Thoughts on Iraq

[The Great Quail]

I feel fairly neutral on the whole Iraq thread-- I mean, I would rather be
discussing "Slow Learner," but I don¹t really have much to say about
"Entropy." But since the coming war is an ongoing discussion, I though I'd
at least state my opinion.

The government of Saddam Hussein is a tyrannical, evil regime -- truly one
of the most murderous and repressive on the planet. In my heart, which is
conveniently located in a body conveniently located in an armchair, I would
love to see us wade in there like the wrath of God and yank up his poisonous
plant by the roots.

Also, I do not believe inspections will work without the immediate threat of
overwhelming violence. I believe that anyone who "trusts" either the effete
and compromised UN or Hussein himself is hopelessly naïve. The UN is a joke,
and the inspections are the punchline.
 
Additionally, I am afraid of what Hussein would do with a nuke. There's
little doubt in my mind that he would aid any enemy of the U.S. Without
hesitation. He is wealthy and smart, this attack-dog we helped create. Now,
just how close he is to having a nuke, I don't know. All I have is mediated
information, which is naturally biased and untrustworthy. But I certainly
believe in his dangerous *intentions.*

So, looks like on the surface, I'm for the war. But yet, I feel very
conflicted. Why? The problem for me is context.

First, there are numerous other unjust and murderous regimes out there; so
why select Iraq? Well, of course it's because of oil, whether directly or
indirectly, such as if Saddam Hussein becomes a bigger threat to Saudi
Arabia. Granted, this certainly falls under the category of "national
interest," but that interest itself is complicated by Big Oil Money and an
apathetic SUV-happy nation. Our leaders are untrustworthy, because they are
financially self-interested.

Of course, the war has to be placed in the context of Bush's administration,
which turns a blind eye to the Saudis -- our "real" enemy, in many ways --
and offers nearly unconditional support for any desire nested in the black
heart of Ariel Sharon. (These are typical of American politics in general,
not just Bush.) We behave like a bully in this region, and our plans for
Iraq do not help. I think we need an entirely different approach to the
Middle East; but given Big Oil, the Israeli lobby, and the incessant beating
of Bush's war drums, this is a fantasy.

Furthermore, what about al-Qaeda? Mucking about with Hussein is a
distraction, more bread and circuses to detract from the failures of the
Afghanistan campaign.

And finally, no one has yet been able to state a clear and coherent plan for
rebuilding Iraq after the Baath regime is broken. Our record hasn't been so
good lately in follow-up or nation-building.

So there's the rub -- while morally I would like to see us help out Iraq by
ridding them of this dictatorship, I know that we are not doing it for the
right reasons, nor would it play out in the context of a more justifiable
and sane Middle-East policy. And of course, what happens after the war?

So I have ambivalent feelings about this war -- I hate Bush and his cronies,
oh I hate them with a passion. Though I think some good may eventually come
of defeating Iraq, I suspect that only greater evil will eventually emerge.
In other words: right war, wrong reasons.

--Quail

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Great Quail, Keeper of the Libyrinth:
http://www.TheModernWord.com

Better hope deferred than none. Up to a point. Till the heart starts to
sicken. Company too up to a point. Better a sick heart than none. Till it
starts to break. So speaking of himself he concludes for the time being,
For the time being leave it at that.
     --Samuel Beckett, "Company"