🚀 go-pugleaf

Dave Thompson (dav13795@wdmdx1.com) wrote:

: "Rod & BJ" <soggy@pacifier.com> wrote in message
: news:uktf53otr9v4e8@corp.supernews.com...
: >
: >
: > "Merlin Dorfman"
: > > : I think both you and Soggy are wearing partisan blinders.  Clinton did
: > > : nothing vis-a-vis Iraq to distinguish himself as a exceptional
: > > : statesman or strategist; neither did he fuck up on a grand scale.  He
: > > : stuck to a modest agenda that recognized the immense complexities of
: > > : any policy in that region.
: > >
: > >      Maybe sticking to a modest agenda that recognizes the
: > > complexities is exceptional statesmanship compared to what came
: > > before and after  :-)
: >
: > Clinton's lack in Iraq was simply not enforcing the weapons
: > inspections.....once Saddam limited the inspections or would not allow the
: > weapon inspectors return he was non compliant with the agreed upon
: > terms.....a suitable response on Clinton's part was not forthcoming....a
: > contract without enforcement is worth less than the paper it is written
: on.
: > Allowing the "bad guys" to do as they will is not a modest response nor
: > exceptional statesmenship but rather simply letting others in the future
: fix
: > "your" problem or do the job you should have done....Soggy.

: Maybe you've forgotten the weapons inspection was the job of the UN - not
: the U.S.

: Contrary to that view is the one that many people have that Clinton
: inherited Bush's weapons inspectors, de-armament plan, no-fly zones, and oil
: embargo mish mash and did a pretty good job keeping it going for eight
: years. Though many in the Pentagon thought the whole things was a big CF
: Clinton made it work. He could have dropped it altogether.

     Exactly.  Given the UN's unwillingness to re-start the war
(and don't tell me Bush I or II could have turned that around), 
the best that could be done was to hit military targets when the
opportunity presented itself, keep the no-fly zones enforced, and
generally keep the pressure on.  That is precisely what I meant 
by keeping the rickety structure together for eight years.