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The Inertia of Power

I hate it when Saddam Hussein gets proved tohad to resort to misleading information in
be right ...Buried in all his pre-invasionorder to gain support for doing so, then they
bluster was a promise that Iraqis would givewould provide it.The article, 'Intelligence,
the Americans 'another Viet Nam' if theyPolicy and the War in Iraq' doesn't have any
tried to occupy the country. To many, thisnew revelations. Its significance is the fact
sounded like just another empty threat, but Ithat Mr Pillar, a 28-year CIA operative, was
took note when he said it.The reason for mydirectly involved in the picking and choosing
attention had nothing to do with Saddam orof data ordered by the presidency to make its
any tribal fealties in his favor. Instead, itcase, rather than being allowed to take the
gave me pause to recall a comment made to memore ethical and responsible path of
by a veteran foot soldier who fought in Worldreviewing all data and arriving at objective
War II. We had a conversation in Geneva inconclusions. (Lest someone attmepts to accuse
the early 1980s, just before the Cold WarMr Pillar of being a bureaucratic malcontent,
began to thaw. I remarked about the superiorhe was installed on the faculty for Security
weapons technology that I thought gaveStudies at the prestigious Georgetown
America a distinct advantage over theUniversity soon after his resignation from
Soviets, and the vet responded by dismissingthe CIA.)The astounding carnage of Viet Nam
hi-tech armories."War is about killing your--- 58,000 American dead, over 150,000
enemy one at a time and gaining territory awounded; approximately 2-4million Vietnamese
step at a time," he said. "And you can onlydead and wounded --- still dwarfs the totals
do that with the grunts on the ground."Infor the Iraqi incursion, but tell that to
what's become a prolonged battle between theeach family who loses a loved one and see if
forces of technology and terrorism in Iraq,it offers them any solace. These soldiers,
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is thefighters and innocents are not dying or being
latest to challenge the old vet's advice.maimed for noble causes, but for cynical
It's also looking like he'll be the latest toagenda: vague definitions of an enemy on one
rue that decision.However, such repentanceside and warped extreme fundamentalism on the
will probably not occur in the short term.other. The fact that the casualties in Iraq
Just as the Gulf of Tonkin fabrication ---show no signs of subsiding make the
where the Johnson presidency alleged aassertions in Mr Pillar's article all the
since-debunked North Vietnamese torpedo boatmore exasperating.A new documentary has also
attack on an American destroyer --- and thebeen recently released. 'Why We Fight' was
Watergate burglary were subordinated to theproduced and directed by Eugene Jarecki, who
public as mere historical footnotes by theused a spectrum of interviews to delve into
administrations in power at those times, thethe effects of current American foreign
present American presidency appears topolicy. These range from former Bush
believe its power of office can trample anyadminstration officials to critics to
truth that may give the lie to its IraqiAmerican fighter pilots to a policeman who
folly.The trappings of the Americanlost a son when the jets hit the towers in
presidency are such that the presidency'sNew York.Jarecki's premise is based on a
ability to do this is an established fact.famous 'farewell' speech by Dwight David
Richard Nixon suppressed the truth longEisenhower in 1961, who warned of a shadowy
enough to win re-election. Lyndon Johnson'military-industrial complex' that had the
ultimately saw a nation so divided by thepotential to hijack American foreign policy
Viet Nam issue that he chose not to seek awithout the public's ability to sufficiently
second term, but not before plunging the USAcontain it. Given Eisenhower's status as the
into a full-scale war. Now, it's George WAllied supreme commander in World War II as
Bush who has slithered into another four yearwell as his presidency, his warning was not
term, based in part on his administration'sonly jarring, but prophetic, especially
spin machine successfully keeping the rootscoming as it did on the throes of the Viet
of his Iraqi misadventure obscure to theNam conflict. All appearances now are that
public.The harsh reality is that theit's even more pertinent today.In retrospect,
omnipotence of the world's most powerfulit is also ironic to think that it may have
government makes the task of calling it intobeen the Americans who were being held in
immediate account virtually impossible.check by the balance of power posed by a
Before any resistance can be effectivelytotalitarian Soviet regime. There's no doubt
raised, considerable damage --- in lives andthe reverse was true, as well, but I had
resources --- has already been irretrievablyalways thought the Americans realized their
done.We already know that in Iraq, there werebest global weapon was their culture; I
no weapons of mass destruction. This has beencontinue to believe their culture, not their
countered by the presidential argument that,weaponry, caused the USSR to collapse. As
well, Saddam was a bad man. We also know nowsuch, I fail to understand why each
that there was no relationship betweensuccessive American presidency hasn't
al-Qaeda and Saddam. Yes, said therealized that simple and obvious
presidency, but there could have been in theobservation.Putting that point to an
near future; this soon became aunscientific test, I've asked various
self-fulfilling prophecy. Furthermore, evencitizens of Iraq --- and Iran, for that
though the presidency claimed that Americanmatter --- what foreign country they most
forces would be welcomed as liberators inadmire, and more often than not, they cite
Iraq, the locals there have so far shown athe USA. If I follow that with a question
strange way of expressing their gratitude.Howabout which government they least admire,
can these retorts go so consistentlythey cite the USA. Call me simplistic, but
uncontested, with the possible exception ofnot only does it seem burgers and bluejeans
The Daily Show, which is merely a cabledo a better job of making friends, they cause
comedy channel's satire of the news?Now comessignificantly fewer deaths in the
further evidence which damns the dubiousprocess.However, as long as the American
premises of presidential Iraqi policy, whichpublic allows its presidency the inherent
has recently appeared in the journal, Foreignpower of overbearing rebuttal to any
Affairs. The author, Paul Pillar, is thedissenting information without a constant
recently resigned CIA head of intelligencecall to justify itself, there will be no
for the Near East and South Asia, who heldsubsidence in damaged lives or diverted
that office from 2000-2005. His job includedresources.Until then, as Saddam, the old vet
managing the Bush administration's secretand history have combined to predict, Iraq is
assessments regarding Iraq. In the article,a grunt's war, fought one building at a time.
he contends that invading Iraq was aAnd, like every other war, not every grunt
pre-ordained goal and that, if the presidencywill come home alive or well.



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