No, we went to war attempting to limit death and destruction, with as much use of precision weaponry as possible.
The garbage trucks used to run in Iraq, prior to Iraq War II. The electricity used to work in Iraq, albeit sporadically, prior to Iraq War II. Health care was universal in Iraq - children could get their immunizations for fee, prior to Iraq War II. People would walk the streets and drive their cars without fear of being shot or blown up.
The water plants and sewage were on and off again, but that's largely thanks to US bombing. Bush I, Clinton and Bush II kept these attacks up on infrastructure to destabilize Iraq, yet somehow the Iraqi's managed, more or less.
It wasn't a perfect society, that is for certain, as it was run by a dictator, but by all reports the average Iraqi is in more danger post spring 2003 than they were before.
Iraq wasn't threatening anyone at the time, but the same war drums that beat before the invasion of Iraq have started up again, this time with Iran in their sights.
With any luck, given how stretched the military is, and the budget, both sides will find a way to stand down but since sensible action is not a hall mark of the Bush administration, I don't hold my breath.
If I were an Iranian planner I would not be holding my breath either. |
