On another anniversary of the start of the Iraq War, let me ask a simple question: What if Pres. Bush had not invaded Iraq?
Of course, a big problem is that we always know what did happen as a result of war but we never know what didn’t happen.
For example, what if the US had not gone to war in Europe in 1917? Korea? Vietnam?.
What would have happened if President Bush had not invaded Iraq? Let me offer some ideas:
1. Saddam Hussein would have succeeded in mocking the UN and the Security Council. How many more times can you warn someone that this is your last warning? Is 12 years enough warning?
2. Iraq would have continued shooting at US and UK planes enforcing UN resolutions. How many times do you allow someone to fire missiles at your aircraft without interpreting it as an act of war?
3. What about the cost of doing nothing? Containment wasn’t cheap. We did not choose between peace and war with Saddam Hussein. We were in fact at war with Iraq but we did not call it that.
4. What about Israel? Saddam was not a friend of Israel. What would the Middle East look like with Iraq and Iran threatening Israel?
Yes, Bush’s critics need to answer one simple question: What if Bush had not invaded Iraq?
So far, I have not heard anyone explain to me how Iraq would have been better if we had left Saddam in power.
Saddam did not have chemical weapons? We could not take that chance after 9-11.
Put me down as someone who believes that taking out Saddam was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, President Obama withdrew the troops early and that erased a lot of the gains and created the vacuum that created ISIS.
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