Bush should have read his dad's book.

[clonebot]

"Trying to eliminate Saddam .. would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible ... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq ...there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."

-- From George H.W. Bush's Memoirs

[bluestateguy]

1. Never thought I'd say this, but....

The real President Bush was right. The one who actually got elected.

[clonebot]

2. keep in mind though

i haven't read the book myself, i lifted the quote from another website but thought it would be interesting to post here. the "..."'s throughout the quote though show that there are omissions so for all we know he could saying that invading iraq would be a disaster for me ... so i'll get my son to do it! or something like that.. heh

[MrSlayer]

3. Does anyone know where the Cheney quote on this is?

Cheney said something very similar but even more accurate concerning the events happening now.

[MSgt213]

4. Cheny believe the same thing at the time as Sec of Def

[MrSlayer]

5. Here's the Cheney quote. Accurately describes the conditions today.

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/pubs/soref/cheney.htm

<snip>

I think that the proposition of going to Baghdad is also fallacious. I think if we were going to remove Saddam Hussein we would have had to go all the way to Baghdad, we would have to commit a lot of force because I do not believe he would wait in the Presidential Palace for us to arrive. I think we'd have had to hunt him down. And once we'd done that and we'd gotten rid of Saddam Hussein and his government, then we'd have had to put another government in its place.

What kind of government? Should it be a Sunni government or Shi'i government or a Kurdish government or Ba'athist regime? Or maybe we want to bring in some of the Islamic fundamentalists? How long would we have had to stay in Baghdad to keep that government in place? What would happen to the government once U.S. forces withdrew? How many casualties should the United States accept in that effort to try to create clarity and stability in a situation that is inherently unstable?

I think it is vitally important for a President to know when to use military force. I think it is also very important for him to know when not to commit U.S. military force. And it's my view that the President got it right both times, that it would have been a mistake for us to get bogged down in the quagmire inside Iraq."

<snip>

[opihimoimoi]

6. Did W really make the Call then? Was it HIS Idea, or his Masters going

after the Spice?

[doni_georgia]

7. I may have to use this quote in my signature!

<<I think it is vitally important for a President to know when to use military force. I think it is also very important for him to know when not to commit U.S. military force. And it's my view that the President got it right both times, that it would have been a mistake for us to get bogged down in the quagmire inside Iraq.">>

The "Q" word! Isn't that the word Ted Kennedy used that Chimpy in such an uproar???