It is hard to believe but we have just passed the 8th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. Remember the war of "Shock and Awe" as the Coalition of the Willing pounded Baghdad? And what about those sage-like comments made by the politicians at the time and shortly after the start of the war?
"Dick Cheney said, “We will be greeted as liberators.”
Donald Rumsfeld said, in effect, that the war would pay for itself: “The bulk of the funds for Iraq’s reconstruction will come from Iraqis – from oil revenues, recovered assets, international trade, direct foreign investment….”
George W. Bush said, we will attack “at a time of our choosing.” He dismissed the United Nations, saying “The United Nations Security Council has not lived up to its responsibilities. So we will rise to ours.” He chose to attack Iraq on the evening of March 19, 2003, and he did so with shock and awe, but without legality under international law.
Less than two months later, Bush dressed up in a flight suit, landed on the aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, stood under a sign that said “Mission Accomplished,” and boasted with his usual shortsightedness, “In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”
And:
"Of course, the money wasted is only a part of the outrage that has weakened our country. More importantly, some 4,500 American soldiers have died in Iraq. Of these, 4,300 Americans died since George Bush dressed up in his flight suit and gave his victory speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln. But the death toll of Americans is dwarfed by that of Iraqis. By some estimates, more than a million and a half Iraqis have died in the Iraq War. Four million have been displaced from their homes.
In Afghanistan, 1,498 American soldiers have died and 2,361 total coalition forces have died. In 2010 alone, 2,777 civilians died in Afghanistan. Of these, 1,175 were children and 555 were women."
"Dick Cheney said, “We will be greeted as liberators.”
Donald Rumsfeld said, in effect, that the war would pay for itself: “The bulk of the funds for Iraq’s reconstruction will come from Iraqis – from oil revenues, recovered assets, international trade, direct foreign investment….”
George W. Bush said, we will attack “at a time of our choosing.” He dismissed the United Nations, saying “The United Nations Security Council has not lived up to its responsibilities. So we will rise to ours.” He chose to attack Iraq on the evening of March 19, 2003, and he did so with shock and awe, but without legality under international law.
Less than two months later, Bush dressed up in a flight suit, landed on the aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, stood under a sign that said “Mission Accomplished,” and boasted with his usual shortsightedness, “In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.”
And:
"Of course, the money wasted is only a part of the outrage that has weakened our country. More importantly, some 4,500 American soldiers have died in Iraq. Of these, 4,300 Americans died since George Bush dressed up in his flight suit and gave his victory speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln. But the death toll of Americans is dwarfed by that of Iraqis. By some estimates, more than a million and a half Iraqis have died in the Iraq War. Four million have been displaced from their homes.
In Afghanistan, 1,498 American soldiers have died and 2,361 total coalition forces have died. In 2010 alone, 2,777 civilians died in Afghanistan. Of these, 1,175 were children and 555 were women."
Comments