Bush's unfortunate inheritance: Iraq and war

sunspot.net ^ | February 9, 2003 | G. Jefferson Price III

[pkpjamestown]

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Santayana came to mind last week while I was watching a repeat of the excellent PBS Frontline television documentary on the last Persian Gulf war in 1991. It was a reminder of President George Bush's legacy to his successor, Bill Clinton and, as it turns out, to his own son. The elder Bush cannot have imagined that his namesake son would be in this spot, or that he would be president for that matter. But he is, and one can only wonder what he would like to say to his dad about leaving Saddam Hussein in power with all those Weapons of Mass Destruction.

[pkpjamestown]

Even though the First Gulf War (GWI) was against Iraq, the focus was on Iran. The pressure on Iraq, helped contain the ambitions of Iran.

The focus of the up-coming Second Gulf war (GWII) is again against Iraq, but the focus, this time, is on the relations of the entire region, with each other and with the rest of the world.

Treating the symptoms of the ill perspectives of this rich but out-dated part of the world, only results in a temporary fix. Unless the world unites to deal with the root cause of the “disease” in these countries, the problems and the suffering will persist for many more decades.

P.S. Islamic fundamentalism, is only another symptom.

[Sam Cree]

I was wondering if you are suggesting that the ill is totalitarian government, dictatorship or monarchy?

[Maigret]

Everyone needs reminding that it was the UN that pressured Bush not to go after Saddam, his son learned that lesson too, NOT to let the UN be the decision maker.

[meenie]

Senior Bush stopped short of going to Baghdad to prevent the disintegration of Irag into three weaker units of government, the Kurds, the Shias, and the Sunnis. That problem remains. The whole Mideast is a region of tribal loyalties and disagreements, from the Caucauses to the Indian Ocean. Witness the warlords in Afghanistan against the government in Kabul. This area is almost impossible to govern.

[malia]

a bump

[The Great Satan]

But he is, and one can only wonder what he would like to say to his dad about leaving Saddam Hussein in power with all those Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Uh, the reason Bush 41 left Saddam Hussein in power was precisely because he had Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The Continuing Storm

[The Great Satan]

[celtic gal]

You are exactly right! The UN Sanction was to get Iraq out of Kuwait only! That was done. And yet the media finds it convinent to forget that little detail.

[pkpjamestown]

Imagine yourself being an Iraqi (not a member of the regime), living in Iraq. How is wrong, with your life over there?

Saddam uses the excuses of wars to stay in power. First he was fighting Iran, then he invaded Kuwait and for the past decade, he is "fighting" the West. The undeclared war against ethnic minorities, within Iraq, also works to his advantage. He cultivates fear among his supporters, which helps him thrive. The only solution is to break-up the country, and evenly distribute the wealth. The emirates, is a good example. Democracy will not necessarily work, right away.

[pkpjamestown]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,5962183%255E23189,00.html