SOAPBOX RANT=100% ALIGN RIGHT
It seems to me that everyone talks about how we did it for the wrong reason (Bush lied, people died), or we did it badly (Abu Gahrab), or that we did it to no good effect (quagmire!) All this, I think, is not only debatable, but misses the really important point.

Which is simply and powerfully that we did it. We changed reality. Whatever may happen, Saddam’s family will never rule Iraq again.

All the side issues we distract ourselves with are all about us, here in the West. Our goals. Our sins. Most often, our fears. But the real point of invasion always was and still is the people of Iraq. Their freedom, not our safety, is the prize today. Watch them, not us, because at this precise moment in history, they have a chance at real democracy.

Yes, they might fail. They’ve got little infrastructure to work with. Yes, we certainly could have given them a better start by doing better with the occupation. Yes, their history of sectarian violence might poison their efforts. But however many mistakes we made, however slim their chance, however “unfit” for democracy some judge them to be, they’ve at least got this chance.

Twenty five MILLION people have a chance.

It cost a thousand American lives. It will certainly end up costing many more Iraqi lives. And it all might end horribly. Or it might spread freedom throughout the Middle East. Who will stand up and say their chance wasn’t worth our sacrifice?

In fact, many people and nations did and continue to do just that. But that's a soapbox rant for another day.
/SOAPBOX


Larry 5.1 M22/VP100/QS8/PB1-ISD