2 comments

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  eee_eff

  1 year ago

  The failure of the Bush administration's policies in the Middle East are made very clear:
  
  First, it is quite doubtful that Ahmadinejad ever would have been elected had the Iraq war not been pursued, and thereby given rise to the anti-American sentiment that gave him the crucial boost he needed to win the election (recall that is was a very close vote)
  
  Second, even if Podhoretz were right--that Iran is hell bent on getting nukes--it is entirely conceivable that the result of the proposed bombing would only very temporarily derail their efforts--and that their efforts would be renewed and redoubled, with much wider support than they had before, once the bombing campaign were completed. And then the USA, will be more isolated than ever.
  
  The road to Iraq was the road to ruin, and now the chickens will come home to roost.
  
  The Neocons like Podhoretz are the real terrorists, proposing violent actions against democratically elected governments following international law.
  
  We should convene a WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL immediately after Bush leaves offices, and try all of those who have broken international laws in the pursuit of the War on Terror, and thereby show the international community that we are serious about our obligations under the Geneva Convention.
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  jaminus

  1 year ago

  enigma, I won't disagree with your first five paragraphs. I wouldn't classify Podhoretz as a terrorist but neocons like him have demonstrably hurt American interests by advocating disastrous policies.
  
  But a War Crimes Tribunal charging U.S. citizens with violating international law? Preposterous. Why should we cede our sovereignty to international organizations dominated by collectivist, far-left nations which have no accountability to American voters? I fully support punishing administration officials and anyone else who violated U.S. laws in prosecuting the Iraq war. But we have no obligation to prove anything to the international community. Maybe angering people in countires with radical elements is undesirable, but appeasing Europeans who probably hate us anyway will not accomplish anything. They'll trade with us regardless of our commitment to international law, and nothing we can reasonably do will change the fact that most continentalists have contempt for American values and disapprove of our lifestyle. I also have serious doubts that if we demonstrate a commitment to international laws any European nation will pony up troops or cash to help resolve the Iraq debacle.
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