Democractic IraqFollow

Just a guess, the Taliban in Afghanistan?


Gold star. The terrain in Afganistan is more favorable for the insurgents, however, and I'm not sure that we'd have wanted the same end result as we got in Afganistan in Iraq.

That is a fundementalist Muslim theocro-fascist state.

Of course coup would be the correct term. To pass "political engineering via the rifle 101" you have to answer the following questions as well please :

With an increase in modern surveillance methods - how is forming a gathering to discuss possible revolution easier than in the past ?

Name at least one country that has held a coup in the last ten years where the new government has been more morally acceptable than the one that they replaced for every 5 that have not (see I'm being nice - allowing you a 1 in 6 sucess rate to get a good answer)

Clarify how being a citizen in a police state gives you the same access to high-tech weaponry as being in the ruling faction?

On a less frivolous note - agreed that one bullet would have put Saddam out of our misery pretty thoroughly. We are all aware however of the resilience of tinpot dictators (with multiple body doubles) to assasination attempts. My favourite was the CIA trying to nail Castro in the 60s - if a superpower couldn't manage it I'm sure you're right and the Joe Schmoe on te street would have a better chance.

The other thing to consider is that with any regime taking out a few key personnel is not a resolution - I shudder to think what would have happened if Hitler had been taken out and left Goebbels (or one of his cronies) in charge - it would not have been any better.

Of course I could be a cynic and suggest that it was never in the interest of the US military / intel to have Saddam replaced by a peaceful internal coup as it would remove one of the external threats they have used to justify their budget after the collapse of the soviet union as a cohesive force. An invasion, of course, justifies lots of new toys. I'm not going to suggest that because you'd say I've watched too many Oliver Stone movies.

And Smash - I know I'm new to the board - and was stating the obvious - but sometimes the obvious is what is needed - people tend to overlook it.

Maybe one day when I have posted 10,000 posts (congrats btw) I can forgo the obvious as well :p









Edited, Fri Jul 30 08:59:03 2004 by palimpset

what would have happened if Hitler had been taken out and left Goebbels (or one of his cronies) in charge - it would not have been any better.


Goering.

Goering ?

Obviously I'm mistaken in thinking this man was a ruthless opportunist who contributed to the whole bloody mess from greed? One who did not hesitate to use slave labour ?

I'm sure that there is a circle of hell awaiting people who commit atrocities on their fellow man in the name of some misguided idea. There is a deeper one for those who partake of these for personal profit.

By the latter stages he was an addled sybarite anyway - he would have quickly been ousted by a more - feral version.

China can't be a threat - or all those big firms wouldn't have spent all that money building them nice highways so they can have access to their underpaid workforce. Right ?


Yeah, ***** the ICBMs, that's so 80's anyway.

Missle dfense.

Someone has to keep the children of Raytheon workers fed.

Anyway - anyone with a missile is going to be invaded if they're on the axis of evil - so who you defending yourself from - canada ?


Nono, once you actually have nuclear weapons you become an important trade partner with your own unique cutural mores, like running people over with tanks, that we westerners can't understand .

I think GWB is more of the old fashion "Let's hang 'em boys" school of thought.

Meh... I was never one for logic.

If that were the case I'd call myself GrumpySpock