Strategy: Iran (and N. Korea) May Explain Iraq
Rev. Joseph Lowery's WMD comment at the Coretta Scott King's funeral -- and the audience's applause at it -- bring up a question we keep coming back to: why Iraq?
Here's a possibility:
In the 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush identified Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as part of an "axis of evil." Of these, which of the three was weakest militarily? Which of these three could the U.S. attack with the least cost to our military and the in-country civilian population?
The answer to both is Iraq. Add to these Iraq's own role in fighting its way to the front of the line by
- defying numerous UN resolutions, leading up to November 2002's Resolution 1441.
- shooting at coalition planes over the no-fly zones
- subverting UN sanctions
- maniplulating the Oil-for-Food program, and
- loudly rattling its own sabers.
The peace-at-any-cost mob's cynical argument that the US should not have gone into Iraq because North Korea and Iran pose far greater threats only underscores the point: attacking either of these states, at least from the inevitably flawed vantage point the US had in 2003, would have had (and may yet have) far higher human, military, and political costs than overthrowing Saddam Hussein.
In short, perhaps the US calculated that a relatively easy victory in Iraq could remove Saddam AND accomplish two other key goals: (a) show rogue regimes worldwide that it meant business; and (b) avoid having to invade Iran and North Korea.
True, the victory has not come as easily as hoped. And Iran nor North Korea keep shaking their fists at the world, and especially the US. Still, from a strategic standpoint, given the information at hand at the time, the decision to go into Iraq -- assuming my speculation is right -- may not look all bad.
2 comments:
Yes, I do agree that Iraq was the war of least resistance. It is driving me crazy to see all of the whining and mockery (e.g. Mission Accomplished / Nothing Accomplished bumper stickers). The W did not promise that this was going to be an easy war (War on Terrorism) he said it would be fought on many fronts(most we would never see) and that it would continue beyond our lifetimes. This is the most complicated damn war that we have ever fought and we did not start it. We are continuing a war that has been smouldering since the Crusades (thanks to aggressive Muslim invading armies and Europeans who had heretical Christian view points of "defending the faith" through the sword and not the Word.)
We are succeeding in this war. No we are not ready for parades but we are succeeding. We have such Sesame Street attention spans that we don't realize that in the large scheme things, Iraq may be in civil war but it is much changed for the better because now there is hope. With determination and longevity we will see that we are conquering a civilization of dictatorship, oppression and terrorism. We need to stick this out fervently (thus Bush needs much better PR - OK, I mean propoganda - rather than the garbage being thrown at us obsessively from the Left media) to sell this to the American people) and understand that at least now we are on the offensive which is better than just waiting impotently for the next attack (the Europeans have been doing for decades). The fact that we have truly taken this war to the enemy is remarkable for such a complicated war.
We may need to continue on to Iran, Syria (North Korea is only added in the axis of evil to be politically correct). This is a war on radical Muslim Terro-Fascism. We need to stop apologizing for this and fight it with vigor. What generations before have been so duplicitous, as we are, in their rhetoric and actions and been victorious.
Yes, I do agree that Iraq was the war of least resistance. It is driving me crazy to see all of the whining and mockery (e.g. Mission Accomplished / Nothing Accomplished bumper stickers). The W did not promise that this was going to be an easy war (War on Terrorism) he said it would be fought on many fronts(most we would never see) and that it would continue beyond our lifetimes. This is the most complicated damn war that we have ever fought and we did not start it. We are continuing a war that has been smouldering since the Crusades (thanks to aggressive Muslim invading armies and Europeans who had heretical Christian view points of "defending the faith" through the sword and not the Word.)
We are succeeding in this war. No we are not ready for parades but we are succeeding. We have such Sesame Street attention spans that we don't realize that in the large scheme things, Iraq may be in civil war but it is much changed for the better because now there is hope. With determination and longevity we will see that we are conquering a civilization of dictatorship, oppression and terrorism. We need to stick this out fervently (thus Bush needs much better PR - OK, I mean propoganda - rather than the garbage being thrown at us obsessively from the Left media) to sell this to the American people) and understand that at least now we are on the offensive which is better than just waiting impotently for the next attack (the Europeans have been doing for decades). The fact that we have truly taken this war to the enemy is remarkable for such a complicated war.
We may need to continue on to Iran, Syria (North Korea is only added in the axis of evil to be politically correct). This is a war on radical Muslim Terro-Fascism. We need to stop apologizing for this and fight it with vigor. What generations before have been so duplicitous, as we are, in their rhetoric and actions and been victorious.
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