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Just in case the Left has forgotten; Why We Are in Iraq
Topic Started: Nov 3 2005, 09:48 AM (227 Views)
ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
I. CLINTON SIGNS IRAQ LIBERATION ACT
October 31, 1998
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
October 31, 1998
Statement by thePpresident
Today I am signing into law H.R. 4655, the "Iraq Liberation Act of
1998." This Act makes clear that it is the sense of the Congress that
the United States should support those elements of the Iraqi opposition
that advocate a very different future for Iraq than the bitter reality
of internal repression and external aggression that the current regime
in Baghdad now offers.
Let me be clear on what the U.S. objectives are:
The United States wants Iraq to rejoin the family of nations as a
freedom-loving and law-abiding member. This is in our interest and that
of our allies within the region.
The United States favors an Iraq that offers its people freedom
at home. I categorically reject arguments that this is unattainable
due to Iraq's history or its ethnic or sectarian make-up. Iraqis
deserve and desire freedom like everyone else.
The United States looks forward to a democratically supported
regime that would permit us to enter into a dialogue leading to the
reintegration of Iraq into normal international life.
My Administration has pursued, and will continue to pursue, these
objectives through active application of all relevant United Nations
Security Council resolutions. The evidence is overwhelming that such
changes will not happen under the current Iraq leadership.
In the meantime, while the United States continues to look to the
Security Council's efforts to keep the current regime's behavior in
check, we look forward to new leadership in Iraq that has the support of
the Iraqi people. The United States is providing support to opposition
groups from all sectors of the Iraqi community that could lead to a
popularly supported government.
On October 21, 1998, I signed into law the Omnibus Consolidated
and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, which made $8
million available for assistance to the Iraqi democratic opposition.
This assistance is intended to help the democratic opposition unify,
work together more effectively, and articulate the aspirations of the
Iraqi people for a pluralistic, participatory political system that will
include all of Iraq's diverse ethnic and religious groups. As required
by the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for FY 1998 (Public Law
105-174), the Department of State submitted a report to the Congress on
plans to establish a program to support the democratic opposition. My
Administration, as required by that statute, has also begun to implement
a program to compile information regarding allegations of genocide,
crimes against humanity, and war crimes by Iraq's current leaders as a
step towards bringing to justice those directly responsible for such
acts.
The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 provides additional,
discretionary authorities under which my Administration can act to
further the objectives I outlined above. There are, of course, other
important elements of U.S. policy. These include the maintenance of
U.N. Security Council support [for] efforts to eliminate Iraq's
prohibited weapons and missile programs and economic sanctions that
continue to deny the regime the means to reconstitute those threats to
international peace and security. United States support for the Iraqi
opposition will be carried out consistent with those policy objectives
as well.
Similarly, U.S. support must be attuned to what the opposition can
effectively make use of as it develops over time. With those
observations, I sign H.R. 4655 into law.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
THE WHITE HOUSE,
October 31, 1998
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
To my mind the goals of liberating a country suffering under a tyranny should never be in doubt. The questions arise regarding the methods employed. In addition, there's more to the current conflict than the liberation of the Iraqi people, unless you really believe the complete party line.

And I'm not one of those saying 'It's all Bush's fault' however I didn't agree with going in, I think it was a mistake. It wasn't Clintons mistake, it was Bush and his administration, possibly based on incorrect data regarding WMD's, and possibly in reaction to something (9-11) that occurred once Clinton was no longer in office. The fact that Clinton may or may not have made the mistake has no bearing on the issues, other than to provide evidence that being wrong about the WMD's was an easy mistake to make.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Wacki Iraqi
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Senior Carp
"Now sit down and write yourself two letters..........." film: TRAFFIC
You're an atheist when considering Zeus, Apollo, Amon Ra, Mithras, Baal, Thor, Wotan, the Golden Calf and the Flying Spaghetti Monster.........I just go one God further.
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Phlebas
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Bull-Carp
Could you underline the parts that say the US should use faulty intelligence as a rationale for the war, under mobilize and under equip the US forces going to Iraq, engage in torture and humiliation of prisoners, grossly underestimate - if not totally ignore the possibility of - post war resistance, fire top generals who provide honest assessments of what the troop levels should be and instead make young Americans serve multiple tours because they underestimated troop levels.
Random FML: Today, I was fired by my boss in front of my coworkers. It would have been nice if I could have left the building before they started celebrating. FML

The founding of the bulk of the world's nation states post 1914 is based on self-defined nationalisms. The bulk of those national movements involve territory that was ethnically mixed. The foundation of many of those nation states involved population movements in the aftermath. When the only one that is repeatedly held up as unjust and unjustifiable is the Zionist project, the term anti-semitism may very well be appropriate. - P*D


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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
Phleeb:

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Quote:
 
Phleeb:

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.


Have you been talking to my wife? :P
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
:lol:
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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