:: Running from the Thought Police ::

:: Monday, December 15, 2003 ::

Much Rejoicing

Saddam's been captured. Huzzah Huzzah. So far, the best commentary I've seen on this development has been by the Nation's David Corn.

The capture of such a murderous fiend is good news. Hussein deserves to rot for the rest of his days in the underground rat's nest where he was found. But the apprehension of Hussein does not justify the war. In a way, it is the least that Bush could have done, after invading under false pretenses[Italics mine]. He told the American public that it was necessary to bomb, invade and occupy Iraq--rather than engage in more aggressive weapons inspections--to neutralize the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. He claimed that his administration possessed incontrovertible proof that Hussein had such awful weapons and maintained operational links with al Qaeda. Seven months after entering Iraq, the Bush administration has not been able to produce evidence to support its central case for war. Instead, Bush and his comrades have increasingly discussed the war as an operation to free the Iraqi people from the repression of Hussein. And nabbing Hussein certainly has allowed Bush and the defenders of the war to push further this after-the-fact justification. Following Hussein's capture, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist disingenuously exclaimed, "The reason we were in that country in the first place are being realized." Not at all. Hussein was found not with WMDs but with $750,000. But what was good politically for Bush was also good for Iraq and the world.

And, considering we haven't found and WMD's, Saddam's denials that they exist aren't suprising either.

I also wonder what the Vegas odds are that this guy's just one of Saddam's body doubles.

:: The Squire 4:49 AM :: email this post :: ::
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