WP: U.S. Shifts Rhetoric on Its Goals in Iraq

[kskiska]

New Emphasis: Middle East Stability

By Dana Milbank and Mike Allen

As the search for illegal weapons in Iraq continues without success, the Bush administration has moved to emphasize a different rationale for the war against Saddam Hussein: using Iraq as the "linchpin" to transform the Middle East and thereby reduce the terrorist threat to the United States.

President Bush, who has mostly stopped talking about Iraq's weapons, said at a news conference Wednesday that "the rise of a free and peaceful Iraq is critical to the stability of the Middle East, and a stable Middle East is critical to the security of the American people."

(snip)

The Bush aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, outlined a long-term strategy in which the United States would spread its values through Iraq and the Middle East much as it transformed Europe in the second half of the 20th century. As outlined, the U.S. commitment to Iraq and the Middle East would be far more expansive than the administration had described to the public and the world before the Iraq war.

"The great goal for the United States after 9/11 is worthy of a country of the importance and the power of the United States," the adviser said. "That goal is to see the spread of our values and to understand that our values and our security our inextricably linked, much as they were in Europe, but they are also linked in the Middle East."

The vision described by the official represents a change in the administration's emphasis in describing the U.S. purpose in Iraq. Before the war, Bush at times stressed the limits of the mission, promising to "remain in Iraq as long as necessary and not a day more." At that time, Bush justified the conflict largely by asserting the need to strip Hussein of chemical and biological weapons and disrupt his nuclear ambitions.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10756-2003Jul31.html

[ThorsteinVeblen]

1. IMPERIALISM

Shrub is going to have to fight alot more Wars if this is truly his goal.

A lot more dead Americans.

A lot more dead Arab civilians.

Best of luck dude. Better put your cowboy hat on, it's gonna be a LONG RIDE.

[kskiska]

2. We ain't leaving this place

Can you say…DUPED?

[Stephanie]

3. But, what about the mushroom cloud?

.

[grytpype]

4. That was just a "lie" to get you with the program.

You don't mind, do you?

[Melsky]

5. It's insane

snip
The Bush aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, outlined a long-term strategy in which the United States would spread its values through Iraq and the Middle East much as it transformed Europe in the second half of the 20th century. As outlined, the U.S. commitment to Iraq and the Middle East would be far more expansive than the administration had described to the public and the world before the Iraq war.
Snip

So we are spreading our values across Iraq? Corporatism, imperialism, etc? Great.

[RamboLiberal]

7. So there it is - PNAC strategy admitted to by Chimpy

eom

[young_at_heart]

6. Something as important as war, but it's OK?

Where, oh where is the outrage?