I know, from reading the accounts since the 1991 war, that there was a lot of guilt built up in, among others, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz. They felt we should have gone to Baghdad in 91, and knew how badly the Iraqis were being treated.
Many of the accounts written later operate on 20/20 hindsight, and don’t mention the numerous and excellent reasons for not continuing on to Baghdad. With the information available at the time, it was the right decision.
Interesting how this guilt does not extend to what the Russians are doing in Chechnya while we look carefully away, or to what the Indonesians are doing in Aceh while we send them military aid. Concern for human welfare seems to motivate us to action only in cases where action is expedient for other reasons. More of a smokescreen than a motivation, as far as I can see.
"Give them money, are they grateful?
No, the're spiteful, and the're hateful,"
Spiteful/hateful might have something to do with sanctions, bombs, and occupying armies. Might not, of course, but it is a possibility. |
