USA Today OpEd: in Iraq, the Powell Doctrine took a back seat to neoconservative fantasies

[sabra]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-11-26-edit_x.htm

'Neocons' abandon Iraq war at White House front door

<snip>

It's important not to buy the new self-serving line from the neoconservatives, some of whom are already beating the drums for a pre-emptive attack on Iran's nuclear program. Recovering the international goodwill squandered in Iraq, and dealing wisely with the threats from Iran and North Korea, requires facing the mistakes squarely.

Although, on Sunday, the 1,347-day-old Iraq war was being compared in duration to WWII, the lessons are better drawn from Vietnam. Gen. Colin Powell, secretary of State in President Bush's first term, said his Vietnam generation learned from that experience to go into conflicts only with a defined mission, an overwhelming force and a clear exit strategy — and to reassess quickly if the mission changes. Unfortunately, in Iraq, the Powell Doctrine took a back seat to neoconservative fantasies.

[madrchsod]

1. every word is true in this op -ed

we did have a narrow window to "save" iraq from chaos but they had no intent to do so. yet the hundreds of thousands who have died and are maimed wonder why the fourth estate was silent as the bombs fell on baghdad

[Malidictus Maximus]

2. 'Saving' Iraq from chaos

would do nothing to help the bottom lines of Halliburton or Bechtel. The fourth estate is comprised of corporations, and war sells papers, which makes money. Plus a destabilized Iraq makes life more tense for Iran and justifies more military buildup.
just my .02

[fredrickdouglas]

4. That's Funny...I Thought The Entire Thing Was Rubbish

Any freshman course in critical thinking will inform the casually observing student that to argue that something is going badly concedes the possibility that it might go well.

Why the frack is the so-called American Left even having this frackin' discussion about whether or not the ongoing massacre of the Iraqi people is going well or not? Just think about that next time you hear some supposedly opposition voice discuss whether or not the massacre, because that's what this war is, is going well or not.

Is there any moral center remaining in the American political class?

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zodiak]

10. That poster can use any word she/he desires.

without fear of another newcomer saying the poster doesn't belong here.

I will let others deal with your use of the word "balls" to describe courage. Not appreciated by many here, but it does not preclude your participation.

[evilgenius602]

12. i only appear to be a new comer

I accidentally locked myself of my old account, which was evilgenius907. The other part you're right about. He/she is free to participate; I was just irritated, because I don't like weak language. IMHO, if you're going to say something, just say it. Don't dance around it.

[Richard Steele]

18. If you're unfamiliar with that particular pop-culture reference, you might wanna...

...go frackin' _ASK_ somebody.

[Zodiak]

11. A good point

There should have been no invasion in the first place because pre-emptive war is immoral. There is no "going good" or "going bad" in a war that was immoral from the outset.

It is also the primary reason this war is lost. The chaos is the secondary reason. The corruption is the third.

An immoral war is destined to be lost, even if the inital battles are won.

And what would winning teach us? That invading another country on false pretenses is both moral and profitable? That's a dangerous mentality for the most powerful nation on Earth to have.

A hard lesson learned for this country...at the expense of thousands of solders lives, 50,000 soldiers' blood, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, hundreds of billions of dollars, and our reputation in the world. And all we had to do was look at Vietnam for our guidance. That would have cost nothing. And the fact that we didn't learn the lessons fo Vietnam is an insult to the 58,000 soldiers we lost in that war along with 1.5 million dead Vietnamese.

Now that is some REAL hubris.

[Richard Steele]

19. Hello fredrickdouglass! Welcome to DU.

Please feel free to IGNORE any rude posters who attempt
to criticize your fracking posting style.
Lord knows I do.

[Selteri]

3. Powell's Doctorine is more correct... I still hope that someone engraves

the names of every single victim of this war on their tombstones though... it'll give Georgie the kind of testament he wants though.

[niceypoo]

5. The same neocons who stood drooling and backslapping each other as looters rampaged...

"Iraqis now have the freedom to loot"

[corkhead]

6. left at the door just like a paper bag filled with dog shit and set on fire.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. I Heard Some AEI Buffoon, On CSPAN,. . .

. . .i think it was on Saturday's WJ, actually say that to lay the blame on neoconservatives was "UNPATRIOTIC". Yep, now we can't even blame the idiots who told the idiot in chief this was a good idea without being unpatriotic. This was in answer to a caller who basically stated exactly what the USA Today op-ed says.

Imperial hubris, indeed. Now even the underlings think themselves worthy of a cult of personality.
The Professor

[grizmaster]

9. Powell was right, too bad he supported the liars

instead of standing by the truth.

Imagine if Powell had gone public with the lies rather than shilling for the neocons.

[Black Adder]

15. Yah, the Albert Speer of this Administration.. n/t

[Solly Mack]

13. Well, duh...this was stated almost 4 years ago

media just catching up?

The moving away from the Powell Doctrine, that is


However, nothing could have helped an invasion/occupation that should have never taken place.

It isn't a matter of "how" the invasion/occupation took place - the outrage is that it happened and is happening at all.

[Black Adder]

14. Kinda funny coming from the MSM as they were either

cheerleaders for the Administration or silent in the runup to the invasion of Iraq.

[illinoisprogressive]

16. But, They will be Back - Like Cockroaches

I heard someone, I think Craig Crawford, say they are in retreat but, will regroup and go after the next president if he's a republican. If not, they'll wait for one and then, crawl back out of thier holes and try to spread throughout the White House again with thier stupid agenda.

[aein]

17. don't you see!?! the up-tick in violence is because they want to affect the election!....in umm..08