NationStates Jolt Archive

I have been thinking recently about this. I think Bush had great foresight but no strategic sense as to how he had to handle it.

Please consider the following:
-9/11 gave Bush an excuse to go into Afghanistan along with other NATO nations and put troops in their.
-The WMD that couldn't be found was the excuse for invading Iraq with a couple hundred thousand troops in Iraq
-These two operations require a large amount of naval and air support. Dozens of warships are in the persian gulf.
-What lies smack dab between the troops in Afghanistan, the troops in Iraq, and the vast fleet in the Persian Gulf? Iran
-Who does bush consider to be the greatest threat to America? Iran

I have been thinking recently about this. I think Bush had great foresight but no strategic sense as to how he had to handle it.

Please consider the following:
-9/11 gave Bush an excuse to go into Afghanistan along with other NATO nations and put troops in their.
-The WMD that couldn't be found was the excuse for invading Iraq with a couple hundred thousand troops in Iraq
-These two operations require a large amount of naval and air support. Dozens of warships are in the persian gulf.
-What lies smack dab between the troops in Afghanistan, the troops in Iraq, and the vast fleet in the Persian Gulf? Iran
-Who does bush consider to be the greatest threat to America? Iran

I think I speak for more than just me when I say, huh?

You may not be far off, I suspect your final conclusion is - I'd say oil and Israel, though Israel may be a useful ally in the region for the first, although ostensibly it would be the protection of Saudi Arabia as well.

Possibly due to 9/11 but I'd be inclined to think it's something to do with the deal made between Saudi Arabia and the US after '73, the position of the US in SA had clearly become untenable. One might think continued presence by the US would destabilise the ruling family but that just doesn't seem enough to warrant full departure.

The US could not afford to have no troops in the area, if only to protect oil and so I think a conclusion of neo-con strategy, which was for the US to be a moral guide and stabilising force in the world after the collapse of the USSR, Iraq simply became the most obvious target.

I'm not entirely sure GWB wasn't genuine in thinking he would bring democracy to Iraq and so follows the region but there were certainly a great deal of side benefits. Even if I grant the benefit of doubt to GWB, too many others, I'm sure, placed the ensuing profit first.

However, that there was some theoretical overriding strategy doesn't mean the strategy was smart.

I have been thinking recently about this. I think Bush had great foresight but no strategic sense as to how he had to handle it.

Please consider the following:
-9/11 gave Bush an excuse to go into Afghanistan along with other NATO nations and put troops in their.
-The WMD that couldn't be found was the excuse for invading Iraq with a couple hundred thousand troops in Iraq
-These two operations require a large amount of naval and air support. Dozens of warships are in the persian gulf.
-What lies smack dab between the troops in Afghanistan, the troops in Iraq, and the vast fleet in the Persian Gulf? Iran
-Who does bush consider to be the greatest threat to America? Iran

Xanatos would be proud

:)

I think it just sortof happened like most things rather than some elaborate plan that has been executed perfectly

also why on Earth would you occupy Afghanistan and Iraq if you want to attack Iran? (seriously thats like invading Egypt to attack Israel :p)

Do any of us really believe that if you gave Dubya an outline map of the world and a little flag he would even be able to pin it on Iran...or Iraq...or possibly even Canada?

Do any of us really believe that if you gave Dubya an outline map of the world and a little flag he would even be able to pin it on Iran...or Iraq...or possibly even Canada?

I think if you came at Bush with a sharp Iranian flag you would be sent to gitmo if your lucky :p

I have been thinking recently about this. I think Bush had great foresight but no strategic sense as to how he had to handle it.

Please consider the following:
-9/11 gave Bush an excuse to go into Afghanistan along with other NATO nations and put troops in their.
-The WMD that couldn't be found was the excuse for invading Iraq with a couple hundred thousand troops in Iraq
-These two operations require a large amount of naval and air support. Dozens of warships are in the persian gulf.
-What lies smack dab between the troops in Afghanistan, the troops in Iraq, and the vast fleet in the Persian Gulf? Iran
-Who does bush consider to be the greatest threat to America? Iran

And people say Bush is stupid. Try thinking harder.

And people say Bush is stupid. Try thinking harder.

its your fault the kids of today are hardly thinking :p

its your fault the kids of today are hardly thinking :p

True, but I am raising three thinkers of my own and my hands are full. Could someone else please pick up my slack?

I'm trying to figure out how long it will take people to get over the "there were no WMDs!" argument. Reports show Hussein was stockpiling the resources, had the facilities to make chemical weapons and even had the scientists who had the abilities. (Which is amazing, coming from a country who's primary form of writing is what we call 'scribbling.')

Clinton possessed intelligence that led him to believe Hussein had WMDs, but as his balls were already in a fat Jew's mouth, he didn't have use of them to do the right thing. (Then again, "doing the right thing" was never the strongpoint of the Democratic party. see: Chappaquiddick, NAMBLA, Affirmative Action, Most of the Clinton Administration.)

I'm hoping we attack Iran next. It's possible Israel will get around to it first given their recent threats to Iran and Achmedinejad's grandstanding, but I can always dream.

True, but I am raising three thinkers of my own and my hands are full.

you have 3 hands?!

I'm trying to figure out how long it will take people to get over the "there were no WMDs!" argument. Reports show Hussein was stockpiling the resources, had the facilities to make chemical weapons and even had the scientists who had the abilities. (Which is amazing, coming from a country who's primary form of writing is what we call 'scribbling.')

its a good thing you have a source to back this all up :)

And of course this has nothing to do with the fact that Hussein tried to have his "daddy" assassinated. A thing he made a point of reiterating before we went into Iraq.
Or that his father also invaded Iraq.

Personal motivations trump long term planning, though I am sure oil and Isreal did not hurt in the planning.

Bush's Foresight? Your more likely to find blinker fliud.

(seriously thats like invading Egypt to attack Israel :p)
The Fifth Crusade actually did that. It was a horrendous failure. The Seventh Crusade repeated the strategy, all the way down to the horrendous failure.

I'm trying to figure out how long it will take people to get over the "there were no WMDs!" argument. Reports show Hussein was stockpiling the resources, had the facilities to make chemical weapons and even had the scientists who had the abilities. (Which is amazing, coming from a country who's primary form of writing is what we call 'scribbling.')

Clinton possessed intelligence that led him to believe Hussein had WMDs, but as his balls were already in a fat Jew's mouth, he didn't have use of them to do the right thing. (Then again, "doing the right thing" was never the strongpoint of the Democratic party. see: Chappaquiddick, NAMBLA, Affirmative Action, Most of the Clinton Administration.)

I'm hoping we attack Iran next. It's possible Israel will get around to it first given their recent threats to Iran and Achmedinejad's grandstanding, but I can always dream.


George W. has an account here?

I think it just sortof happened like most things rather than some elaborate plan that has been executed perfectly

also why on Earth would you occupy Afghanistan and Iraq if you want to attack Iran? (seriously thats like invading Egypt to attack Israel :p)

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It hasn't been executed perfectly. If it had, Iraq and Afghanistan would be stable naitons and close allies of ours.

As for WMD....I think there was WMD in Iraq. Sadam used it in the mid 90's against the Kurds. We know that. You think he would give up his whole stockpile because it was the right thing to do.

I have been thinking recently about this. I think Bush had great foresight but no strategic sense as to how he had to handle it.
I doubt Bush himself did. That the Old Guard did, aye.

It hasn't been executed perfectly. If it had, Iraq and Afghanistan would be stable naitons and close allies of ours.
Why even bother, though? The Persians and the Iraqis hate each other Very Much, and Afghanistan is useless territory for, well... anything...

And of course this has nothing to do with the fact that Hussein tried to have his "daddy" assassinated. A thing he made a point of reiterating before we went into Iraq.
Or that his father also invaded Iraq.

Does it matter that his "daddy" was a President? I would imagine plotting to assassinate our President would be considered a Bad Thing. I don't see how Bush Sr. invading Iraq has anything to do with us going in again other than Bush Sr. allowing other interests to supercede our own and not taking Saddam out then.

But you are right, this had nothing to do with us invading Iraq.