Has Iraq become Lord Voldemort?

 

 

"Iraq is worst than a four letter word. It is now a word which cannot even be mentioned - like the name of Lord Voldemort"

We seem to have a new four letter word in our lexicon. Somehow this word has become more heinous than the "f word". Our newest invective is Iraq. And it is like poison for any Republican running for President. It is now like the name of Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. In other words, it is the name which shall never be uttered.

I have very few qualifications to run for President. And even less desire. However, I would love - that is LOVE, to handle any question the press would throw at me about Iraq. You see, I know stuff. Some stuff that I can't disclose as I learned it while still in the Navy and under the oath of a high level clearance. The other stuff I will disclose, I learned while doing some simple research. Every candidate could do the same research and then make mince meat out of any reporter's question.

First off, going into Iraq and getting rid of Saddam was the right thing to do. Saddam sealed his fate when he gassed the Kurds in Northern Iraq with an illegal (Mustard) gas. He doubly sealed his fate when he authorized the illegal and immoral occupation of Kuwait. The United States, along with a coalition of the willing, went into Kuwait and removed Iraqi troops from Kuwaiti territory. And did it under the Aegis of a United Nations mandate.

Here is where people get very fuzzy on history. They separate the Iraqi War of 2003 from the Gulf War of 1991. In reality, they are related. When the Gulf War ended, it ended under a cease fire sealed by treaty. And the treaty had some iron clad provisos in it. And should any of those provisos be breached, United Nation's forces had the right to resume hostilities.

Unfortunately as most of us know, the United Nations is feckless. Every time the United States brought Iraqi infractions up in front of the United Nations General Assembly, another resolution would be promulgated about how really, really mad every one is. And Iraq had better stop it - or else. It did not take long for Saddam to figure out this game. There was not a "or else" coming. He became more and more brazen in his treaty infractions. Finally President Bush had enough. He made the decision to follow the UN treaty provisos from 1991 and go finish the job.

The only part of the preamble to the Iraqi War which upset me was the WMD issue. Sure Iraq had them. And Saddam would have used them again. History will show Saddam did a great job in hiding them in friendly confines. But the reason we went into Iraq was nothing more than we had the legal authority via United Nations treaty to do so. Period. Saddam was a world class tyrant and criminal. He deserved to be removed. Iraq deserved to be free from tyranny. It is just too bad our golf swing had such a terrible follow through.

Back to right now. The real crime in Iraq happened when President Bystander decided to get out lock, stock and barrel. It became fertile ground for a cancer called ISIL. Now that cancer is not only in Iraq, but Syria and Libya as well. Most people of honesty know the only answer to curing that cancer. It is the United States military. Period. I am afraid we need an "Act 3" to the Iraqi issue. We need to stabilize Iraq, Syria, Libya and where ever else over there evil threatens innocents. That is the truth. Tough to hear, but the truth. And as a candidate for President, that is what I would tell the people.

So there it is. I am not afraid to mention Iraq. Not afraid to recount history. Many are trying to re-write history at this very moment. Bush went into Iraq to get their oil. To get revenge for an assassination attempt on his father. All crap. Bush went into Iraq because it was the right thing to do - and still is.