FredF said:
Why do you two insist in ignoring the fact that diplomatic efforts in Iraq did nothing for 12 years?
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Possibly because the UN, that organization whose edicts we purport to enforce and over whose objections we invaded Iraq, felt that the diplomatic efforts had not been fully exhausted? Or perhaps because the intelligence we had before the war that Bush chose to ignore and the evidence we have found after invading Iraq prove that the diplomatic efforts to disarm Iraq actually DID work?
In fact in those 12 years, Sadam was able to buy new weapon systems(missles from france and russia).
I have heard that accusation repeatedly but have seen zero evidence that any such weapons system was delivered after the sanctions were put in place.
Congress authorized the use of force, the UN resolutions called for the use of force, and yet when the President does what he has been authorized to do and nations were almost required to do by UN resolutions it is called "Rushing to war"
The UN clearly did not call for the use of force, nor were any nations, other than Iraq, 'required' to do anything by the UN resolutions. When Pentagon staffers tried to point out that the Bush administration had no plans to win the peace, they were brushed aside and branded as 'Clintonites' or 'obstructionist' by the Bush administration, yet their predictions of events have proven eerily accurate. The Bush administration chose to accept only that intelligence that backed their intentions and discounted that which contradicted their intentions, rather than listening to all and forming an accurate picture of reality.
If you ignore those you would use to justify your war and those who you ask to fight it that have legitimate questions about your plans, and accept only that intelligence that supports your intentions, you're rushing to war.
You choose, yse choose to ignore the mountains of evidence linking Iraq and terrorist activity, actions and support.
You choose, yes choose. to ignore the tons of evidence linking Saudi Arabia and Pakistan with terrorist activity, including 9/11 and nuclear sales to terrorists, and ignore the tons of evidence, including the 9/11 Commission report, that says Iraq had no active role in any terrorist activity. You also choose to ignore the fundamental differences that would have prevented any real cooperation between the ultra-fundamentalist Al Qaeda and the secular regime of Saddam. To a radical islamist we are infidels but, to them, someone like Saddam is far worse, an apostate heretic, and since he is of arabic extraction and purports to believe in the teaching of Mohammed, is a far greater evil than us.
Read that and then try to say that iraq could not attack american citizens.
Anyone can attack American citizens in any country at any time. American citizens attack American citizens daily. Iraq could not attack America or they would have done so.
One more little item here and then I am probably done anyway, that 90% figure that Kerry is so quick to throw out and you are so quick to repeat, only works if you don't count those brave iraqies that are trying to regain control of thier country and are now standing with us as well
So many of whom love their country so much they're fighting for both sides! The ARVN fought for their country too but their govvernment didn't have the support of their people either.
They are dieing for their country as well and using that figure like Kerry is doing is demeaning their contribution to this fight against terror just like he tried ignore the contribution of all those other countries as well.
Kerry did not ignore the Iraqis, the ones who should actually be doing the fighting for Iraq. He didn't ignore the 'other countries' either, he gave them recognition in direct proportion to their actual contributions. He'll honor DynCorp and the rest of the companies employing the other mercenaries next, since they are the second largest armed force in Iraq, even though you choose to ignore that.
Ask the President of Polland how much he is looking forward to working with Kerry after the contribution of his country was dismissed out of hand.
Good thing he wasn't running for President of Poland, huh? Then Poland decided to show their support for Bush by immediately announcing their withdrawl from Iraq, That's some coalition!
