Iraq occupation Bush's "mother of all mistakes"

[underpants]

Source: Reuters

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Imposing formal U.S. occupation on Iraq instead of quickly putting Iraqis in charge was the "mother of all mistakes," but most Iraqis still see George W. Bush as brave for toppling Saddam, Iraq's Foreign Minister said.

In an interview to discuss the legacy of the outgoing U.S. president who invaded his country in 2003, Hoshiyar Zebari said years of sectarian fighting in which tens of thousands died were a consequence of Bush's decision to impose an occupation.

"I think the biggest mistake was changing the mission from liberation to occupation. The mother of all mistakes I would say was security council resolution 1483," Zebari said, referring to a May 2003 resolution that recognized the ruling authority set up by the United States and Britain as "occupying powers."

"That was the beginning of all the follow-up mistakes and violence and divisions and conflicts that have erupted in the country," he told Reuters in an interview in Kuwait.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/burningIssues/idUKTRE50H19H20090118

[HopeHoops]

1. It was designed to be an occupation from the time PNAC planned it - and that's WAY pre-W.

[acmavm]

2. You know this article is pure bullshit. The tip off? Right here:

<snip>

"...but most Iraqis still see George W. Bush as brave for toppling Saddam."

<snip>

[No Elephants]

3. Iraqis do like that Saddam is not in power anymore, but brave? Iraq is like the size of Idaho and

the U.S. is like the size of, well, the US. How "brave" do you have to be to send your troops to Iraq while you are safe back in D.C. anyway?

[HopeHoops]

4. " 'FORWARD!' he cried, from the rear, and the front ranks died." -- Pink Floyd

About that brave - just like protecting the US from Viet Nam - no tigers attacked Texas while Bush was AWOL either.

[acmavm]

5. I've read article after article (and I'll include Riverbend's blog) where

Iraqi's openly stated that they were better off under Saddam.

Sad truth? They were.

[No Elephants]

9. Unless maybe you happened to be on a sports team and lose a game, or have your daugher raped by a

member of the Hussein family.

They did have their national treasures safely in their museum, gasoline, water and electricity and law and order though. But they were not happy under Saddam.

[acmavm]

10. Happy and better off are NOT the same thing.

[No Elephants]

11. I never equated happy with better off. I said Iraqis were glad Saddam was not

their ruler anymore. You brought better off into it.

[Lasher]

6. I'd like to see the poll that supports his assertion.

I'll probably be waiting a long time for that.

[acmavm]

7. Yeah, until half past hell freezing over.

[LynnTheDem]

8. Iraqis Say They Were Better Off Under Hussein

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/14282

90% of Iraqis say they were better off under Saddam Hussein
http://www.nowpublic.com/90_of_iraqis_say_they_were_better_off_under_saddam_hussein

Iraqis say they were better off under rule of Saddam Hussein
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=4320

Many Iraqi Women Say Life Was Better Under Saddam
http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2008/Iraqi-Women-Saddam26mar08.htm

For Iraqi women: Life better under Saddam
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MzkyNDU1OTY5

Iraq worse off today
http://www.gulfnews.com/opinion/columns/region/10269381.html

[cliss]

12. I disagree.

Bush's biggest mistake was paying for this war (including Afghanistan). The cost has been astronomical. Month after month, we kept spending $8 billion (??) just to keep going, desperately hoping that things would get better.

These 2 wars have gutted our economy, and left our country broke.