[DaveW]

before "the beginning", we should look back only a few years before:

(1) On September 22, 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, starting an 8 year war in which Iraq employed chemical weapons against Iranian troops and ballistic missiles against Iranian cities.

(2) In February 1988, Iraq forcibly relocated Kurdish civilians from their home villages in the Anfal campaign, killing an estimated 50,000 to 180,000 Kurds.

(3) On March 16, 1988, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iraqi Kurdish civilian opponents in the town of Halabja, killing an estimated 5,000 Kurds and causing numerous birth defects that affect the town today.

Of course for these first three (revolting as they are) you should ad below each "With the US government cheering them on"

 

[ire]

Of course for these first three (revolting as they are) you should ad below each "With the US government cheering them on"

and providing them money. Remember, we hated Iran more than anyone. This wasn't long after the embassy crisis.

I watched part 2 last night and I found it interesting that Rumsfield was trying to get our troops out of Iraq; that’s why they employed the minimum footprint idea and pulled our troops back to their main bases. Not that the strategy worked for Iraq, but if he would have stayed in charge maybe our troops would be coming home sooner.

 

[MikeD]

Which all brings up the point that the "decider" sure didn't provide much leadership as the cabinet level and below became a disgusting mess of infighting and contradictory goals and methods.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Funny how Congress wasn't involved in any of this...

 

[$tinkle]

you mean to tell us the senate armed services committee, foreign relations committee, and select intelligence committees don't just have bake sales?

 

[jimmydean]

Which all brings up the point that the "decider" sure didn't provide much leadership as the cabinet level and below became a disgusting mess of infighting and contradictory goals and methods.

That combined with Powell being the only one with ACTUAL military experience wasn't allowed to handle it.

Ego is a bitch.

 

[N8 v2.0]

i blame Bushdaddy for not allowing Stormin' Norman to drive straight into Baghdad and force Iraq's surrender and Saddam's capture at the conclusion of GulfWar 1

 

[MikeD]

Except that would have been stupid to do at the time. Even Cheny predicted something equivalent to the current situation if we'd have done that...

The only real strategy for 'dealing with' Iraq, inasmuch as we really *had* anything to deal with, was to use diplomacy and covert action to shape the country, long-term, with anti-Saddam activity and plans for his succession, whether by coup, rebellion, or his natural (seeming?) death. And to focus our military assets on where they could actually be most valuable.

 

[DaveW]

Funny how Congress wasn't involved in any of this...

As I recall every time they did object in any way, there were howls of outrage from the neocon's/media/public about them not supporting the troops..........

 

[Echo]

(12) On May 1, 1998, President Clinton signed Public Law 105-174, which made $5,000,000 available for assistance to the Iraqi democratic opposition for such activities as organization, training, communication and dissemination of information, developing and implementing agreements among opposition groups, compiling information to support the indictment of Iraqi officials for war crimes, and for related purposes. [/i]

Too bad they didn't stick with that budget.

 

[Westy]

Which all brings up the point that the "decider" sure didn't provide much leadership as the cabinet level and below became a disgusting mess of infighting and contradictory goals and methods.

To Bush's defence he changed the presidency from the Executive branch to dhe Decidectutive branch. He thought the CIA would take care of the execution part.

 

[DaveW]

Seems not everyone is happy with frontline's show.

Frontline: Too Timid, Too Little, Too Late

By Ray McGovern

Although without having seen the show I couldn't really say either way. *shrugs*

 

[H8R]

i blame Bushdaddy for not allowing Stormin' Norman to drive straight into Baghdad and force Iraq's surrender and Saddam's capture at the conclusion of GulfWar 1

Every time I think you've hit the ceiling, you throttle up to a whole other altitude of stupid.

 

[H8R]

and another war profiteer bought 2 million shares:
Guess who?

An unethical billionaire??!!

*gasp*