Thursday, May 13, 2004
IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR
I’m tired of hearing the question and its variations, “What does Iraq have to do with the war on terror?” I’ll take a stab at an answer, just in case the person asking isn’t simply being intellectually obtuse:
9/11 was a wake-up call that swatting at mosquitoes is no longer a sufficient response to the danger we face. Dealing with terrorism means draining the swamp that breeds the mosquitoes – that is, a complete reformation of the Middle East. What better way to expedite the process than by eliminating its most despotic regime?
Unfortunately many folks in our “gotta have everything right now” society don’t appreciate the sheer magnitude of the task or the time and resources that will be required to undertake it. Overthrowing the Taliban and walking away is not sufficient to eradicate the vicious cancer of terrorism that is spreading across the globe. So long as the Middle East is ruled by liberty-loathing, kleptocratic mullocracies that severely restrict the flow of resources and information, the problem of terrorism will grow unabated.
These regimes appear to be in no hurry to reform themselves. As a courtesy, we helped one of them along. In doing so, we now have diplomatic and military muscle to encourage the others to get with the program – lest they be next.
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I’m tired of hearing the question and its variations, “What does Iraq have to do with the war on terror?” I’ll take a stab at an answer, just in case the person asking isn’t simply being intellectually obtuse:
- Saddam Hussein was harboring known terrorists, including Abu Abbas, Abdul Rahman Yassin and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi;
- Saddam Hussein was offering financial rewards to families of Palestinian suicide bombers;
- Terrorism isn’t confined to Afghanistan or the Palestinian territories; it exists in dozens of countries, including – as we now witness almost daily – Iraq;
- Iraq was one of the most destabilizing forces in the region, threatening to embroil it once again in regional conflict;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, Libya has voluntarily abandoned its extensive chemical weapons program;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, Iran has finally allowed inspections of its nuclear program;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, Syrian anti-Ba’athists have become emboldened to protest against their government;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, Syria has signaled its desire to establish diplomatic ties with the United States;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, the incidence of international terrorism has steeply declined;
- Since the invasion of Iraq, unapologetic pro-terrorist Pakistan has become at least a cooperative neutral;
- Because of Pakistan’s cooperation, the CIA was able to uncover and unravel a clandestine nuclear black market that sought to distribute nuclear technology to unstable regimes and terrorist organizations.
9/11 was a wake-up call that swatting at mosquitoes is no longer a sufficient response to the danger we face. Dealing with terrorism means draining the swamp that breeds the mosquitoes – that is, a complete reformation of the Middle East. What better way to expedite the process than by eliminating its most despotic regime?
Unfortunately many folks in our “gotta have everything right now” society don’t appreciate the sheer magnitude of the task or the time and resources that will be required to undertake it. Overthrowing the Taliban and walking away is not sufficient to eradicate the vicious cancer of terrorism that is spreading across the globe. So long as the Middle East is ruled by liberty-loathing, kleptocratic mullocracies that severely restrict the flow of resources and information, the problem of terrorism will grow unabated.
These regimes appear to be in no hurry to reform themselves. As a courtesy, we helped one of them along. In doing so, we now have diplomatic and military muscle to encourage the others to get with the program – lest they be next.
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