I trust President Obama (with no doubts) to handle this crisis in Ukraine as best as it can be handled. I trust and admire him as much as the great FDR. That said it is a horrible situation that he has been handed and I fear the dye was cast when the W administration occupied Iraq...I admit to being a 'worry-wart', but here is what worries me now.
Briefly, as the Iraq War unfolded, I was puzzled as to why Russia and China didn't condemn it far more strongly than they did. Why did they never unite to demand UN sanctions against the US for such a clearly criminal act of naked aggression. But then it came to me. Russia and China liked the idea of the US invading and occupying Iraq for two reasons. Firstly, they knew it would cost us militarily and financially, but worst of all for the US, the Iraq war cost us the hard earned credibility and global sympathy which came our way after the 9-11 tragedy. Secondly and most importantly our unlawful invasion of Iraq gave Russia and China the 'moral blank check' they wanted for their own planned future land grabs.
After the United Nations condemned, but never took action against the US to stop the Iraq war the precedent is now set for NATO to vote only for weak and tepid sanctions (if any) against Russia, even if they take over all of the Ukraine. And the Genie is out of the Bottle now, a move by North Korea into South Korea will become far more likely and China is just waiting their turn to make a land grab of their own, perhaps into Taiwan and or some of Japan's Islands.
As I said then, the Iraq war could lead to WWIII.
http://ChipShirley.Com/
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I said when we invaded Iraq that our tragic act of aggression would haunt us. And the fact that Russia and China weren't more vocal in their protests of that was an eerie quiet. The UN and NATO were quiet in their disapproval too. That was the worst thing about Iraq, even more than all the innocent lives lost, it is the precedent it set. You're right that we have no moral authority to complain, but it is also a fact that if powerful nations continue this behavior it will inevitably lead to another world war and most likely nuclear. North Korea says 'our turn now' India and Pakistan as well, China has disputes with Japan and Israel has been on the verge with Iran for some time. We don't have the moral authority to disagree with land moves by any of these nations.
ReplyDeleteApparently you forgot that Iraq was still under the terms of a surrender agreement ... and agreement which Iraq broke several times, including shooting on allied aircraft. Allied forces were more than justified in taking Iraq at any time.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, stop thinking that countries like Russia and China think like western nations. They don't. They're certainly not watching us to see if they can invade other countries. They didn't before and they don't now.
The UN had nothing to say about the second Iraqi invasion because it was justifiable according to their own brokered surrender agreement.