I have so far not taken any major stand on this site about the postwar positions of the Democratic Party's anti-war stance. Long time readers here understand that while I am against some of the more draconian domestic measures, I do support our involvement in Iraq and believe it essential to draining the swamp that is the fundamentalist Islamic middle east.
But the perceived position of this country has drifted decidedly to the left as the Democrats sought to take every position opposite to that of George Bush. This blind anti-Bush repositioning makes the implicit assumption that America should be anti-war ... anti-any-war.
I admit to being libertarian and the libertarian position, as I have known it, is that protection of the commons is one of the most legitimate functions of government.
Whether the Iraq War is justified is based on one's assessment of the threat and the best way to counteract that threat. In the president's assessment the war was justified. In my assessment, too, it is justified.
If hoodlums are robbing and beating people in the neighborhood and they stand on the corner every night intimidating all into staying indoors, I want someone to come and remove them from the street corner. And, in essence, this is what is being done.
And the fact that we may wind up deposing one of the most vicious dictators with an Iraqi democracy can only make the world better. However it is sad that the Democrats have had such a hard time just saying that the world is better without Saddam. They just can't say it without adding "but ..."
This is NOT blind adventure. This reaction is well centered in our national culture. This is reminiscent of our response to the barbary pirates almost 200 years ago.
And the rebuilding of Iraq is similar to that of Germany and Japan after WWII. If the Democrats placed country above politics, we would have the time to see that it goes as well also. If it fails because we only had 1 year instead of 5 to complete rebuilding, then I lay that at the door of the left.
Libertarianism is based on the assumption of a well ordered world where all can get along and the terrorism of the few don't intimidate the freedom of the many.
I'll support the president if he decides to hit Syria or Iran or North Korea also. The cold war is over, eliminating terrorism and rogue states is the war of our time. It is necessary now - it has not been necessary before. The necessity is driven by weapon technology and terrorists willingness to use them on the defenseless masses.
Now if you liberals want to discuss areas where the administration has over reacted and needlessly curtailed our freedoms, I'll quickly switch sides and join the debate against this administration.
But on the issue of the war and its justification, anyone with compassion for Iraqis, anyone with a belief that we have a right to protect our civilization, anyone with a world view that recognizes the leadership responsibility that we have inherited can clearly see that the Iraqi intervention was not done with malice toward the Iraqi people, was not done because the president enjoys putting soldiers in harms and was not done in a legal vaccuum.
-Murrel Rhodes