An unnecessary war

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | 6/4/2003 | Pat Buchanan

[Burkeman1]

What was America's real motive for attacking Iraq? Was it oil? Empire? To make the Middle East safe for Sharon?

That these questions are being asked, not only by America's critics, is the fault of the administration alone. For its crucial argument as to why it had no choice but to launch the first preventive war in American history is collapsing like a sand castle in a rising surf.

Iraq, in retrospect, was no threat whatsoever to the United States. We fought an unnecessary war, and now we must rebuild a nation at a rising cost in blood and treasure.

Before the war, many who opposed it argued that no matter the evil character of Saddam, Iraq had not attacked us, did not threaten us, did not want war with us, could not defeat us. Why then were we about to invade Iraq?

Came the administration answer: Saddam has ties to al-Qaida. He has an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. He is a year or so away from being able to build a nuclear bomb, and he will use these weapons on us or our allies, or give them to terrorists who will use them in the United States. And these weapons will kill not just the 3,000 who perished on Sept. 11, but tens and even hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans.

Do you want to risk that? Do you want to do nothing and risk a "mushroom cloud" in an American city? Or do you want to remove this mortal threat, now?

So went the clinching argument for war.

Opponents answered that the U.N. inspectors had found nothing, that Saddam had even invited in the CIA to have a look, that surely he could not launch a sneak attack on America or her allies with U.N. inspectors rummaging around his country. The War Party scoffed. Hans Blix, they said, was an incompetent and an appeaser who would deliberately not find weapons rather than be responsible for causing a war.

So President Bush launched America's first pre-emptive war, and it was a triumph of American arms. But eight weeks have now elapsed, and we have not yet found a single weapon of mass destruction, though we were told, again and again, that Saddam had "30,000 munitions."

[jnarcus]

Pat's vitriol is getting boring. Hie petulence is only outweighed by his good looks....tat sneering smile is so charming

[Abcdefg]

Pat should just STFU

[jwfiv]

Buchanan was once an inspiration to me.

Now, he's just a bed sore that won't heal.

He's a nattering nabob of negativity, a naysayer and a boob without a rational comprehension of the world.

And, I do believe WFB was wrong, all those years ago, in his verbose conclusion that Buchanan is not an anti-Semite.

I'm very weary of all the poopy-heads whining that Bush lied because there are/were no WMD in Saddam's closet, only mass graves of murdered thousands.

It's like crying about the game when we've got the second half yet to play.

Buchanan's bitter world view is not mine.

[beckett]

How I loathe Buchanan. Loathe, loathe, loathe the man. When he is in the "conservative" seat on McLaughlin, I immediately change the channel, much as I have done for years whenever Slick Willy appears on my screen.

Not too many years ago, I gave Buchanan fair hearing. But after his asinine and disgraceful shenanigans of the last few years, and after getting a better insight into what really makes the guy tick, I cannot abide him for one second.

[finnman69]

I hear Howard Dean and Dennis Kuchinich are considering Pat Buchanan(D) for the veep slot.

[mass55th]

Based on his article, Buchanan might as well say that war with Germany was unnecessary too.

[Burkeman1]

"good looks"? Pat may be many things but I never considered him to be handsome- not ugly- but not handsome. Or were you just being sarcastic?

[Burkeman1]

Read the article. Pat didn't say Bush lied but rather he was lied too.

[BlueLancer]

"Buchanan might as well say that war with Germany was unnecessary too."

He has done so ... on several occasions .. ad nauseum.

[MJY1288]

Pat Buchanan is a pathetic hate filled little man who has lost any credibility he might have had years ago. I wish he would just dry up and blow away

[Burkeman1]

A more accurate reflection of Pat's view of WWII is in his book "A Republic, Not an Empire." His views are a little bit more nuanced than merely opposing our involvement in WWII. He was critical of how Roosevelt lied to the nation about our aid to Britain before the war. Further, he was critical of the policy of "unconditional surrender" that one could argue lead to thousands of unnecessary American casualties and untold millions of Jews, Poles, Russians, Gypsies, etc . . . in that Roosevelt refused to deal with the Wermacht general staff and their repeated overtures at peace if they got rid of Hitler.

[TheDon]

I think 9-11 shows quite conclusively that in an age of assymetric weapons, the age of dictators must end.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

But eight weeks have now elapsed, and we have not yet found a single weapon of mass destruction, though we were told, again and again, that Saddam had "30,000 munitions."

We are getting close:

FAS (Fed Am Scientist) Report: Iraqi Precursor Chemicals Stored Separately for Weapon-side Mixing

Remember all those barrels of pesticides?

[Digger]

There is only one question. Where are the WMD? Wasn't that the WHOLE premise for going to war? So far we went to war on a false premise. (BTW I support the fact the we did it but if we don't take on Iran then I know it was fruitless)
Are you pubbies so far up your butts that you can't view this logically? We were duped unless we find these in the near future. We are absolutely duped by this & other administrations on the Chinese. They are the true enemy. Stop all trading with them asap - for our or our chldrens future.

[Burkeman1]

Yes. I remember Clinton and the pesticides in Sudan as well. Read the article. Bush and company were talking about fully constituted WMD's as a direct threat to us. They are going to have to come up with more than pesticides that could be used in the production of chemical or bio weapons.

[Burkeman1]

The major premise for war was WMD's. But Bush also cited "regime change" as another reason as well though I think that was more of a side benefit than an actual reason for war.

[clamper1797]

Stuff a sock in it it Buchannon

[trebb]

Pat is starting to remind me of Teddy in Carter Country...