Help me tear apart this new Friedman column

[populistdriven]

I am trying to make a point with a moderate Dem...

Whittier, CA, 9/12/2006

Thomas Friedman: Centrists the real problem in Iraq, not extremists

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/opinions/ci_4320365

This is the paragraph that really bugs the shit out of me:

"Let me explain: We are stalled in Iraq not because of something some fringe anti-war critics said, or did, but because of how the Bush team, the center of U.S. policy, approached Iraq from the start. While it told the public - correctly, in my view - that building one example of a tolerant, pluralistic, democratizing society in the heart of the Arab-Muslim world was really important in the broader war of ideas against violent radical Islam, the administration acted as though this would be easy and sacrifice-free."

This war was never justified based on "freeing the Iraqi people".

[LynnTheDem]

1. No it wasn't; and the very vast majority of Americans said HELL NO

to a war to "free" anyone.

And that's a FACT.

The vast majority of Americans say "humanitarian" is not justification
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1114-06.htm

Human Rights Watch; Iraq invasion cannot be justified as humanitarian intervention
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0126-07.htm

[rusty charly]

2. never

mushroom clouds
WMDs
imminent threat
rape rooms
smashing incubators with babies in them


freeing the people?
nope
don't remember that one

sorry, miss friedman

[Hissyspit]

3. "..building one example of a tolerant, pluralistic, democratizing society"

in the heart of the Arab-Muslim world was really important."

But it wasn't LEGAL, legal in the U.S. or Internationally, and it wasn't morally or ethically justifiable.

[Malikshah]

4. Easy-- blow on it-- it will fall like a house of cards

Friedman is desperate to retain his viability.

His second sentence shows his incompetence-- he agrees with the assbackward stance of the regime.

One cannot build a democracy from the outside. End. of. story. Anyone who believes this to be the case needs to go back to school and study history (and read the books this time)

Friedman was and is a hack.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. I wish someone would build a tolerant, pluralistic, democratizing society

...while rejecting violent radical fundamentalism...in America.

[Rageneau]

6. Friedman was wrong from the start and still is.

It doesn't matter what he thinks, because whatever he thinks is wrong.

[populistdriven]

9. which makes it even more sad that moderate dems drink his koolaid

[bridgit]

7. i thought he was ALL 'damn the torpedo's, full speed ahead' with war...

in iraq being the only way to clean up a 'tough neighborhood' back in the day...it was all supposed to make life easier for israel...but is hasn't made life any easier for any constituent

[lostnfound]

8. There was one once, wasn't there: Mossadegh?

And what was the motivation for toppling him? Because he nationalized the oil?

And why aren't we trying to democratize Uzbekistan, instead of making nice with a psychopathic sadistic dictator?

[bobbolink]

10. How 'bout just the PNAC evidence?

That should take care of it...:evilgrin:

[Sapere aude]

11. You need to list all the reasons for going to Iraq that were given and

the dates. You will see the steady change over time for the reasons for the war and as each one fell on it's face a new reason came up. Today the right wants us to forget about that and accept the new reason. One I read about from a right wing columnist over the weekend was that we need to stay in Iraq so that the oil doesn't fall into the hands of radical Islamics. Now that proves it's all about oil and it always has been.

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. Uh Tom... ever heard the word "nationbuilding"?

Surely you heard Bush say why this was such a bad thing in 2000?

[populistdriven]

13. Friedman loves to deflect accountability for his own mistakes onto Bush

Instead he should ask why the Neocons have complete control of our government. I'd like to see him explain how the hell they manage keep so many supporters considering how horrible their performance has been.

But that would require introspection about him (the Media) and how horrible their performance has been.

Friedman is part of the problem but he is constitutionally incapable of seeing that.