12-16-2008, 08:57 PM
Ordinary Peephole Wrote:Pretty straightforward really, is the current situation in Iraq an essential fight for freedom in a dangerous part of the world or is it an expensive (in terms of lives and money) clusterfuck?
Some thoughts in no apparent order.
1. There are times in this world where a very bad person needs to be taken out. Saddam was the sickest sadist since Adolf Hitler. We had the ability to take him out, and as human beings our obligation to humanity had to take precidence over anything else. Anyone with a soul and children might want to look at the first picture at this link: http://www.kdp.se/old/chemical.html
2. An unstable oil region would cost millions of lives, some even in America. Without oil hospitals would have to run without power, ambulances and firemen do not get to emergencies, etc.
3. America is great at winning wars decisively, but has no clue how to police that country afterwards. Military are trained to kill the enemy. Totally different mission than civil cops controlling a culture that does not even speak English.
ETA: Of note is that I had a dog in the race. I served in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.