dagblog - Comments for "Bacevich's Credulous Take on Iraq War"

We can only win the goodwill

Aaron Carine — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 23:19:43 +0000

We can only win the goodwill of the jihadists by doing things I don't think we should do--in fact, I suspect that if we gave them everything they are demanding, they would come up with a new list of demands.

Well, I still don't think it is likely that Bush II was more beholden to the oil industry than his father was. Dick Cheney, who some think was the real president from 2001-2008, was in the first Bush administration, but he wasn't advocating an occupation of Iraq back in 1991.

I think Bacevich is very

Donal — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 23:17:29 +0000

In reply to And that could go either way.

I think Bacevich is very bright, but he does write about misapplication of military force as if the ptb are simply making lots of boo-boos.

And that could go either way.

EmmaZahn — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 22:55:57 +0000

In reply to They learn new things.

And that could go either way. It could change or reinforce ones' outlook.

I reread the article and the main criticism which seems to be that Bacevich does not get that sowing chaos is a feature and not a bug for some of the powers that be who make the decisions to use military force. I think he does get it based on this article that specifically argues against doing that plus others I have read by him; however, unlike his critics he does not believe it of all the powers that be. Given that he has more access to some of those in the military, I tend to think he is right about that. It is they and others in Washington who may share his doubts who are his target audience. His own criticisms of what is happening would lose influence if he joined the chorus of his critics in damning all ptbs.

There, how's that?

If you kick him out now, then

Verified Atheist — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:49:17 +0000

In reply to Wow, uh, of course no one

If you kick him out now, then all of that money you spent over the last 12 years will have been in vain.

Wow, uh, of course no one

Anonymous PP — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 21:40:40 +0000

In reply to I think the war with Al Qaeda

Wow, uh, of course no one knew - Bush had done such a bangup wonderful job at everything up through August 2001 - who knew we'd approach the war in a completely incompetent and unfocused fashion except for contracts for Halliburton and a springboard for Iraq? Completely unprecedented.

But you know we didn't need to occupy the country for 12 years to keep Al Qaeda in check at a cost of $8 billion a month. Think if we spent that much on Muslim education and helping create industry we might get more good will and fewer killed then sending them a steady message of drones and bombing Iran into a glass parking lot and Axis of Evil?

You know I invited someone over for dinner and they ended up sleeping on my couch - for the next 12 years. Guess it was worth it, we had a nice conversation once or twice, and I couldn't really ask him to leave - once I issued the invite, well, inch'allah... unavoidable.

They learn new things.

Donal — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:39:39 +0000

In reply to Was I supposed to? Were

They learn new things.

Was I supposed to? Were

EmmaZahn — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:17:17 +0000

In reply to Was that supposed to convince

Was I supposed to? Were you?

How does someone get past who they are?

Was that supposed to convince

Donal — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:22:28 +0000

In reply to As if he (or anyone else)

Was that supposed to convince me of something?

The 'first Bush' had a lot

NCD — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 19:21:24 +0000

In reply to I myself think that oil was

The 'first Bush' had a lot more real world experience (CIA, actual combat in WW2 etc).

Junior was a draft dodging drunk, who had failed at everything he had ever done (Harken and Arbusto Energy, later called 'El Busto') with sociopathic delusions of War President grandeur.

In addition he was putty in the hands of American war profiteers and big oil. Shades of Texan LBJ and the Vietnam war, although the war profiteers didn't have to off Gore to get their war, the Supreme Court did it for them.

Cheney, Rummy and the neo-cons went so far as to think they could take over Iraq and then put their guy Chalabi in charge.

Bacevich opposed going into

EmmaZahn — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 16:08:48 +0000

In reply to I know his son died in

Bacevich opposed going into Iraq before, during and after the fact, as did others with military background both active and inactive. Remember Shinseki saying it would require half a million troops to accomplish the public rationale for invading?