George II is Making my Brain Hurt

Timberwoof Essays brain hurts
George II is Making my Brain Hurt!

Let me see if I understand this Axis of Evil thing...

Criterion	Iraq	North Korea
Trade Relation with the US:	6th largest crude oil importer to the US.	No trade with US.
Stated Policy on Nuclear Weapons Development:	Has no nuclear weapons development program.	Is actively developing nuclear weapons.
Policy toward UN weapons inspectors:	Allowed to inspect anywhere.	Banished from North Korea. Monitoring devices dismantled and seals broken.
Findings of UN weapons inspectors:	No facilities for developing or manufacturing ABC weapons yet discovered.	Facilities for manufacturing ABC weapons known to be planned, built or exist.
US Foreign Policy:	Try to build up international support for "Regime Change." Military invasion; war; kill lots of people.	Antagonize government, try to build up international support for economic sanctions.
Russian Foreign Policy:	Supports invasion if UN finds that Iraq has illegally made weapons.	Peacemaker. Criticizing US antagonism, encouraging N. Korea to hold to the terms of its treaty.

Why is the US trying to start a war? For the past hundred years it's been US policy to not fire the first shot[1]. Suddenly that policy, which is morally right and has served US well, is reversed. Since when does a civilized nation invade another country simply because it doesn't like who's in charge? It was one of the defining principles of 20th century diplomacy that unless a country started a war, you didn't mess in their internal politics. Bush has abandoned that principle.

What's the connection between Saddam Hussein and international terrorism? That's the excuse we're given, but there's no evidence. Invading Iraq will not solve that problem ... only make it worse.

Iraq denies having nuclear weapons, denies having development programs, and allows UN arms inspectors to go where they please. North Korea says it has nuclear weapons, has announced plans to develop and build more, and has expelled UN arms inspectors. Bush wants to invade ... Iraq. What logic is there in this? If you think that's an interesting reversal, Russia is trying to be the peacemaker now! They're rightly criticizing the US for antagonizing Iraq and provoking North Korea ... and trying to talk Korea into keeping to the terms of its nuclear nonproliferation treaty. The US is pushing war while Russia is pushing peace. Had anyone predicted that thirty years ago, he would have been called a loony.

What if we lose? Invading Iraq's heartland will not be the same thing as the Gulf War then years ago, nor like invading Afghanistan last year. There will be lots of civilians, and building-to-building fighting. The death toll in US soldiers (not to mention innocent civilians!) will be tremendous, and for what? If Saddam fends off the US, that will only solidify his position and intensify anti-US feelings in the Arab world.

What if we win? There's nobody in Iraq qualified to run the country -- Saddam has killed them all. The people certainly won't see the US as their liberators -- Saddam's propaganda will see to that. Can the US afford the kind of international aid expenditures that it will cost to run Iraq until it can become self-sufficient? No. Remember, the US isn't interested in nation-building. Of course, if we win, that will intensify anti-US feelings in the Arab world.

I'm not convinced that invading Iraq will accomplish anything good; it will cause a whole lot more problems.

Note: This is not an attempt of a foreign national to change the United States' foreign policy. It is merely political satire. (What, me try to change George II’s mind? If German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, French President Jaques Chirac, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, and Russian President Vladimir Putin can't get Bush to change his mind on US foreign policy, how can I hope to do that?

[1] With a few exceptions, helpfully provided by Dan White (danSP@AMfinex.org.uk):

Actually, between 1890 and 2001, the US has "Intervened Militarily" 134 times, including, but not limited to:

1898-1910 - The seizure of the Philippines from Spain, 600,000 Filipinos killed.
1916 - The military occupation of the Dominican Republic for 8 years.
1953 - Iran. CIA overthrows democratically elected Government. Installs Shah as dictator.
1960-75 - Vietnam. Enough said.
1964 - Panama. Panamanians shot for urging canal's return
1965 - Indonesia. CIA assists army coup. One million killed.
1969-75 - Cambodia. Bombing, Naval action, troop placements. Two million killed.
1989-90 - Panama Nationalist Government overthrown by 27,000 US troops. 2000+ killed.
1998 - Sudan. US destroys "Terrorist Nerve Gas Plant", which is actually making Aspirin.