"Meanwhile, 12 long years of appeasement & diplomacy with Iraq
results in his removal & you bitch & moan there wasn't enough
diplomacy before Bush "rushed" to war."
Problem is, once GW & co. took their decision to "go get 'em" public, instead of building a strong coalition through standard diplomatic channels while the weapons inspectors continued to moniter activity on the ground, they went headlong into it like cowboys with guns blazing to the consternation of most of the international community. Not only did they eschew convention, but it is now apparent they did in fact rush in without a real plan for the eventual outcome: mindless optimism for best case scenario would not be considered a carefully measured plan.
The results of these arrogant and impulsive actions are becoming more and more apparent with each passing day. Instead of a broad coalition to help shoulder the burden both economically and militarily, we are the ones continually shelling out billions and losing young American lives daily. Add to that the fact that our stock in the international community must be nearing an all-time low. To those neo-cons who would say "F--- them (the international community), we can go this thing alone; we alone know what is right", I say you are insane and arrogant and bordering on fascism. The world does not belong to Americans alone. We are but one nation among many and as such we should act somewhat in accordance with the rest of the civilized world.
What difference would waiting a few more months or even a year have made, while working on gaining partners, additional resources, and more carefully measured plans for entering into a conflict in Iraq? Was Saddam really that much of an imminent threat to the U.S., or was this something GW Inc. simply willed us to believe through constant drumming into the brain of the national psyche?
AI
