Would you agree that Bush had no clue about what he was doing when he invaded Iraq??

Question

The long-term consequences of the Viet Nam war are virtually negligable. Most Americans today couldn't find Viet Nam on the map.

OTOH, the long-term consequences of the Iraq war will be substantial and will likely last for generations because of Iraq's enourmous oil reserves and it's location in the middle east.

Do you think Bush fully apreciated the delicate complexity of what he was doing when he ordered the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq?

Answer 1

Sure, he had a clue, but he needed more clues before jumping to such improper conclusions. Especially troublesome is the ongoing insurgency which totally caught Bush by surprise.

On your OTOH, I absolutely disagree with you about the long term effects of the Vietnam War. Let's see how long the list can get:

Permanent distrust of government to tell the truth to us.
Vietnamese-Americans transplanted and/or adopted into the US
Our reluctance to get involved in conflicts around the globe
Injury and permanent disability of some who served

I agree that most people couldn't find Vietnam on a map. But, they can probably find several Vietnam VETERANS walking the streets of any given American city.

Answer 2

Bush does not have a clue on what he is doing in every aspect of his role as a President. He wanted to remove Saddam and used 9/11 as an excuse to go after Iraq instead of Osama. He does not have a clue about the implications of his enormous spending and huge deficit. He own company prior to being President went bankrupt. Now he is putting the US at the verge of recession. His only concern is to make his friends money with war contracts and make sure he retires wealthy.

Answer 3

I think the answer to that is revealed in how many times the goals have changed, how the number of troops needed and the time it would take to accomplish the mission... oh wait we did that...kindof, sortof... the sectarian violence was a surprise? What's the exit strategy? I remember talk about that exit strategy within a week of the invasion... haven't seen it yet. If there was a 'clue stick' in the mix, I'm guessing it was thrown long ago for the dog to fetch... and Barney didn't bring it back.

Answer 4

His own father said at the time of the first Gulf War that removing the Baathist regime would only destabilize Iraq and open the door for the jihadists. George W. Bush would not listen.

The Canadian Prime Minister declined to join us in Iraq, despite our close ties and joint efforts in Afghanistan, because he feared the creation of a power vacuum in the Middle East. George W. Bush would not listen.

He was told. He was given all the clues he needed. He chose to ignore them.

I am forced to suspect that the agenda is simply not that laid down for us, and that whatever purpose the White House intended is being served. Either that or we have the most stupid bunch of morons ever elected in charge right now.

Answer 5

First, I think ANY President of the United States, who has many well educated aides, experienced secretaries, input from top level military leaders and is privy to classified information that we will never see will naturally have a better over all picture and concept of the consequences and realities of a situation.

Secondly, Congress voted to allow President Bush to invade Iraq based on the same intelligence he had. If President Bush were such a dirty rotten scoundrel he could easily have planted a nuclear weapon in Iraq and had it "discovered" but instead chose to own up to the fact that some of the intelligence was flawed.

Lastly, we are not occupying Iraq. Iraq's democratically elected government has requested United Nations mandates and resolutions specifically REQUESTING the US led coalition to stay and assist in security and help protect the sovereignty of Iraq.

http://www.un.int/iraq/PRESS%20STATEMENT%20ON%20SECURITY%20COUNCIL%20IRAQ%20CONSULTATIONS.pdf

http://www.usip.org/library/pa/iraq/adddoc/iraq_unsc1546.html

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=16491&Cr=iraq&Cr1

http://www.uniraq.org/ici.asp


And if you think that "The long-term consequences of the Viet Nam war are virtually negligible" you should speak to some of those Vets.


Please educate yourself beyond parroted talking points and give valid proof of your claims (as I have done here) if you want to be taken seriously.

Answer 6

Educate yourself: He had every clue about what he was doing when he invaded Iraq....What does Vietnam have to do with the War on Terrorists????

After 9/11 Musharraf promised Washington that he would cut off support for such groups, including the Taliban. Early on, he authorized the arrests of several top Qaeda leaders in Pakistani cities, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind fo the 9/11 attacks, and Abu Zubaydah, a top Qaeda organizer. But Musharraf's effort have always been somewhat halfhearted, constrained by the deep sympathies that many of his countrymen have for jihadists. For decades Pakistanis were taught that the guerillas were Muslim heroes, fighting for national honor and security. Such loyalties cannot be turned off like a tap. Several of the militants' onetime spymasters, both inside and outside the government maintain links to their former charges. The security services will go after certain figures---particularly foreign Qaeda fighters--but ask others simply to lie low. Many officials even many ordinary citizens---still think the jihadists should be preserved for future use as a strategic weapon, especially against India, long after American's War on Terror is over.

The safe haven provided by Pakistan has already had dire effects on U.S. and NATO efforts to fight the resurgent Taliban next door in Afghanistan. Taliban fighters now pretty much come and go as they please inside Pakistan.

In Washington, a senior administration official involved in counterterrorism said U.S. intelligence is chronically FEARFUL that ISLAMISTS might get hold of nuclear material, equipment or know-how in Pakistan. He recalled that after 9/11, a group of rogue Pakistani nuclear scientists met with Osama Bin Laden. "Give that history, we continue to look as this issue very closely," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. It's not surprising that Pakistani authorities might give the Taliban special treatment. The country's intelligence officers and military men have maintained close personal relations with senior Taliban leaders ever sine the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980's. Western military and diplomatic officials say they doubt that Pakistan is still actively assisting Afghan insurgents---but they also don't think it's trying very hard to STOP THEM, either.

Answer 7

Probably had no clue as to the intricacies of the situation there.

Bush has started the decline of America's greatness and respect in the world.

I am relieved that I am not living in a country where there is no end in sight for the deterioration of a country socially and economically. Increasing authoritarian leadership / propaganda lapped up by Christian groups

Answer 8

For your information, President Bush didn't invade anything, President Bush sent the US Military into Iraq based on authorization from congress.

Hillary and the majority of democrats in congress said "Yes" on the bill authorizing force against Iraq.

What was the question again?

Answer 9

Well first, there is no occupation of Iraq.

The US is in Iraq as part of a UN authorized multinational force.

The occupation officially ended in June 2003.

As to whether Bush knew how Iraq was gonna turn out, who can say.

There have been alot of mistakes made along the way.

Paul Bremmer being the biggest mistake.

Almost all the problems in Iraq, can be linked to decisions that Paul Bremmer made.

We won't know the consequences of Iraq, for a decade at least.

Answer 10

Just because he had a way to get out of Vietnam, he thought he could try in Iraq