# Bush's Mid-East Fantasy **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 27, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762 "2003-02-27T00:25:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capt.Caustic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@Capt.Caustic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Caustic)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762/21 "2003-02-27T20:08:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTFirefly \* > \*\*So you are positing a postwar puppet government in Iraq which will do America’s bidding. > \*\* Actually, no. I’m hoping for a law-abiding government that no longer faces sanctions and can produce at full capacity. I sure hope it’s a democracy, but that’s up to the people of Iraq. > [@](#): > > \*\* > That certainly supports my point about the unlikelihood of our bringing democracy to Iraq. \*\* As I said before, best we can do is encourage. ---
**Author:** ![ElJeffe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ElJeffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElJeffe)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762/22 "2003-02-27T20:47:28Z")
Capt. Caustic: > [@](#): > > Actually, Elvis, given Bush’s ham-handed “engagement” with NK over the past year, maybe non-engagement is a better policy. NK has been a real failure. The whole region is destabilized for no reason other than the need to find a non-Islamic candidate for the last “axis of evil” slot and because Bush couldn’t contain his “loathing” for the Dear Leader. Can anyone think of a policy towards NK that would keep them from developing nukes and threatening SK? I keep hearing that Bush’s approach was lousy, and that NK is a threat, but I’ve yet to hear anybody come up with a viable alternative. RTFirefly: > [@](#): > > Last time I looked, Egypt was one of the few countries to receive serious amounts of foreign aid money from us. If they’re not our friend, we’re sure theirs. And a nation (such as Saudi Arabia) that allows us to base troops on their soil for many years has to, in some sense, qualify as an ally. I’ll agree that we are Egypt’s friend, inasmuch as we dole out the cash. Strangely enough, cash payouts don’t seem to stop Egypt and SA from encouraging terrorism against both us and Israel. I think it’s high time the “friend and ally” facade stopped. In the past, we were forced to choose these nations as allies because we had to choose _someone_ in the area to negotiate with. If we can find a better alternative in Iraq, then we no longer need the House of Saud and Co., and good riddance. Jeff ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762/23 "2003-02-27T20:53:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Florentine\_Pogen \* > \*\*Tonight, GWB will present one of his many reasons to go to war with Iraq. \*\* What?! That SOB had better not pre-empt Survivor! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762/24 "2003-02-27T21:25:49Z")
Oooh, thank goodness. The OP was yesterday. I was getting worried for a minute. Feared it might be in the same league as when Luke and Laura were just about to get married, and that damned Reagan had to go and get shot. ---
**Author:** ![Jojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecd19e/32.png) [@Jojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jojo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762/25 "2003-02-27T22:42:13Z")
Hey, this was _my_ idea (except he’s missed out the bit about al Qaida): [Iraq - The Grand Plan?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=162738) Bush stole my idea - weird! Bush reads the Straight Dope - even weirder! It’s ok George, I don’t mind you using my ideas but at least give me credit for them in future, huh? Better still, give me a high up job, I think I’d make a great Presidential advisor (and an even better President). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-mid-east-fantasy/157762.md?page=1)