[AlternateEgo]

Amen. In the past we threatened use of force too often without using it.

[stayathomemom]

It’s Clinton’s fault!

[JRios1968]

"...But America needs to heed the underlying message: Dictators won't respond to threats they don't take seriously. Had the US record reflected greater toughness, the war itself might have been averted."

I wonder if the editors of the Times are aware of the proverb: A broken clock is right twice a day.

Of course, had Bush 41 or Bubba 42 taken out Saddam, then the Nutty Left would have nothing to argue against GWB.

[Steely Tom]

Thugs around the world are going to learn this lesson: when a Democrat is in the White House, it’s party time. When a Republican is President, watch your step.

Result: more and more open campaigning for the Democrats by thugs and dictators.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Let's expand on this point. The only way to avoid the Iraq War was for the West to be united, for the public in the West to be united. So, once again the 'anti-war'* people's actions, lead not to peace, but to war.

*They aren't 'anti-war', they are anti-American. They only oppose wars, in which America is involved. They never, ever, ever protest any other war. They never, ever, ever protest the savagery are barbarity of the terrorists. We haven't come up with a better word to describe the Pinkos, defeatists, anti-Americans yet.

[bmwcyle]

You need lessons on how to post.

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[WL-law]

Had the US record reflected greater toughness, the war itself might have been averted."

Sorry, but that's an ahistorical statement.

When the US threatened Saddam, we had just come off finishing off the Taliban. GWB was taken seriously.

The PROBLEM, in a nutshell, was Chirac and the French. The French, and their actions in the UN security council, were seen as a life preserver to Saddam, and gave him hope that he could wait out GWB's political offensive and survive.

The actions of the French made the US "surounding Iraq" tactic fail to dislodge Saddam, and made the invasion inevitable.

Let the shame lay where it deserves.

[plain talk]

Had the US record reflected greater toughness, the war itself might have been averted."

So how does one demonstrate toughness? This means we should have finished Saddam off in the early 90s.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Saddam really was a “perfect enemy”. That is, he went out of his way to do everything he could to guarantee American action. Almost by the numbers. He broke every international rule he could, clearing the path for the US. He even humiliated his international supporters, who while not liking him, dislike the US more.

Compare him to Iran. While also full of bluff and bluster, arrogance and belligerence, Iran knows when to back down, such as when Reagan was elected. Iran knows that you can only taunt the tiger so much before you become lunch.