Ok, I agree with you about the post Gulf War spitters. I believed in that war. I was too young to really know about it, but in hindsight, it was acceptable. I agree that military force is necessary, but prudence is also. We'll handily win this war. Our defense budget is upwards of $400 billion and Iraq's is maybe $1.4 billion. I'm still very concerned about the afterwards, and about this radical shift in defense and foreign policy doctrine. Bush has set up this doctrine of pre-emption and it'll be interesting to see if he follows up with the other rogue states. North Korea? Iran? North Korea has the potential to react in ways that Iraq could never. Iran has a democracy movement that could be hurt by US intervention. Bush has laid out this doctrine and needs to solidify it in the next year or two. It's a very sensitive issue.

When we need to rebuild Iraq, will we get the international support that we will NEED to provide food, shelter and power? Then, what do we do about setting up some kind of government in Iraq? Post war clean up won't nearly be as easy as in Japan. Iraq is a multi-ethnic state with extreme nationalism that is more a-kin to Yugoslavia, or Czechoslovakia. Senior advisors in this administration have acknowledged that they are not prepared for the problems that will be created.

Foreign investments are decreasing just as we need them most and our ability to pay for these wars and to keep up our deficits will become more and more difficult. When there is no one to pay the bill, Americans will be left to deal with the financial mess.

The doctrine established by the US will send a clear signal that we will be going after all the other "axis" countries when we're done with Iraq. Will we have any support in those wars? What will happen if, ironically, the other countries (North Korea, Iran, Syria) start arming themselves while we're too busy dealing with Iraq. What if they adopt our doctrine and attack us first?

__________________
1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside