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Drunken Irishman

(34,857 posts)
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 05:48 PM Sep 2014

It's time we stop blaming Obama for Bush's mistakes.

"If Bush was doing it, no one here would support him!"

True.

The difference, of course, is that if Bush was doing it, we'd still have over 150,000 troops in Iraq fighting. That's the difference. Bush wouldn't just stick his toe in the water there - he'd be doing a cannonball. It would be the same with Mitt Romney and John McCain.

You might not agree with Obama entirely on his strategy, but just because Bush invaded Iraq on a lie does not mean Obama is somehow culpable as well - no more than saying FDR's move into Europe was foolish because of Wilson's a couple decades prior.

Bush's problem had nothing to do with him being an interventionist, as most U.S. presidents, since Teddy Roosevelt, at least, have been one in some way or another, and had everything to do with dumb strategy and the lust for total, catastrophic war.

Do you really think Obama wants 10,000 troops in Iraq - let alone nearly 200,000?

I doubt it.

13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
It's time we stop blaming Obama for Bush's mistakes. (Original Post) Drunken Irishman Sep 2014 OP
"Dumb strategy?!" Try War Crimes n/t leftstreet Sep 2014 #1
Absolutely. Which hammers home my point more... Drunken Irishman Sep 2014 #2
If you're going to bomb a sovereign nation, why not be bold! leftstreet Sep 2014 #3
Exact same! Drunken Irishman Sep 2014 #4
Who is this 'we' you are talking about? Rex Sep 2014 #5
dont worry Rex. mylye2222 Sep 2014 #7
look who's not talking napkinz Sep 2014 #6
We shouldn't just stop blaming him. baldguy Sep 2014 #8
Cheers to the Drunken Irishman Dont call me Shirley Sep 2014 #9
I, personally, do not blame Obama for any of his predecessor's mistakes. Maedhros Sep 2014 #10
And Vice Versa! Demeter Sep 2014 #11
It never ceases to amaze me humbled_opinion Sep 2014 #12
Actually... TiberiusB Sep 2014 #13
 

Rex

(65,616 posts)
5. Who is this 'we' you are talking about?
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 06:00 PM
Sep 2014

DU? America? Sorry, but I never see this 'we' you keep talking about.

 

baldguy

(36,649 posts)
8. We shouldn't just stop blaming him.
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 06:19 PM
Sep 2014

We should be giving Obama (and the Democratic Party) our full-throated, enthusiastic support to repair the damage the Bush Regime has done

 

Maedhros

(10,007 posts)
10. I, personally, do not blame Obama for any of his predecessor's mistakes.
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 08:19 PM
Sep 2014

I do, however, hold Obama accountable for not learning from them, for doubling down on them, and for making new mistakes such as bombing Libya, rattling sabers at Syria and wasting $500 million on another pointless military adventure in the Middle East.

humbled_opinion

(4,423 posts)
12. It never ceases to amaze me
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 08:56 PM
Sep 2014

that people continue to use blinders when viewing this entire debacle.... Both Bush and Obama are making the same mistakes.... Bush didn't immediately go to war with Iraq after 911 he took 18 months to convince a shocked America, with his NEOCONS and his MIC advisors, I am sure Bush didn't (want) a protracted war in Iraq and I believe they all thought they were going to be greeted as liberators and the war would be over and some bases would be established and the oil would flow as payment. John Kerry campaigned in 2004 as an anti-war candidate and nearly won because America was starting to see through the B.S. Obama also campaigned as an Anti-war candidate and he won in a landslide and yet here we are.... Imagine 2 years ago the President said the war in Iraq was over and all the troops were brought home, 2 months ago we were sending troops back with air strikes to protect people from genocide, 2 weeks ago we are expanding the effort to attack a terrorist group which is being trumped up as some second coming of the Nazis. Now we are talking about a couple thousand (military advisors) what about two weeks from now? Two months and next year where will we be? At the current exponent we will be engaged in a full scale 200K boots on the ground military war with Syria,.. It is always up to us to make sure that our leaders learn the lessons of history.

TiberiusB

(484 posts)
13. Actually...
Fri Sep 19, 2014, 08:58 PM
Sep 2014

Bush signed the status of forces agreement with Iraq, not Obama, so there would likey not be 150,000 troops there today under Romney or McCain. The Obama administration did, in fact, try to negotiate to keep well over 10,000 troops in Iraq at 4 large bases. Maliki refused to grant immunity to U.S. servicemen, so no deal was ever reached, resulting in the full evacuation of all U.S. personnel. Being forced to do the right thing is hardly a coup for Obama.

Would a Republican led military intervention be worse? Probably, but let's face it, we are rapidly falling into the "lesser of two evils" trap...again.

Those who repeat the past...

Repeating the same thing over and over with the expectation of different results...

It's exhausting when reality becomes a cliché.

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