George W. Bush continues to be criticized by many on the left, and now Donald Trump, for his invasion of Iraq, along with Bush’s competence and veracity. Unfortunately, these same individuals want to use the ‘retrospect-o-scope’ to rewrite history.
As far as Bush’s intent, the accusation of putting America lives on the line just to finish what his father should have done in taking out Hussein after he invaded Kuwait, doesn’t carry water after looking at the other abuses where Hussein seemed to thump his nose. Being that Hussein used mustard gas on the Kurds and he had denied United Nations inspectors access to his nuclear his program on numerous occasions, the best intelligence then, and even today, pointed that Hussein still possessed WMDs. Even though none were found, it doesn’t automatically imply that Bush lied to the Congress and the American public or the WMDs weren’t moved across the border in to Syria when the attacks by the US began. But to accuse Bush of starting the war just out of retribution is not consistent with his character and besmirches the integrity of his whole administration and most of the members of both houses of Congress.
What we have subsequently learned is two very important points: One from Bush’s tenure and one from Obama’s. In countries that have warring religious factions, the chances of a stable government is more likely under a dictatorship than a democracy. The examples are Hussein and Kaddafi. Instead of revenge, that is why we should question this country’s decision to invade Iraq, rather try to instigate a regime change under another dictator. The second lesson is that when a void in centralized leadership occurs, it will be filled or subsumed.
Thus, it is probably true that if Bush had not invaded Iraq and Hussein, or another dictator, was still in power, then ISIS would not have come into existence. Just as true is that if Obama had not pulled out our troops from Iraq and told the enemy his timeline, ISIS probably would not have occurred either. Now, Obama claims he will save the day, from that revengeful Bush, with 60 special ops forces, drone attacks and limited sorties.
The only ones Obama seems to be kidding are himself and his shortsighted followers!
