Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please do not forget to mix oil in the ratio.
Please cite a source for that claim.
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Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
231–240 of 356 posts
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#232Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yea, I've been seeing this more and more on what seem from the outside like fairly innocuous vides and was yesterday accomanied by a prompt on my mobile that I 'need' to add my age. Nope. Go away, Google.
This was mandated legally by the European Union for videos that are not suitable for minors. (I assume this one contains gore or something like that? I haven't watched it)
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Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#233I'm amazed at how many people still see the Iraq and Afghanistan interventions as correct moves. Just last week I was having a friendly mostly non-political conversation with two of my coworkers and then the topic verged to the military and then to the Iraq wars. (For context, I'm Canadian and they're both US ex-pats in Canada.) Both had the opinion, still, that the Iraq war was the correct move at the time. But coul…
The original justification famously turned out to be complete nonsense, but Iraqi citizens are better off today than they were in 2002. That came with a huge cost, mostly born by Iraqi citizens, but it is true.
I'd like to hear that claim (better off today) confirmed by an Iraqi, or a statistically significant % of them, before I accept it.
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#234I'm amazed at how many people still see the Iraq and Afghanistan interventions as correct moves. Just last week I was having a friendly mostly non-political conversation with two of my coworkers and then the topic verged to the military and then to the Iraq wars. (For context, I'm Canadian and they're both US ex-pats in Canada.) Both had the opinion, still, that the Iraq war was the correct move at the time. But coul…
The initial Iraq invasion was to enforce Kuwaiti sovereignty and stop Saddam's unilateral aggression which was destabilizing the region. We tried bribing him with aid, but he still invaded, so the U.S. kept true to their promise to enforce agreements. The U.S. helped a small country and protected its image. The second Iraq war may or may not have been WMD based, but Saddam slaughtered hundreds of thousands of mostly…
I think this is a very fair answer. Additionally, the Clinton admin bombed Iraq for four days in 1998, the same year the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal broke.
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#235Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please do not forget to mix oil in the ratio.
Please cite a source for that claim.
“Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance, largely finance the reconstruction of their own country. And I have no doubt that they will.”
Richard Perle, chair The Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board July 11, 2002
https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/who-said-war-would...
"Iraq remains a destabilising influence to... the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East. Saddam Hussein has also demonstrated a willingness to threaten to use the oil weapon and to use his own export programme to manipulate oil markets. This would display his personal power, enhance his image as a pan-Arab leader... and pressure others for a lifting of economic sanctions against his regime. The United States should conduct an immediate policy review toward Iraq including military, energy, economic and political/diplomatic assessments. The United States should then develop an integrated strategy with key allies in Europe and Asia, and with key countries in the Middle East, to restate goals with respect to Iraqi policy and to restore a cohesive coalition of key allies."
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/m...
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#236Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please cite a source for that claim.
“Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance, largely finance the reconstruction of their own country. And I have no doubt that they will.” Richard Perle, chair The Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board July 11, 2002 https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/who-said-war-would... "Iraq remains a destabilising influence to... the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East. Saddam H…
That's a source that Iraq has oil. What is your claim?
I often see it claimed that the US for some reason wanted Iraqi oil. I just haven't seen evidence for this.
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#237Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Someone on the conservative side of the spectrum, please enlighten me what the reasonable argument for justifying the past military action there is at this point... I'd say that it's possible (quite possible) to be conservative and to be against foreign adventures. It's probably better to view a country as being occupied by multiple cohorts of political thought, one of which is a ruling class that likes to play Ris…
I don't disagree. I'm not saying all conservatives support(ed) the Iraq war in retrospect. But there are some who do and I'd like to understand why.
Maybe because it's fun to cheer on a TV war from a barstool (USA! USA!). The early parts of a war, especially when fighting an incompetent enemy, make for great entertainment.
Western countries aren't ruthless enough to really win wars in the Third World. They should think less like Rome and more like Byzantium. But those opening scenes look amazing.
I can't answer your question though, so I'll leave it at that. Maybe it's the wrong question. Probably best to ask simply for 'people' who supported regime change as opposed to a straightforward trackdown and punishment of guilty parties.
For instance, at this point I'd probably place George Bush at the progressive end of the political spectrum, or at least as an ally. A lot of people have changed their seating position in the last five years.
As usual, James Howard Kunstler has an opinion regarding Afghanistan, a person could argue that the shadow of the CCCP looms over the US. History doesn't repeat, it rhymes:
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#238You also shouldn't forget to hold the other powers to account that made it impossible to have peace in Afghanistan. Russia put out bounties on US soldiers, Iran armed the Taliban, Pakistan sheltered them and I'm sure China had their fingers in there just as well. The Taliban have never been the legitimate, much less the benevolent government of the Afghan people. If you've seen "The Handmaid's Tale" you have a genera…
Why are you sure China had their fingers in there just as well? Why not Japan? Germany? Italy?
At this point it's history: because China borders with Afghanistan and has a primary interest in the stability of the region.
Wang Yi (the Chinese Foreign Minister) last July met in Tianjin a delegation of nine members of the Taliban.
He promised support in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and asked them to interrupt links with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, accused to have perpetrated attacks in the Xinjiang. For Beijing, some Jihadist Uiguri would be affiliated with the organization.
Wang promised to make the country part of the new Silk Road, contributing with infrastructure investments (motorways, hydroelectric energy, ...). This would prevent social, political and terrorist instability, while saving an unpleasant military action.
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#239Earlier quoted context omitted.
“Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance, largely finance the reconstruction of their own country. And I have no doubt that they will.” Richard Perle, chair The Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board July 11, 2002 https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/who-said-war-would... "Iraq remains a destabilising influence to... the flow of oil to international markets from the Middle East. Saddam H…
That's a source that Iraq has oil. What is your claim? I often see it claimed that the US for some reason wanted Iraqi oil. I just haven't seen evidence for this.
I've added a second quote that more directly addresses the question. But even the first one clearly points to the role of oil in deciding the invasion: there's no need to price the thing out because Iraq has more than enough oil to pay for any and all reconstruction itself. Of course that's going to be a factor in any invasion decision.
In any case, further quote from the second one:
> To this end, as Whitehall documents obtained by the Independent show, the US and British sought to privatise Iraqi oil production with a view to allow foreign companies to takeover. Minutes of a meeting held on 12 May 2003 said:
"The future shape of the Iraqi industry will affect oil markets, and the functioning of Opec, in both of which we have a vital interest."
"... an oil sector open and attractive to foreign investment, with appropriate arrangements for the exploitation of new fields."
Re: Guantánamo survivor on the war on terror’s failure
#240Earlier quoted context omitted.
The initial invasion in 2001 had 100% support Congress and IIRC 80%+ popular support. So yes, not invading was unthinkable.
That's a very heavy accusation to lob at the US people I think. Who says this and where does the 80% number come from? And why would the US people want their country to invade a country on the other side of the world, that was no threat to them and was clearly not capable of defending itself against the might of the US army? Why would the US people want their country to invade anyone? And 80% of them? This I find ver…
https://news.gallup.com/poll/9994/public-opinion-war-afghani...
88% approval in the US in Oct 2001.