We suffered under Saddam Hussein in ways that too many in the international community seem to have forgotten. His regime was a republic of fear, which slaughtered Iraqis on an industrial scale and attacked our neighbours. We are fortunate he has gone and that we have a chance to rebuild our society.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Talabani on That War
Jalal Talabani is the President of Iraq. Today he's published a letter of appreciation to the British for participating in the freeing of his country. (In The Observer, the Guardian-sister paper that was in favor of the 2003 invasion). I'm posting simply to preserve the link. The possibility still exists that someday, a generation from now, Talabani's position will be self-evident and obvious. Then again, it may well not. Back in 2003 I thought it would take a decade to know; now I rather doubt that will be enough.
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There were a lot of us on the left (and obviously by using "us" I include myself) who initially supported the Iraq War. And while we had a number of reasons, I can, speaking only for myself, say that the humanitarian concern was paramount. The liberal idealist in me really savored the idea that we were finally going to be rid of a monster like Saddam.
And I still think it's important to remember that we did exactly that. It's no small thing. It doesn't mean the war was a good idea or that it was a net positive for the US, for Iraq or for the world. I've become convinced it was none of those things. But still, it's a thing worth remembering.
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