Devil’s advocate here. Then wouldn’t a ‘hawk’ (to use the OP’s term) agree with this sentiment: I think it’s worth it to save innocent Iraqi moms and dads and babies to maintain a steady supply of oil for the U.S.
Whether you want to attibute the ongoing deaths of innocents to sanctions or Saddam’s justified means of governance, with the lifting of sanctions alone, with or without the proper distibution of resources, would actually save many Iraqi citizens.
However, regarding the OP’s fantasy, the lives of the Iraqi people could be worsened by a mismanagement or deliberate disregard of the people after a war. However, that would have to assume that the US has ever intentionally abused in such a way a whole nation for their greed when the helping of the citizens with humanitarian efforts (wich the US has no peer in the world).
The history of the US towards it’s defeated enemies overwhelmingly shows what is likely to happen. And the fantasy of the OP is the opposite and you would know this if you “read the history books”.
Forgot to answer the OP’s question. I would be pissed also if what the OP said came to be. Like Sua I would vote for almost anyone oposing Bush in the next election. And would support any opportunities to rectifiy the situation.
If it is about oil than the Bush administration is lying and has no morals or ethics. If it is about ‘freeing’ the people of Iraq and’ building’ a democracy than the Bush administration is lying and has no morals or ethics. If it about getting rid of Saddamn because he is a threat to America than the Bush administration is lying and has no morals or ethics. Lets see…what’s left?
To the OP, what if, after a year and half (why not line the timeframe up with the next presidential election), hundreds of US troops are still coming home in body bags each month due to the ongoing need to provide peace among a region that hasn’t seen peace in thousands of years? Or due to the complications of trying to unify the Sunnis, Shi’ites, and the Kurds, with the unwelcome (but hard to identify) influence of Al Qaeda operatives, Turks, Iranians, …
[continued hijack, sort of]
To X~Slayer(ALE), while I am not a peace-at-all-costs anti-war protestor, I don’t support pre-emptive action without UN support, so let me answer your hypotheticals.
I’d be really relieved. At least we could point to something to justify our actions.
Assuming we didn’t “forge” the evidence.
And back at 'cha, what happens if don’t find any evidence of WoMD?
[/continued hijack, sort of]