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

To: Neocon who wrote (149958)	10/30/2004 11:20:44 AM
From: Michael Watkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

The point is that the current administration uses false pretext in Iraq now, much as Reagan did then. Bad policy stacked upon bad policy has resulted in the state of the region as it is now. The current administration has no morality issues killing civilians on a massive scale at least 5,000, more likely 15,000 and possibly even as many as 100,000 if the article in the esteemed British medical journal Lancet is to be believe. The Reagan administration turned a blind eye to Saddam's "weapons of mass destruction" - they weren't called that in Reagans day, perhaps reflecting the reality that WMD is a poor term for chemical weapons in the first place - and gave Saddam the full support of the United States even as Saddam gave the orders to use these weapons. THe current administration invaded Iraq even though there was no clear and present danger. All hard evidence the administration had pointed to the correct conclusion: Saddam was fearful and contained. Only the forged and factually deficient evidence pointed to Saddam being a problem. The Reagan administration (and other administrations, as well as the current administration) focussed more on satisfying America's unslaking thirst for oil, rather than instituting long term policies that would encourage nations to modernize and meet the needs of their people. The excuse always given is "strategic interest". US policies - both foreign and domestic, and actions taken past and present, have brought the Middle East to where it is now. Hindsight on Bush's grand adventure won't judge him any kinder, in my opinion.