A recent thought has been bothering me deeply. Much like any other issue, there is two sides to every story.
The argument for the war in Iraq is on the table. In a post cold war world, the US is in all sense of the word, the supreme power. Our defense budget surpasses that of all the other nations of the world combined. Our economy affects all corners of the world and it seems as though more and more nations are trading with us and joining the web of interdependence. And in a world with just one power it up to America to define its roll in the world state. Showing that we are willing and capable of undertaking such a large task of invading and occupying two countries at the same time is a display to the world of our power. Fostering democracy in the middle east and creating a new US friendly middle eastern state is extremely bennificial to us, providing the seed of liberal democracy to act in a reverse domino effect through the middle east. And there is an inherently moral thing that must not be totally passed, and that is insanity of Hussein, which gives us a moralistic objective to accomplish as well.
With this being said we must of course analyze the other side of the fence. There seems to be an overly optimistic stance taken right from the bat, one which is deeply troublesome and short sighted. While perhaps this war did show the world that we CAN do what we feel is necessary in the name of defense, that does not necessarely that it should be done. "The only thing worse than having allies, is having none at all". If we slowly alienate our friends and allies it will become harder and less likely for us to accomplish foreign policy goals in the future. Had the US asserted its power to demand more international organization, the major powers and groups of the world could have gathered to come up with a unified strategy for stabalization of the middle east. To hope to single handedly do this is insanity, and the results have been clear. Once stable Iraq has now exploded into a civil war between tribes. Its former enemies and enemies to us like Al-Qaeda and Iran now have more strength and influence than ever before. The US is breeding animosity and and centrifuging extremism in the middle east. If it is a war for hearts and minds, how can we hope to win with when civilians continue to die in the instability and tribal warring we have start?
Its hard to remember now, but on September 12th 2001 in Tehran, the capital of Iran, over a million citizens gathered for a candle vigil to mourn for America. What happened?
