Feel better?

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by spence

Actually, if Iraq tanks under this Administration it's a loss for AMERICA and Obama will ultimately take a lot the responsibility.


As for Bush's "planning" this was shoddy at best and corruptly incompetent at the worst. Bush didn't "plan" for Iraq to be a success, rather they "dreamed" it and hoped for the best.

-spence

We probably have different reasons for considering it a loss if Iraq tanks. I don't see how Obama would take responsibility since he has promised to remove us from Iraq.

Bush wanted to create a democratic state. That has happened. It could have been less "messy" if we would have had a strongly united front. But there was no way that any amount of competence, planning, or dreaming could possibly have cleanly and easily achieved it. I have no doubt that he knew the task was immense, mistakes would be made, blood and treasure would be lost. The decision to do it had to be immensely wrenching. No doubt, he knew that he would be opposed, and accused of profiting and having his cronies profit. I don't know in which way he has profited, nor do I believe that he was willing to put this nation and its sons and daughters at such risk for some personal profit, nor profit for oil companies, or any other companies. Oil companies were making plenty of profit before the war. Iraq as a democracy wasn't going to change that. I believe he took his oath of office as an actual oath, not just a verbal formality. I think he saw a growing threat, of which 9/11 was just the tip, and a threat, that if allowed to unobstructedly fester, could be more formidable than it was at the time. It was, and is, a movement that thrives on peaceful negotiations and dialogue to cover its gains. Forcing their hand early, when their strength was still surmountable was, I believe, proper. Waiting and talking was not going to persuade them to go away. The ouster of the Talilban and Bin Ladin from Afghanistan, which is supposed to be the "good" war, already stirred the hornet's nest. It was no time to stay still, but to expand.