Iraq Disaster May Cool War Fever

http://consortiumnews.com/2007/041907a.html

Iraq Disaster May Cool War Fever

By Ivan Eland
April 19, 2007

Editor's Note: It is difficult to find any silver lining in the very dark cloud over George W. Bush's Iraq War. More than 3,300 American soldiers are dead, many more are maimed, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis also have been killed or wounded.

In this guest essay, however, the Independent Institute's Ivan Eland suggests that one positive development might be a public revulsion the next time a trigger-happy leader points the country toward a war not fully justified by the needs of U.S. national security:



America’s problems in Afghanistan and Iraq may have one positive effect: They will cause the U.S. public to withhold support for future military interventions that are not absolutely necessary for U.S. security.

That’s exactly what has happened in the past and there’s no reason to believe the current failed adventures will be different.

In the Korean War, for example, after back and forth offensives, the front stabilized at the 38th parallel, where the conflict had begun. With casualties mounting and no clear-cut victory in sight, the war lost much of its support.

President Harry Truman was so unpopular by this time he decided not to seek re-election. During the subsequent eight years of the Eisenhower administration, the war-weary United States directly intervened militarily just once, in Lebanon in 1958.

Only after this respite was the country ready to elect another hawkish president: John F. Kennedy, an ardent Cold Warrior. The anti-communist Kennedy supported a reckless attempt to eliminate Castro in 1961, the so-called Bay of Pigs invasion, which helped set the stage for the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy also dramatically increased the number of U.S. advisors in Vietnam, setting another stage.

After President Johnson escalated the Vietnam War and President Nixon prolonged it, the public got fed up again and pressured Washington to end the war without victory. Like Truman, LBJ was forced to the political sidelines.

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But with gang that can't shoot straight they are itching to try again! They are like a compulsive gambler who thinks he can make up his losses on the next hand. Throw away your American history books we are in uncharted waters now. All the past Presidents had to deal with a free media and an untamed Congress and even a Court, for historical reference look to Rome and Germany or anywhere ideological despots reined

To protect the American owed United Fruit Company's land against an attempt to nationalize it.

It didn't last long - about 25 years. Unfortunately memories are short and the lessons learned in one foolish war are soon forgotten.

bush's little adventure may however cause the US to follow in the footsteps of the USSR. So, the next foolish war may not be started by us.

And see they are not allowed to come back, otherwise, sure as cats have kittens they will do it again, in 30 years or so.

television. It used to be several months. Now it's impossible for most to hold a thought between bowel movements.

or maybe free shooting weekends with Dick Cheney!