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Attacking Iraq

Reader comment on item: Brent Scowcroft is Wrong: We Must Attack Saddam

Submitted by Irfan Khawaja (United States), Aug 23, 2002 at 11:46

I was against the first Gulf war, and I'm the sort of person who would look for
any excuse to be against a second one. I eagerly read General Scowcroft's
article for such an excuse, but didn't find one. General Scowcroft's article
depends on the incredibly implausible assumption that Saddam Hussein acts
by the principles of rational-choice--he'd never attack us unless he had some
clear, definable, risk-free utility-maximizing reason for doing so. OK, but what
if Saddam Hussein is a delusional, unprincipled psychopath amassing weapons
of mass destruction for no other reason than to detonate one in the US? I
don't see that General Scowcroft has even considered this obvious possibility.

I do wish the Bush Administration would make a fully articulated case for
war based on the danger of weapons of mass destruction--and that if they
decide on war, they declare it in the constitutional manner.
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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Fascinating to read columns like these now [29 words]RussMSep 16, 2014 19:25217955
Scowcroft's arguments [142 words]Josefina CarranzaMar 29, 2006 13:5441798
Saddam is evil and must be taken out [176 words]Peggy McConnellApr 9, 2003 14:278221
To commenter, "RE: Saddam Hussein/Islamic fundamentalism" [180 words]F.B.Jan 17, 2003 10:595827
To protect our way of life [61 words]"Elbrando"Oct 31, 2002 12:313453
Get over it.... [253 words]DSep 27, 2002 19:032675
Wrong Side [91 words]Morris SobelSep 2, 2002 12:082250
Yes, we do a "regime change" as soon as possible Mr. President. [1112 words]Jay EsbeeAug 31, 2002 19:382230
Scowcroft's Track Record [96 words]Baruch LitvackAug 25, 2002 14:222092
Better Now than Later But... [21 words]Joan CarmodyAug 24, 2002 09:592089
Brent Scowcroft is Right [177 words]M. Nicolas FirzliAug 24, 2002 08:502087
Attacking Iraq [136 words]Irfan KhawajaAug 23, 2002 11:462077
Re: Adele's "Attack Saddam or Iraq" [66 words]Robert ArsenaultAug 22, 2002 22:562073
The "Arab street" [89 words]Trent SteelAug 22, 2002 21:342071
Israel must be excluded from concerns over Iraq [84 words]Klee GluckmanAug 22, 2002 08:132058
Should Israel push to attack Iraq [208 words]Ben ShniperAug 21, 2002 23:072054
A response to Adele's comment [161 words]Ken PlattAug 21, 2002 15:272047
Liberate Iraq [26 words]Dan SpencerAug 21, 2002 12:502040
Looking back [45 words]AdamJun 6, 2014 03:062040
Attack Saddam or Iraq [84 words]AdeleAug 21, 2002 03:452030
A voice of America [17 words]Thomas CarconeAug 20, 2002 20:552025

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