Stupid Wars
Published in Neues Deutschland
(Germany) on 14 August 2014
by Olaf Standke (link to original)
Now, we're up to 1,000 U.S. soldiers that Obama has sent to Iraq. The latest contingent departed also bearing the label “military advisors.” The White House uses every opportunity to assure the world that it has absolutely no intention of putting “boots on the ground” in Iraq. In 2002, Obama, who was senator at the time, announced, “I don't oppose all wars.” Later, in that same speech, he added, “What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war.” That was Sen. Obama's comment in opposition to the Bush administration's intention to invade Iraq.
Then, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he began withdrawing troops from Mesopotamia — but he neglected to push for a much more robust postwar plan for Iraq that would include all ethnic groups in the political process. Now, the next “stupid war” threatens because the air attacks on Islamists on the Kurdish front — heavily armed and logistically supported by U.S. allies — are having little effect because political pressure by Republicans in a congressional election year is growing for the United States to demonstrate its leadership, and because Washington has missed the opportunity again to provide important and necessary civilian assistance to those fighting the Islamic state forces
Then, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he began withdrawing troops from Mesopotamia — but he neglected to push for a much more robust postwar plan for Iraq that would include all ethnic groups in the political process. Now, the next “stupid war” threatens because the air attacks on Islamists on the Kurdish front — heavily armed and logistically supported by U.S. allies — are having little effect because political pressure by Republicans in a congressional election year is growing for the United States to demonstrate its leadership, and because Washington has missed the opportunity again to provide important and necessary civilian assistance to those fighting the Islamic state forces
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