World Affairs Board - View Single Post - Assessing the Decision to Intervene in Iraq

Bluesman · 11-25-2007, 20:09 PM

Well, as I said, he reads to me like he's accepted everything that conventional wisdom would have us believe, and most of those things I simply do NOT believe.

I don't think we blundered into a war based on any misunderstanding of our opponent. I believe that there were several problems with the approach (such as over-emphasizing WMD, under-emphasizing all the other excellent reasons to proceed), leading to massive problems down the road (and good analysis would've been able to predict that). But I believe that the attempt to turn Iraq from an enemy into an ally was as shrewd a move as it was audacious, and whatever else we achieved, we know Sadam and his psycho sons are gone for good.

I don't accept the one-dimensional newspaper clippings-based characterizations of Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Myers or Franks, no matter how popular and widespread the acceptance of those beliefs are. Can I back it up with personal knowledge? I admit I can't, but I've seen each of their organizations operate, and I am sceptical.

Bush in particular, though. He's portrayed as the simple out-of-his-depth stubborn and swaggering man-child, crashing around the world in some macho fit that he is too arrogant to be talked out of by smarter, more competent professionals.

Another theme that doesn't seem to hold up: America had the entire world's sympathy, then squandered it. 'We're all Americans Now', but then, in a stunningly inept wastage of political and moral capital, it went up in the smoke of war.

I don't know, and I bet I can't get this across as well as I'd like, but it just seems that this was written by a Julie, with an ability to buy into a set of assumptions that have been pounded on so long that it re-makes reality to fit the narrative.

Or maybe I just read too many points-of-view that agree my MY OWN prejudices, and I've gotten the whole thing wrong, after all.

Dr. Metz, you got way more on the ball than I do. Maybe I better re-think what I, myself, believe.

11-25-2007, 20:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Bluesman WAB Bartender *Defense Professional* *Military Professional* Join Date: 11-24-04 Location: Vacaville, CA. Posts: 7,520 Country:	Well, as I said, he reads to me like he's accepted everything that conventional wisdom would have us believe, and most of those things I simply do NOT believe. I don't think we blundered into a war based on any misunderstanding of our opponent. I believe that there were several problems with the approach (such as over-emphasizing WMD, under-emphasizing all the other excellent reasons to proceed), leading to massive problems down the road (and good analysis would've been able to predict that). But I believe that the attempt to turn Iraq from an enemy into an ally was as shrewd a move as it was audacious, and whatever else we achieved, we know Sadam and his psycho sons are gone for good. I don't accept the one-dimensional newspaper clippings-based characterizations of Rumsfeld, Powell, Rice, Myers or Franks, no matter how popular and widespread the acceptance of those beliefs are. Can I back it up with personal knowledge? I admit I can't, but I've seen each of their organizations operate, and I am sceptical. Bush in particular, though. He's portrayed as the simple out-of-his-depth stubborn and swaggering man-child, crashing around the world in some macho fit that he is too arrogant to be talked out of by smarter, more competent professionals. Another theme that doesn't seem to hold up: America had the entire world's sympathy, then squandered it. 'We're all Americans Now', but then, in a stunningly inept wastage of political and moral capital, it went up in the smoke of war. I don't know, and I bet I can't get this across as well as I'd like, but it just seems that this was written by a Julie, with an ability to buy into a set of assumptions that have been pounded on so long that it re-makes reality to fit the narrative. Or maybe I just read too many points-of-view that agree my MY OWN prejudices, and I've gotten the whole thing wrong, after all. Dr. Metz, you got way more on the ball than I do. Maybe I better re-think what I, myself, believe. __________________ "The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it, and if one finds the prospect of a long war intolerable, it is natural to disbelieve in the possibility of victory." - George Orwell Last edited by Bluesman : 11-25-2007 at 20:11 PM.