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Yes, but.....

Reader comment on item: Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq

Submitted by Rick Martins (China), Mar 20, 2013 at 09:20

Saddam was a danger to the world economy as you pointed out and that alone justified a " response" although I would have preferred handling according to the Arab culture- that is by assassinating Saddam. But Bush was naive as you also pointed out but let's give Bush some credit for his "vision".

Bush was always comfortable with Arabs due to his closeness to Big Oil and the Saudi regime. He did not look upon Arabs as hopelessly caught in a predetermined world of despotism due to their lack of any modern and democratic experience. I believe that Bush was a "dreamer" in the sense that he believed toppling Saddam and then ushering in a democratic government would "break the strangle hold" that Islam and backwardness has in the Arab Middle East. He tried to change the course of the river.

Was he foolish for doing so? I thought so before the invasion and that opinion unfortunately seems to be more credible than the one that foresees a positive outcome in Iraq. Obama has no illusions of "hope and change" in the Arab world and that belief suits his isolationism, anti-Americanism and Left wing foolishness.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (20) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Casus Belli? [126 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlbertMay 15, 2013 21:08206081
Yes, but at what price? [117 words]AnonMay 15, 2013 01:23206067
1The bad and the worse [93 words]Ender WigginskyApr 29, 2013 08:49205724
also lebanon 1982 [36 words]jacob sassoonApr 13, 2013 18:32205144
Is it really nation-building that we are after? [288 words]stuffagainMar 27, 2013 00:21204734
Iraq is about the Big Game [113 words]J. AlejandroMar 26, 2013 16:32204725
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The Case for Democracy by Natan Sharansky [27 words]George HaasMar 24, 2013 22:35204684
"fight for democracy" -dangerous delusion [76 words]BenMar 23, 2013 15:07204634
Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq [49 words]BALARABE ABBAMar 20, 2013 11:39204531
Yes, but..... [195 words]Rick MartinsMar 20, 2013 09:20204526
Iranian provocation [37 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ConormelMar 19, 2013 16:21204491
The absence of a political faction for freedom and Democracy, Emulating Taiwan and Korea. [147 words]SamuelMar 19, 2013 03:59204474
2Iraq-What Did Work [134 words]John R PeacherMar 18, 2013 20:31204464
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1The Folly of Repetition [55 words]EthanPMar 18, 2013 18:05204455
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reflections [63 words]infosifterMar 18, 2013 17:26204453
Lessons of Iraq - Trying So Hard Not to Miss the Point - Yet Never Learning It [387 words]M. ToveyMar 18, 2013 17:15204452
1"Nation Building" in the Middle East [206 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
KenMar 18, 2013 17:13204451

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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