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Rockefeller: Bush Duped Public On Iraq

"The absolute cynical manipulation, deliberately cynical manipulation, to shape American public opinion and 69 percent of the people, at that time, it worked, they said 'we want to go to war,'" Rockefeller told CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson. "Including me. The difference is after I began to learn about some of that intelligence I went down to the Senate floor and I said 'my vote was wrong.'"

Rockefeller went a step further. He says the world would be better off today if the United States had never invaded Iraq - even if it means Saddam Hussein would still be running Iraq.

There are some who will never bring themselves to believe that they were lied into supporting this war. Nevermind that. Let's examine the second point Rockefeller made - that Iraq would be better off if we never invaded.

Iraq is an artificial country, consisting of several ethnic groups who have hated and warred with each other for more than a thousand years. The only reason Iraq exists, as an entity, is because an Englishman arbitrarily drew lines on a map less than a hundred years ago. The only time Iraq has ever thrived has been under the despotic rule of a tyrant.

Let's imagine what would have happened in the Middle East after September 11, 2001, if the US hadn't attacked Iraq. (Disclaimer: I do not agree with our meddling in the Middle East to begin with, as all it ever does is make everything worse. I'm simply placing myself in the shoes of a Bush Administration official for this mental exercise.) Imagine what Iraq would be like today, if a secular regime was still in place. Imagine if the US had offered to lift all sanctions on Iraq if Hussein would only agree to play ball. Yes, this would put the US in cahoots with a madman (again!), but most people our government allies itself with are maniacal dictators anyway. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the philosophy of the secular, pan-Arab socialism of Saddam Hussein was in diametric opposition to the faith of Osama Bin Laden.

The alternative to helping this former-ally, of course, is what we have today. Iraq is now a breeding ground, and training ground, for people who hate the US. At best, Mr. Bush's adventure has only resulted in the killing of tens of thousands of innocent civilians. At worst, a hundred thousand. How ironic that Hussein was only tried for the murder of 143 right after his capture.

You tell me which is best. A secular haven amongst a sea of fanaticism, or a meatgrinding cesspool of extremism?

Iraq; Rockefeller

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