March 20, 2003

  • As you watch the war on TV, keep in mind that freeing the Iraqi people from the oppressive rule of Saddam Hussein is merely a positive side-effect of the real reason we’re there.

    Well, not exactly. Getting rid of Hussein is a reason to be there, as is helping the Iraqis. But to read this, you might think the hawks in the administration have been looking for any justifiable reason to get their hooks in the strategic and economic benefit of an occupation of Iraq.

    Is it about the oil? Well, of course. But just invading for the oil alone is a losing proposition, and the hawks in the administration understand this. That’s how they can say it’s not about the oil with a straight face; you asked the wrong question, stupid.

    Iraq’s oil is imporant, as is the strategic location bordering Iran and Saudi Arabia, as is the fresh water supply. Any of these things, taken alone, is not a good reason to invade and occupy Iraq. But put them together and it’s worth it, particularly when there’s enough sentiment against Hussein to be able to get away with it.

    I got started writing this ‘blog because I got started reading this article on Salon. It’s a ‘premium’ article, but you can look at some advertising and read the whole thing.

    The article is an interview with John Brady Kiesling, a political advisor in the US Embassy to Greece, who resigned recently because he couldn’t live with himself trying to justify US policy to the Greeks. It’s worth reading if you care about how difficult it has been to keep allies, thanks to the actions of the administration.

    And it contains this:

    Why do you think Bush is pursuing this war?

    I’m frankly at a loss. I think he feels an incredible moral responsibility not to have another 9/11 happen again. Since he is not intellectually equipped to understand why such a huge part of the world could have these negative feelings about us, he’s looking for a simple answer; and I think he’s been manipulated by his Cabinet.

    Even as the bombs are being dropped, I can’t allow myself to see it. I could go to CNN.com and look, but it’d be like watching a snuff video. Because that’s what it is. So I’m here thinking about policy and power.

Comments (7)

  • American commercial media/ journalism is propaganda. Turn off the “boob tube” Peace, Love and Hope…

  • bush being manipulated by his cabinet is a little like saying clinton was manipulated by lewinsky.  it just dont add up.

    otherwise, enjoyed the political fare.

    dickcarter, hippie

  • That quote is out of context. Kiesling makes the point that Bush has lots of opinions coming his way, but that he chooses to listen to the hawks while tuning out the less hawkish members of this cabinet.

  • Hmmm…I dunno…. SO you don’t think he was sincere when he sided with Powell who wanted to try they UN route first, instead of Cheney who was ready to go right to war?

    All in all, they seem to be taking care to avoid civilian casualties where and when possible. According to the embeded reporters the troop commanders are strongly enforcing to their units that “the Iraqi civilians aren’t our enemies”. The Iraqi army conscripts seem to be taking advantage of opportunities to surrender. Iraqi civilians in the captured Basra, Safwan and Umm Qasr have seemingly been very happy to see the troops. US/UK are apparently talking over a proposal for a UN body to oversee Iraqi oil resources in the rebuilding phase. Hopefully this will all be over relatively quickly. I think when Saddam and the Ba’th party are gone and the Iraqi’s are able to get on with their lives in a free society that this will create the best situation for everyone.

  • ooops…forgot the props. :)

  • Bush sided with the hawks (including Cheney) early on. That’s when we heard the initial rhetoric about ‘regime change.’ It was only after it wasn’t going to work that the Powell fall-back plan of going to the UN about weapons inspections even began to get serious discussion.

    (Remember when we heard from Ari Fleischer that ‘regime change’ now meant that the regime should change?)

  • Oh, and the first I’d heard of the UN overseeing Iraqi oil resources was Blair’s speech just as the fighting started. I bet that was a make-or-break change of plan that came about when they met in Spain.

    And… I’m not holding my breath waiting for a free Iraq. Look at Afghanistan for a US success story in that regard.

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