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["Don Rua" <rua AT mindspring.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Evan Zimmerman" <evan.zimmerman AT gmail.com>

> If that is so, and those are major reasons for going to Iraq, would
> you agree that it's the government's duty to convince/educate the
> populance about those reasons, rather than profer other arbitrary, and
> in this case incorrect, rationale?

Yes, I would agree on general principals. However, I think giving the US
citizens the wrong information would be grounds for choosing a new
president, but not necessarily an indictment that the initiative was the
incorrect strategy for long term security of our country. If the Iraqi
people would like to vote, and live free, and we can somehow help them
achieve that, then I believe the world is a better place, not just for those
outiside of Iraq, but those inside as well.  As a matter of fact, it could
end up leading to vastly improved lifestyles for people in many other
countries in the region, as they realize what they can have through
democracy. I don't think Kerry had the guts to even try, and perhaps Bush
will pay the price for having that commitment, but neither outcome means
that it is not the best course of action.

During Clinton's term I believe, our CIA had in fact built up a groundswell
of support for revolution/coup, but was ordered to 'stand down', resulting
in the death of many of those revolutionaries. When there is no electric,
water, and kids are getting hit with bullets, it's easy for the masses to
think we are terrible, those are temporary extremes which we know can affect
reasoning.

When Washington opposed Jefferson's passionate support for the French
revolution, it was not because they both didn't think there could be a
domino effect of democracy through the world. No, it was because Washington
feared that we were too weak to be involved in creating that domino effect.
However, after cementing the sole leadership position in the world, which
took WW2 and winning the Cold War to establish, is not now the time to
reconsider Jefferson's dream? I would say, ding Bush on tactics, perhaps
preparation, and honesty. But I ding Kerry on being deceptive about the
fundamental plan, by acting like he would have done it better, when he
really wouldn't have done 'it' at all.

don