On Sun, 19 Dec 2004 11:39:33 -0500 (EST), Robert J. Chassell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> 4. Overthrow the government of and establish a major US presence > in an Arab country so as to frighten the other Arab > dictatorships into greater efforts into policing against > enemies of US. > > I think this is the primary motivation of the US government. > > .... > > (And I still think #4 was the primary motivation. I also think that > the other reasons were good, but I do not think the US chose its > action on account of any of them alone.) > > Do you think that US has been successful in intimidation? Especially > now, during `Phase 4' (to use a US military phrase) of the campaign, > which has been going on since the middle of April 2003? > > What are your measurements of US success? To me they are three: a > feeling among people in the US and elsewhere that they are safer than > they were before the invasion, a lower price for oil (because a major > oil producing region is less susceptible to the actions of a small > number of people), and a gain in the felt legitimacy of US power by > more regional powers so the US need not spend so much militarily.
Surely you are joking or being ironic. Terrorists attacks worldwide have increased. Experts agree the terror threat is greater now than ever. Oil prices are mush, much higher. The amount of oil exported from Iraq is down. Before the war the US was getting 80% of Iraqi oil through intermediaries. The US has lost legitimacy as a state bound by international laws and is no longer seen as a credible source on intelligence claims. The US reputation and positive feelings toward are way, way down. Under Bush military spending is up well over a $100 billion dollars - not even counting the Iraq War and Occupation. The US has just reached the point where it has over 50% of world military and intelligence spending. The next closest power is 5%. Gary Denton http://elemming2.blogspot.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
