the kettle that called the pot black, but...

From: tschibasch <tschibasch_at_yahoo.com_at_hypermail.org>
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 21:43:48 -0000

Good points, David.

> - No real WMD threat
> - No significant ties to Al-Qaeda

People still argue about these. I occasionally hear that WMDs existed
but were either destroyed or removed from Iraq (into Syria?) before
the war started. Also that Al-Qaeda did have links with Hussein. In
theory, this will all *eventually* come out. But not today.


> - $150 Billion in costs and climbing
> - likely 3-5 year troop commitment, likely to remain in the 10s of
> thousands through that entire period, even if it comes down from the
> 100,000+ now. (oh, and said commitment limiting our military
> flexibility to address other crises throughout that period)
> - unimaginable cost in goodwill, perception and attitude toward
> America and Americans throughout the world.

There are much fewer arguments about these numbers. This effort is
hurting us big time. I wonder if our attempts to stop terrorism has
not backfired and created more terrorists committed to attacking the
USA...

> Yes, Saddam was evil and the Iraqi people will likely be better off
> in the long run. But this is a bill of goods few people would have
> bought.

He was a terrible dictator who had been destroying Iraq since the
1970s. Good riddance. I don't feel that it was our job to take him
down, but there it is. And we now are footing the bill for it.

John
Received on 2003-09-12 14:43:50