Comments on: Has the Iraq War Made Us Safer?

By: nepas

nepas — Sat, 17 Jul 2004 18:26:49 +0000

eye rolling bob, thanks for providing the answer. as you say, we've progressed from having (u.n.)planes shot at most days to having u.s. troops killed every day. and bin-laden still thrives. safer. sadly, no.

By: L-Shuffle

L-Shuffle — Sat, 17 Jul 2004 13:24:46 +0000

James posted this article immediately after one that claims Bin-Laden intends to kill 4 million of us? Doesn't that answer the question of whether we're safer?

La Femme: Changing your name but continuing to make the same simple-minded points doesn't really conceal your identity. As for your potshot at Clinton -- he started with nothing and became president. You... You post notes in blogland. Maybe he did just a bit better than you...?

By: bryan

bryan — Sat, 17 Jul 2004 05:01:38 +0000

How are we defining safer? Clearly, terrorists have been occupied elsewhere such that a major attack in the U.S. hasn't occurred since 9/11. Our level of alert is much higher than it was. Are "moderate" arabs being radicalized? Hmmm. That's a good question. Got some hard data? It is hard to imagine a case where "the peaceful world" (i.e., France and Germany) would have ever agreed to go to war beyond afghanistan. Are we safer? Again, what do we mean by "safer"? And can such a word adequately be "operationalized" to give us a true reading?

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 22:32:56 +0000

Uh, it was a truce, not a peace treaty. And of course, having planes shot at most days doesn't at all resemble a war already in progress. *Eyes rolling*...

Bob

By: Phlegma weblog

Phlegma weblog — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 20:46:37 +0000

Has the Iraq War made the World a safer place?
Hardly, if you ask me. But James Joyner at OTB has an extensive post on this. Read it.

By: Graham Lester

Graham Lester — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 18:37:05 +0000

You know you're in deep trouble when someone as smart as Condoleezza Rice has trouble making a solid argument. Notice how she follows "Our efforts in Iraq have been critical to success in the global war on terror" with remarks about a bunch of other countries but not Iraq.

Fact is neither Dr. Rice nor anyone else knows how this is going to play out.

By: 1MaNLan

1MaNLan — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 18:19:45 +0000

Lets see... Are we safer yet? Let's think about it. Arab moderates across the middle East have become radicalized. In Iraq, Kurds, who are reportedly being armed and trained by Israelis, are pushing for Kurdistan. Turks and Sistani Shiites are threatening that this must not happen, or else. Sunnis are feeling disenfranchised and are demanding equal say in whatever government emerges, or else. Continued Chaos, and perhaps Civil War and failed State syndrome, in a nation with the second biggest oil reserves is going to send shock waves through the world for many years to come. Alaawi, and ex Baathist thug who later became a CIA thug may be implicated in a bombing campaign that killed children in the early 90's. He now is talking about accomplishing what the Americans could not, even though he hasn't enough police and paramilitary after the Americans gutted the military after the invasion.
Foreign Nationals, who are the oil experts in Saudi Arabia, are leaving due to increasing security fears while the apparatus of Sate is slow to repsond. the leaders there are involved in infighting, which undermines their ability to deal with the problem. Given the razor thin surplus production capacity there, the threat to world oil supply has increased markedly.
Despite earlier "mistakes" in naming a clear decrease in terrorist acts, The US government has been forced to acknowledge that terrorist acts worldwide have actually sharply risen since 9/11. American credibility and leadership has been undermined by False claims about WMD, by the still unfolding torture scandal and by incestuous and self serving connections of admin members to the energy industry and of NeoCon ties to Likud. The US citizenry is increasing polarized and angry. Our military has been strained beyond its means and we are unprepared for other major conflicts, should they arise.
On the other hand, just to name positives, some schools are being painted in Iraq and troops are giving out soccer balls to Iraqi kids in some areas.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 17:19:41 +0000

Mired in the Balkans? We now have two permanent bases there - when they drill wells were staying - part of a larger move into other parts of Europe. We could pull out at anytime but why would we? I think we just requested to be able to keep the airbase in Bosnia after the UN pulls out.
I agree the UN is worthless when it comes to military ops but I don't think the Balkans missions were conducted incorrectly. Good job Clark - you actually did some planning and accomplished the mission.

By: La Femme Crickita

La Femme Crickita — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 17:02:53 +0000

Of course, Dubya did this without UN approval.
FOR THAT ALONE the man ought to be re elected.
Clinton, the boondoggle bubba, still has
us mired in the Balkans, with the UN micro
managing it to dust. Just what DID Wesley
Clark DO there?