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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (69118)	1/27/2003 1:49:42 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

John, what struck me when I read this article is the lack of attention given by the media toward human rights violations in Iraq. Where is our humanity, if we do nothing, and allow this tyrant more time to kill. Shouldn't the innocent people of Iraq, suffering under these barbaric acts, be part of the equation to invade as well? I agree. And, if that happens because of an invasion, we should be grateful. However, other things will happen that will balance that good. An unpredictable number of troops from the US and their allies will die or be badly injured; an unpredictable number of Iraqis as well. And the world will be less safe from terror because the invasion will, without a doubt, increase recruitment for Al Q and similar groups. In addition, most commentators on Iraq have noted the near certainty of civil war, a settling of scores, after the invasion. A good many folk will die in that as well. In thinking about an invasion, one needs to "resolve" those contrasting things in one's own mind. Also since recent Republican administrations are not noted for their support for human rights campaigns, it makes the reasoning, when it comes from them, more than a little hypocritical. More like just trying to find a reason to get public support for an invasion that has other aims/goals. I've often typed that the reasons for an invasion are, at least to me, critical to how the US will manage the aftermath. This particular one doesn't strike me that way. Whatever the reasons for the invasion--getting rid of wmd, ties to terrorism, more stable global oil markets, revenge for pop, whatever, your point holds. With one exception. I have no doubt that the administration put in place after the invasion will not be a democracy, some form of military government with an Iraqi official with some degree of authority. If that regime begins a score settling operation or condones one or starts its own cycle of repression, then this will be for naught. Not a reason not to invade; but certainly a reason to watch the outcomes.