Former Vice President Cheney Says He’s Worried About Stability In Iraq After US forces Leave

by Bangalore 43 Replies latest jw friends

  • Justitia Themis
    Justitia Themis

    Iran is gunning for Israel.

    I must disagree with that statement. Iran wants to be left alone. Shortly after the US invaded Iraq, the Iranians sent the "Grand Bargain" fax to the US through the Swiss Embassy in which they offered all sorts of concessions (including recognizing Israel) in exchange for being left alone.

    Bush/Cheney thought they were too cool, so they didn't even respond. As a result of their non-response, the Iranian moderates who were in power at the time were purged (some literally), and this led to the rise of the fundamentalists and Ahmajinedad's election.

    I learned of this in an under-graduate polysci course, but a very good recap of the situation can be found here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/showdown/themes/grandbargain.html

    For more information on how Iran has repeatedly tried to work with this US, only to be rebuffed: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/showdown/

    Think about that. But for Bush/Cheney, we would likely have normal relations with Iran and the moderates would have increased in power and implemented even more changes.

    Most Iranians, including American Iranians who go home every year to visit, will tell you that they have long expected that the US would manufacture a reason to invade. I posted a few months ago that I was concerned that Obama would try to manufacture a reason to invade Iran because he will need to do something with all the returning soldiers.

  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    I like what Powell said about IRAQ to Bush. If you break it you own it. Well thanks to that ignored advice, we now "own" the lives and lost limbs of plenty of servicemen & the lives of those killed in IRAQ.

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    The many lives lost and the many service personal who were permanently maimed for the rest of their lives

    sits on the shoulders of George Bush and Dick Cheney.

    Not to mention the trillion dollars $$$ that war cost the American people.

    All for a war that wasn't really necessary , Dick and Dubah Goofed !

    The recent comment by Dick was a post lame attempt to support his and Dubah's decision to go to war in the first place.

    The statistics for the Iraqi people are even more appalling.

    SourceCasualtiesTime period
    Iraq Family Health Survey151,000 deathsMarch 2003 to June 2006
    Lancet survey601,027 violent deaths out of 654,965 excess deathsMarch 2003 to June 2006
    Opinion Research Business survey1,033,000 deaths as a result of the conflictMarch 2003 to August 2007
    Associated Press110,600 deathsMarch 2003 to April 2009
    Iraq Body Count project103,536 — 113,125 civilian deaths as a result of the conflict. Over 150,726 civilian and combatant deaths [1]March 2003 to October 2011
    WikiLeaks. Classified Iraq war logs [1] [2] [3] [4]109,032 deaths including 66,081 civilian deaths. [5] [6]January 2004 to December 2009

    Could Saddam Husein done that much damage to the Iraqi people over the length of time of the war ?

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    The other sad story to this....

    As of May 28, 2010, there were 4,404 dead and 31,827 wounded in action US service personal .

  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    As the servicemen return and mix back in with their old lives, we will see the unfortunate result of this particular war. Lots of amputees. Seeing more amputees in the general public will remind us of this completely capitalistic war for oil.

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    As far as Iran becoming a potential threat to the region, I think not.

    Even if they developed nuclear weaponry, secretively or not.

    Every nation in the middle east, including Iran knows that the US and other leading nations would quickly intervene.

    Political leaders in that area of the world can and will at times makes spurious threats from time to time but they know

    whose controlling the region and it really isn't them.

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    Cheney would invade Iraq, again, knowing what we now know, if he could go back in time. This pretty much invalidates his opinions, IMHO.

    That says it as well as it can be said, my friend.

  • designs
    designs

    7:45AM The last US Troops leave Iraq and cross the Border into Kuwait.

    You want to cheer and cry at the same time.

  • Bangalore
  • AGuest
    AGuest

    Thank you for those links, dear JT (peace to you!). Unfortunately, the two interviews that stood out to me the most were that of John Bolton (whose assessment I believe is accurate), and Mohammed Ali Abtahi (who was the Iranian Veep at the time). Don't get me wrong - I would NEVER be a cheerleader for Bush/Cheney policy/reactions to most anything that occurred in that region during their administration. NEVER. However, there is something occurring in Iran that has been for some time... and will reveal itself in due time. It will not be "successful", from an Iranian standpoint, but it will catapault the world into... well, let's just say, the "next phase."

    As far as Iran becoming a potential threat to the region, I think not. Even if they developed nuclear weaponry, secretively or not.

    Again, Mr. Bolton's words as to how long Iran nuclear program has been in existence... and how much technology, etc., they've developed i that time might lend themselves to some understanding on that, dear TTO (peace to you, as well!). And, again, they now have more recent... and much more advanced (supposedly, the highest in the U.S.) in their hands. Yes, I know: "reports say" the drone "had to be utterly destroyed." Okay...

    Every nation in the middle east, including Iran knows that the US and other leading nations

    would quickly intervene.

    If they could, yes. I'm not sure they're going to be able to, though. As I stated:

    "[Iran] will go through Iraq... the US... England... and perhaps even Russia... to do it. Not know (sic - I meant, "not now"). They're not fully "readly" (sic, again, - I meant "fully ready"). Maybe within the next, say, 7-10 years, though, as they're getting closer."

    The U.S. maybe just handed them "closer." Look (sound like Obama, don't I? Sorry! - LOLOL!)... I'm not for/against Iran, the U.S., or anyone, here. I'm just sharing a... ummmm... "viewpoint," let's say. I have absolutely no control over it; none of us do. It is what it is... and in this matter what will be WILL be. It was set in motion long before any of US were eggs in our respective mothers' ovaries... and they in their mothers'. All I can suggest is that perhaps the words "four winds" may make some sense of it to you; perhaps not. Doesn't matter, really.

    But as for the U.S. and other nations "quickly intervening," all I can say is "the best laid plans... of mice... and men."

    Again, peace to you all. Now... and then.

    A slave of Christ,

    SA

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