Fisking Bill Bradley On The War

by John Hawkins | February 3, 2003 1:05 am

Fisking Bill Bradley On The War:[1] Former Presidential candidate Bill Bradley has penned an editorial[2] saying that George Bush hasn’t made the case for invading Iraq. I took a look at what Mr. Bradley had to say and wrote out a point by point response…

The State of the Union address was President Bush’s opportunity to make the case for a unilateral invasion of Iraq. He failed to do so in a convincing manner. How we get rid of Saddam Hussein is as important in the long run as just getting rid of him. If we do it the wrong way, our action could seriously damage larger national interests.

Among the speech’s failings:

1. The president did not demonstrate that a unilateral U.S. invasion of Iraq will help in the fight against the ongoing, more serious, distributed threat of worldwide terrorism. To the contrary, it could well become a giant recruiting vehicle for al Qaeda and its imitators. Young Muslims around the world will see U.S. action without U.N. approval as neocolonialist, motivated more by a desire for Iraqi oil than Iraqi freedom. Many could become terrorists, striking at Americans anywhere in the world. If Americans are safe abroad only when they’re accompanied by bodyguards, it will be difficult, among other things, for the United States to succeed in the world economy.

If we don’t go after the regimes that actively support terrorist organizations, then we may as well quit the war on terrorism now, declare ourselves the losers, and sit back and wait for DC and NYC to disappear under mushroom clouds. The money, the training, the intelligence info, and the protection that rogue states give to terrorist organizations are what make them so effective. For example, Al Qaeda could not have pulled off 9/11 without their safe haven in Afghanistan where they were shielded from attack and given time to plan and a place for recruits to go and receive training. Invading Iraq not only removes one regime that supports terrorism, it sends a powerful message to other rogue regimes about the consequences of supporting terrorism. Two of those regimes, Syria & Iran, border Iraq which means that a large number of US forces would be in striking distance of their nations after an Iraqi invasion. That in and of itself could be a powerful motivator for these regimes. Obviously that isn’t something the President wants to go into detail about BEFORE we go into Iraq. (Cont)

Endnotes:
  1. Fisking Bill Bradley On The War:: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/john/bradley.php
  2. penned an editorial: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13479-2003Feb2.html

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