What Makes a Victory?

I'm calling it a better than even possibility, not a foregone conclusion. This is a minority opinion, of course.

Victory? Well, let's see--

We march into Baghdad in a virtually bloodless war with minimal casualties on both sides, after Special Forces troops capture Saddam. We're welcomed by hordes of Iraqis, jubilant at their liberation, strewing the path of our troops with flowers. Saddam is tried for war crimes and imprisoned or executed. In a period of some short months, we install democratic institutions, monitor the first elections, rebuild much of the infrastructure we destroyed in the conflict, open the Iraqi oil fields to free market development and, after a suitable fairwell ceremony, our troops leave to return home to an economy revitalized by the war and an abundance of cheap petroleum. The world recognizes the error of it's ways and now loves us. The Arabs recognize the error of their ways and in a series of revolutions, bloodless and otherwise, all become free market embracing democracies eager to trade and make peace with Israel. The Palestinians resign themselves to living as second class citizens under Israeli domination and support for terrorism fades away, never to reappear. Osama, recognizing his cause as lost, surrenders himself to the mercy of American justice. We add Shrub's likeness to Mt. Rushmore.

That's the view from rightwing cloud cuckooland, anyway.

The reality will no doubt prove to be bitterly different.

Backsmith - I need every rosy picture I can get. I think there is a possibility here of something we haven't yet begun to imagine.

And how about that democratic government we've installed in Afghanistan?

U.S. army in fact has experience in governing the defeated countries. Remember Japan and Germany; and the results -- these countries becoming free and flourishing confirms efficiency of such governing.

Seeing as Bush will have his war regardless, I suppose we'd all just as well start formulating our best "happily ever after" scenarios, and keep our fingers crossed that this "preemption" isn't the biggest f-up in recent history.

Well, despite of my disagreement with Snood's position on Mr. Bush's policies, I really support his/her last proposal: it is necessary to find the optimal way of governing the post-Saddam Iraq.And the objective must be as follows: Iraq should be brought to the situation where democratic ruling becomes possible.[/b]

Only the criminally insane can think war will work out well. We've been screwing with Iraq for 55 years, and here we are, screwing them again! Here's a little historical timeline of the United States messing around with Iraq and manipulating the American people!

http://www.scn.org/wwfor/iraqhist.html


and a little more information ...

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/attack/2002/0923monster.htm


and remember the crap about Saddam gassing the Kurds ??

http://polyconomics.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=1920


Misinformation, Manipulation, Lies, Assassination, Coups, all those American Values We Are So Proud Of !!!! God Bless America !!!

I have no reasons to trust to Jude Wannicky more than to Messrs. George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush. Why not to assume that Mr. Wannicky was misinformed?

Only the the criminally insane are deluded enough to believe that Allied miltary action against Iraq will cause the end of the world.

Only the criminally insane would support activities that a grand conspiracy exists to abolish the Consitution and install a Bush dynasty.

Only the criminally insane would volunarily act as human shields to protect Saddam Hussein.

Now see how silly and offensive that sort of remark is?

Asherman
Forgive him he knows not what he says.

there seems to be more simple dogma associated with this issue than is common in american life (including my own) with both pro and anti Bush-Iraq-Motive-End Result. While there are intelligent and rational positions to be taken and supported for both sides of the question and facts to support those positions, the continued cognitive dissonance is not likely to see a resolution. the "i'm right ergo your wrong" stances being taken will continue to provoke rather than clarify.