Barack vs. MCCain - Does it make a difference?
Last week in the latest burst of sniping, McCain apparently wanted to inform Obama that Al Qaeda is in Iraq, in response to Obama's statement that he would support more troops in Iraq if Al Qaeda were there. To which Obama shot back that Al Qaeda had not been in Iraq 4 years ago when it was invaded by the US.
I've long maintained that Al Qaeda's biggest recruiting agent is George Bush (what does he, get a commission for every convert to the cause?) especially after the terribly wrong-headed invasion of Iraq on the flimsiest of excuses. It has only resulted in more fear and resentment of America among Muslims and Muslim countries everywhere, and has turned a relatively secular country into a hardline religiously oriented one, and in neither Afghanistan nor Iraq has democracy been credibly established. Moreover, Vietnam should be proof that an organised army cannot win against guerilla tactics - there's simply no point to continuing the war in Iraq except as a 'save face' exercise by the Republicans.
Despite all of this, neither democrats nor republicans are publicly willing to call off the war due to the extremely jingoistic atmosphere that Bush successfully managed to create in which 'If you're not for us, you're against us' became the war cry. As a result, Obama is willing to send out 10000 more troops to Afghanistan to 'win' back whatever territory they have now lost to the Al Qaeda side. And nobody is seriously discussing pulling out of Iraq, which now has become one of those hideously quick-sand type situations - is it more dangerous to stay in or pull out? Either way, the world has become a much more dangerous, insecure and polarized place since the day Dubya started war-mongering.
I've long maintained that Al Qaeda's biggest recruiting agent is George Bush (what does he, get a commission for every convert to the cause?) especially after the terribly wrong-headed invasion of Iraq on the flimsiest of excuses. It has only resulted in more fear and resentment of America among Muslims and Muslim countries everywhere, and has turned a relatively secular country into a hardline religiously oriented one, and in neither Afghanistan nor Iraq has democracy been credibly established. Moreover, Vietnam should be proof that an organised army cannot win against guerilla tactics - there's simply no point to continuing the war in Iraq except as a 'save face' exercise by the Republicans.
Despite all of this, neither democrats nor republicans are publicly willing to call off the war due to the extremely jingoistic atmosphere that Bush successfully managed to create in which 'If you're not for us, you're against us' became the war cry. As a result, Obama is willing to send out 10000 more troops to Afghanistan to 'win' back whatever territory they have now lost to the Al Qaeda side. And nobody is seriously discussing pulling out of Iraq, which now has become one of those hideously quick-sand type situations - is it more dangerous to stay in or pull out? Either way, the world has become a much more dangerous, insecure and polarized place since the day Dubya started war-mongering.
Comments
Now even Clinton is trying hard to cover her bases.She went on to state that the one thing that she truly regrets is having voted for sending troops to Iraq.
Whatever.
And anyway, George Bush went into Iraq for one simple reason: oil.
I voted against him at every opportunity (in fact, a majority of Americans did) but money makes the US go around. Bush has created a mess which is going to be very difficult for anyone to clean up. I'll vote for Obama just because he had the good sense to vote not to go into Iraq in the first place.
I just hope whoever is the next US president tries to resolve the situation to the extent possible.
memsaab - I know - the US elections were really shocking, with the way registered voters weren't allowed to vote. I agree with you on why Iraq, but I think an added reason may have been the simple wish to take revenge on someone who 'defeated his daddy' - what do you think?
I think Barack's being voted in, if it happens, will send out a good signal, given he's half muslim, but the election is a real toss-up at this point.
Whenever I hear the candidates talk about Al Qaeda and Iraq in the Presidential debates, I wonder why they never address the reasons behind the conflict, never admit that America played a part in making some of these people terrorists in the first place.
I've no sympathy for terrorists, but I believe in finding out what makes them tick.