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| Iraq | | Date Created: Oct 30, 2005, 11:39 PM |
I was thinking of a conversation I had with Curtis a few weeks ago today. It was about Iraq. Curtis is all about the conspiracy theory - so he believes that the whole thing is about oil. He's never served, so he really has no idea what he's talking about anyway - but he's intelligent, so he can keep the conversation lively anyway...
My take on Iraq is simple. I really don't care why we went. I don't care what the reason was, I don't care if someone falsified something in order to get us there, I don't care that they found nothing once we got there. I'm just glad we went...
Why? Because:
1) We should have taken him out when we were there liberating Kuwait. We were really bummed pulling out then, but the reality is, our job was done. We set out to liberate Kuwait, we did, and we left.
The reason why I bring this up is simple. We trained some of their young men to do some pretty serious stuff, in order that they may help us to overthrow this bad guy. When we bailed on them, they (and their families) were left to fend for themselves. Many of them, and their families, were tortured and killed. What few of them actually survived, only live to hate America and all we stand for.
10 years later - we have a seriously pissed off 24-34 year old kid who can make a bomb out of bisquick, use any weapon you put in front of him, and is ready to die just to get back at one American. Many of these kids have been mercenaries for the better part of their lives due to the training they got from us...
This is not a good situation to put your average American Soldier in - they don't know who is friend or foe out there - and they are not trained to deal with this (physically or mentally)...
We could have avoided this problem completely if we would have stayed 10 years ago, but there is good news: In 10-15 years, there will be a bunch of 24-34 years old kids who love America, have the taste of freedom, and will do anything for either...
2) I don't care that nothing was found, I know something was there (I have friends who have really screwed up kids due to what they were "sprayed with" back in the first Gulf War). We simply waited too long. Once we set in motion, we waited to long to commit. You do not give the enemy time to consider their options - EVER! We basically announced that we were going to take him out three to four months before doing it. He had plenty of time to get rid of any incriminating evidence - and to hide himself - before we mobilized anyone. That was the dumbest move I've ever seen. Never hesitate, and never let the other guy know your coming!
I know there were weapons programs in Iraq - but given three months, anyone could have gotten rid of them. Especially down in the South-Western Quarter of the country - there can be stuff there right now and we would never find it.
3) Putting a democracy in the middle east will really shake things up over there. The one thing I can say against my thought on this is that a democracy has to spring from within. You can not conquer someone and then impose a democracy - they have to have won their freedom themself. So, this form of government will not last in Iraq...
But the idea of freedom does spread. Maybe, just maybe, it will spread to surrounding countries in the region. If this can happen, not only would it stabilize the region, but it would spread. What's so good about it? In the history of man, no democracy has ever been at war with another democracy. That's what's good about spreading democracy in the middle east.
Now, look at the countries surrounding Iraq. You have Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey. Those are just the countries which border Iraq - could you imagine if the thoughts of freedom and democracy made its way into a few of these countries. Could you just imagine that for a moment? Kinda warm and fuzzy all over right now, eh?
Anyway, there is much more to this topic, but these are the main issues that seem to arise whenever I talk with people about it. Just thought I'd give my take on it - email me for your take. I love to hear from smart people - whether they agree with me or not... |
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