I don't think Saddam was mentally ill. If you define him that way why then OF COURSE you can do anything to him and his country, because for goodness sake HE is a MADMAN. But, if one doesn't accept that he is a madman, if one looks at his actions, and one sees a certain rationality working in all of them, as well as a cagey sort of logic, then your argument falls apart.
I would much rather play nuclear dice with Saddam that with terrorists or countries run by theocracies. Why? Because I think Saddam was rational, and when he made mistakes, you could at least see the logic behind his mistakes. With terrorists (who really have come after the US, no "ifs" involved) and with theocracies, the rules of logic are so different, one can say they are non-existent, because we enter beliefo-world. And in beliefo-world "ifs" and speculations take on the same force as fact- and unfortunately that results in irrational actions, in the US, and anywhere else it happens.
I am glad you think the world is now a safer place. I see no reason why you would think that, but I hope at least you can rest more comfy in your little bed at night. |
