[CLUE-Talk] Iraq Stuph

[Matt Gushee]

On Mon, Apr 21, 2003 at 09:37:28PM -0600, Jeffery Cann wrote:
> 
> > Well, I can't read the whole article...only the first page
> 
> I don't claim that WMD will not be found.  I hope for the sake of our 
> government's credibility that they will be found in Iraq.  If so, then I 
> think it will help some of us believe the Bush administration's claims.

Good God, Jeff, why do you want us to believe the Bush administration?
So the SOB can get reelected and continue parceling out the remnants of
our economy and our rights to his corporate cronies?

I suppose an argument could be made that having a credible US
administration would improve our relations with other countries. But
really, I don't think we can hope for much on that score. Europe will
not quickly forget Bush's heavy-handed unilateralism (especially since
it shows no signs of diminishing). Those who hate us in the Arab/Muslim
world will not quickly forget that, nor our continuing strong support
for Israel.

You've made me curious, though: do you sincerely believe that our
government has ever had substantive evidence of banned weapons in Iraq?
After all: Colin Powell goes to the UN displaying a bunch of Rohrschach
photographs and praising Tony Blair's plagiarized dossier; the CIA puts
out forged documents claiming to show that Iraq tried to buy Uranium
from Niger; in starting our war, we cut off an active weapons inspection
program, even though--as I think we agree--there was no imminent danger;
and once in country, our agents visit site after site, each time
declaring, "We've got something here! .... Well, maybe .... That is, uh,
never mind!" Now I ask you: are those the actions of men with a bona
fide case?

I've got to give you credit, too: every time I think I know where you're
coming from, you floor me with something like this. Most list members in
these debates are pretty predictable (including myself, I suppose). You
help keep life interesting.

-- 
Matt Gushee                 When a nation follows the Way,
Englewood, Colorado, USA    Horses bear manure through
mgushee at havenrock.com           its fields;
http://www.havenrock.com/   When a nation ignores the Way,
                            Horses bear soldiers through
                                its streets.
                                
                            --Lao Tzu (Peter Merel, trans.)