Andrew J. Bacevich is a West Point graduate, Vietnam veteran and professor of International Relations and History at Boston University. A self described “Catholic conservative” his recent writings have been critical of the Bush administrations foreign policy, particularly the Iraq War. Series: Humanitas [9/2008] [Public Affairs] [Show ID: 14212]
Duration : 1:28:1
[youtube z9jN4j7kPwc]
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I did not mind …
I did not mind seeing Saddam go away. He was a mass murderer. Why we chose this particular mass murderer instead of Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin. Mao, etc. , who really knows? The nation building part of this mission, and many others is what I was against the most. Soldiers are not trained for police actions and it is unfair to put them in situations like this. The Mideast is a very tribal culture, it is hard to change that in a culture. For that reason, we bit off more than we could chew.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Yea its all about …
Yea its all about corporate interests as that’s what fuels the American economy. Especially since the military-industrial complex has become so massive and integral.
I think the U.S. should back any constitutional republic freedom fighters/revolutions and should defend its self with overwhelming force when attacked, but not when threatened.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Exactly, who the …
Exactly, who the do we think we are telling sovereign nations how to run their own countries? These people don’t “hate us for our freedoms”, they hate us because we are running a de facto empire.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
americans like to …
americans like to believe that they can change the hearts and minds of anyone in the world, even those who don’t want change (i.e. the islamic world). this is a fool-hearted notion that we should abandon. it seems to me that the islamic world do not want a democratic system of government and it’s not our place to force it upon them.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
The professor is …
The professor is wrong when he claims that the primary issue today is what to do with the implications of Iraq rather than what to do about Iraq now.
That’s like a cop saying that pondering the future implications of a crime that is happening right there before his eyes is more important than stopping the crime then and there.
The implications and correct course are clear. Disban the standing military and pentagon and jail those who commited crimes against humanity and war crimes.
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Great, Anderw got a …
Great, Anderw got a clear thinking. I don’t share his position entirely, but I wish politicians would speak that clear, no matter from which ideology. That’s how it should be, not a miserable PR-war.