galanter wrote:(2) I didn't say the reasons I listed for taking out Saddam were Bush's reasons, nor do I believe that I am in any way forced to only choose between you and George Bush.
I understand why you still think invasion of Iraq/removal of Saddam was a good thing but it seems to neglect one important fact which is why Rick has taken to writing in big bold letters like his cousin.
The fact is this - you cannot separate the action from the intent. No matter how much you might like to.
The result of the invasion is a disaster (I'd assume you agree with that?) hundreds of thousands have been killed violently as a result of the invasion (and you're right BTW those numbers are in dispute. They were probably an underestimate) millions have been displaced and the living stadard for the ordinary Iraqi seems, from where I'm sitting pretty unbearable. This means at least from my point of view that Iraqis are not better off than they were before.
This is a result of the invasion and of the intention behind the invasion. The intention was not to make life better for Iraqis it was to grab the oil and the result (of that intention) is the current mess.
Now you can add noble intentions to justify the initial invasion and had those noble intentions been the real ones things
might have worked out very differently.
But they weren't the real intentions.
And instead we have a total mess.
I find it hard to believe you still think it was a good idea to invade.