From: "Robert G Lewis" 


"Mark"  wrote in message
news:41ec5ee9{at}w3.nls.net...
> "Saddam did not have WMD as was claimed so I
> question the decision ( and the judgment behind that decision ) to attack
> and conquer a nation. There is a lot of space between appeasement and war.
> I
> don't see it as a yes/no issue."
>
> I agree that in many, even almost all, cases, that it is not as simple as
> a Yes/No. However, what you're doing above is taking the known knowns of
> today, applying them to yesterday, then finding fault with the decision
> using more information than was then known. In doing that, if we take your
> hypothetical out to its logical conclusion, you would support the action
> had there been WMD. Ergo, since all indications at the time pointed at
> that, you cannot logically reach your conclusion that the decision was
> wrong.
>
> Of course, your next move is to say "but he was contained, we could have
> waited to be sure." That's your right, I still disagree with it though (in
> a post-9/11 world).
>

Actually my next move would be to say that there were several saying give
the inspectors time to finish their job. Since he was contained there was
no urgent need to attack without validating the information and making sure
we were correct ( and working on the plans for occupation ). I am
not saying we should have waited for a hundred years or even 10.

 I'm also not sure that ALL INDICATIONS at the time pointed to his having
WMD. That is a lot of what we were told by the Administration and its
supporters but I don't think that is correct ( Of course I also think that
you can find people who say the earth is flat also). Most
indicators possibly. But at least some of those indicators were judgment
calls.

While I will agree that one can spend too much time looking back I also
think that you can spend too little time.  Had there been vast stockpiles
of WMD then his decision would have been correct. Since his decision was
made by judgment calls and those have been found to be incorrect I would
say his judgment was incorrect. I would hope that the administration learns
from this and makes new mistakes instead of repeating the old ones
.

As far as Pre and Post 9/11 I don't see a difference, same people, same
world. I thought before 9/11 we needed to address fundamentalism and I
still do.

Bob Lewis

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