tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post112426196215509152..comments2024-03-06T03:15:58.539-05:00Comments on <b>THE NEW REFORM CLUB</b>: Speaking Ill of the DeadHunter Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124366224443761322005-08-18T07:57:00.000-04:002005-08-18T07:57:00.000-04:00Amen.Amen.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12616206952252181603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124347499439562002005-08-18T02:44:00.000-04:002005-08-18T02:44:00.000-04:00We never own those bugs we slip money to, we just ...We never own those bugs we slip money to, we just hire them now and again.<BR/><BR/>In the case of Iraq and Iran we slipped 'em both a few bucks here and there when we needed 'em, making us the lessor of two weevils.Jay D. Homnickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714671338316275833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124317984661127692005-08-17T18:33:00.000-04:002005-08-17T18:33:00.000-04:00Thanks for the link, which proves my point. We di...Thanks for the link, which proves my point. We did not want the Iranians to wipe out Iraq, for obvious reasons, but we were never very comfortable with supporting the Iraqis because of their use of chemical weapons. We did just enough to help Iraq survive the Iran-Iraq War, supporting what we saw as the lesser of two evils.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12616206952252181603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124317965461636142005-08-17T18:32:00.000-04:002005-08-17T18:32:00.000-04:00Zzzzzzzzzzzz.The contention was that "containment"...Zzzzzzzzzzzz.<BR/><BR/>The contention was that "containment" had a higher political and human cost than war itself, a contention that was not addressed. <BR/><BR/>It is impolite to hijack the comments sections with lengthy tangents of your own choosing. Please desist.Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124312649292859882005-08-17T17:04:00.000-04:002005-08-17T17:04:00.000-04:00Yeah, but giving Saddam limited financial and inte...Yeah, but giving Saddam limited financial and intelligence support in the Iran-Iraq War and sending diplomats for photo-ops is a far cry from 'propping up' his regime. <BR/><BR/>In retrospect, they were probably the wrong actions, but they do not make the United States responsible for the creation or actions of Saddam Hussein's Iraq.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12616206952252181603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124302006526069772005-08-17T14:06:00.000-04:002005-08-17T14:06:00.000-04:00If we hadn't have helped overthrow the unpopular M...If we hadn't have helped overthrow the unpopular Mossadegh, then we would have had to deal with either a Soviet-controlled regime or an earlier incarnation of the Ayatollah-run theocracy. Instead we supported the lesser of the evils and had a relatively friendly regime to deal with for twenty-five years.<BR/><BR/>Actually, we gave very little military support to Saddamm Hussein. In that case, what appeared at first to be the lesser of two evils was still a little too much a fan of Stalin for us to really cozy up to him. That's why the Iraqi Army carried AK-47s and drove T-72s, and didn't carry M-16s and fly F-16s.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12616206952252181603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124301454791039792005-08-17T13:57:00.000-04:002005-08-17T13:57:00.000-04:00I see no need to insult me, James. They're my rig...I see no need to insult me, James. They're <I>my</I> right-wing talking points.Tom Van Dykehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07121072404143877596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124296943358173022005-08-17T12:42:00.000-04:002005-08-17T12:42:00.000-04:00That's true, T. If the CIA hadn't installed the Sh...That's true, T. If the CIA hadn't installed the Shah, we wouldn't be having to listen to the President make veiled threats and scare a whacky hard-right government into a nuclear arms race.<BR/><BR/>And, of course, if we hadn't been so pissed off about our "buddy" the Shah that we propped up Saddam's regime and gave him those chemical weapons we later got so mad at him for using (thank you, Donald Rumsfeld and Ronald Reagan), then maybe wouldn't have had to worry about Iraq, either.<BR/><BR/>Just sayin', TVD, how about a little bit of the ol' rhetorical vitriol for the enablers, eh? Rush Limbaugh would be so proud of you for parroting the right-wing talking points.James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1124286716106587942005-08-17T09:51:00.000-04:002005-08-17T09:51:00.000-04:00Good writing, Tom. Your post deals with an issue w...Good writing, Tom. <BR/><BR/>Your post deals with an issue which conservatives generally are wont to discuss. The fact/accusation that 1 million people died because of the sanctions is accepted in the Islamic world. <BR/><BR/>I actually believe those numbers, because as you said we have never made an effort to refute them.<BR/><BR/>However, there was plenty of money flowing through the coffers of the Iraqi government to have more than taken care of those people. We know now where the money went.<BR/><BR/>It would seem that Saddam starved his own people as a publicity stunt. Actually, it was a very effective one. He is to be congratulated ...<BR/><BR/>In hell.Pastoriushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169561459129778670noreply@blogger.com