Reply #39: Good post [View All]

[karynnj]

Especially because Powell - who had an excellent reputation - argued that the President needed the support to give the UN the force to demand getting the inspectors back in.

What is truly sad is that with the inspectors back in - and Hussain destroying missles that were borderline legal and the inspectors being able to search even Presidential palaces, that Bush didn't continue this and then declare his policy the enormous victory that it truly was. When the missles were destroyed Hussain bargined to prevent the Iraqis from knowing because he feared that it showed him as weak. The continued inspections could even have led to his defeat by the Iraqis. But regardless the sanctions could have been dropped once the country was clean.

This was what Bush SAID he wanted the backing to do. Going back to that time - what were the options:
1) status quo - although many countries were wanting to drop the santions and the sanctions were killing poor children (mainly due to bad water)
2) status quo, but drop the sanctions - not very popular due to fear of what Saddam might have.
3) Get the inspectors in - demand complete destruction of WMD
using force only if needed.

Number 3 was what Powell said they were voting for - it is not what Bush did.