Glenn Beck: Liberals Were Right,Should Never Have Gone into Iraq

[DKW 86 7,411]

http://www.mediaite....gone-into-iraq/

Amazing, even Mr. Venom and Vitriol is talking reconciling the differences and has come to the same conclusion I myself did some time ago.

Glenn Beck: ‘Liberals, You Were Right,’ We Should Never Have Gone into Iraq

by Andrew Kirell | 5:59 pm, June 17th, 2014VIDEO755

Glenn Beck led off his radio show on Tuesday morning with a stirring monologue about all the ways he believes the left and right can come together to “heal” America. As part of that, Beck suggested that perhaps all Americans can come together to recognize the blunder that was invading and occupying Iraq in 2003 — an act that he now regrets having supported.

After listing the Veterans Affairs Department scandal and the fight against Common Core standards as two ways in which the left and right can unite, Beck asserted that “maybe we could come together now on this nightmare in Iraq.”

He then took a contrite tone and admitted [emphasis ours]:

From the beginning, most people on the left were against going into Iraq. I wasn’t.

At the time I believed that the United States was under threat from Saddam Hussein.

I really truly believed that Saddam Hussein was funding terrorists. We knew that. He was funding the terrorists in Hamas. We knew that he was giving money. We could track that. We knew he hated us. We knew that without a shadow of a doubt. It wasn’t much or a stretch to believe that he would fund a terror strike against us, especially since he would say that. So I took him at his word.

[...]

Now, in spite of the things I felt at the time when we went into war, liberals said: We shouldn’t get involved.

We shouldn’t nation-build. And there was no indication the people of Iraq had the will to be free. I thought that was insulting at the time. Everybody wants to be free. They said we couldn’t force freedom on people. Let me lead with my mistakes. You are right.

Liberals, you were right. We shouldn’t have.

He went on to declare that “You cannot force democracy on the Iraqis or anybody else,” largely because “If people vote for Sharia Law, they vote for Sharia Law.” Considering how many hundreds of thousands of lives, and trillions of dollars spent on the war, Beck put forward the idea that maybe we should never have gone in the first place.

-RELATED: Glenn Beck Takes on Ann Coulter for Calling Libertarians ‘*******’

“I have more of a chance of hacking off my loyal listeners and audience by saying this,” he conceded, “but so be it: Not one more life. Not one more life. Not one more dollar, not one more airplane, not one more bullet, not one more Marine, not one more arm or leg or eye. Not one more.”

For his conclusion, Beck said that Republicans need to listen to their non-interventionist instincts before “politicizing” Iraq and supporting another military action simply because of politics — i.e., because the president is a Democrat. “This has to become about the principles because in the principles we all agree,” he ended. “Enough is enough. Bring them home, period.”

[cooltigger21 0]

We can sit here and discuss whether we should or shouldn't have until doomsday and never resolve anything. I understand the reasons for looking back and determining whether it was a good idea or not and you can apply lessons learned to the future. The question before us now is what do we do with Iraq now that we did go in? It wouldn't have been the disaster it is now had we not backed Al-Maliki and pulled out so prematurely. It was never an ideal move to begin with but was it the least worst choice? I don't know. Now we're faced with ISIS one one side and Iran on the other. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. What's behind door number 3?

[DKW 86 7,411]

Well, after studying the ME for some time now, I would argue that this was totally predictable. No one in Iraq wants democracy. They are not ready for it at present.

[AURaptor 1,121]

The easy call would have been to do nothing, carry on w/ the status quo, allow Saddam to carry on with his WMD program, ( which he had ) , let Uday and Qusay take over after daddy Hussein died, and watch things get ever worse.

Yep. The real screw up wasn't going in, it was the " comprehensive rebuilding " crap that Bush and the State Dept insisted we dunk billions of $'s into , equipping them w/ all sorts of top notch military gear, which now resides in the hands of ISIS, or has been blown up, by our own airstrikes.

[cooltigger21 0]

The big mistake came after the 1st Gulf war. The kurds were prepared to go in and mount a coup against Saddam but none other than General Colin Powell talked us out of supporting that effort after we had indicated we would.

[TexasTiger 12,811]

Well, after studying the ME for some time now, I would argue that this was totally predictable. No one in Iraq wants democracy. They are not ready for it at present.

It was utterly predictable for many reasons as were the tremendous downsides. I'm sure there are Iraqis that want democracy, but Iraq wasn't drawn up to work as one.

[TexasTiger 12,811]

The big mistake came after the 1st Gulf war. The kurds were prepared to go in and mount a coup against Saddam but none other than General Colin Powell talked us out of supporting that effort after we had indicated we would.

The reason for assessing what went wrong is to learn from it. You're not there yet .

[AURaptor 1,121]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

[autigeremt 6,569]

Saddam could have been manipulated in the region through strategic means. Bin Laden knew we'd fall for the trap, and we did. Instead of going "All In" in Afghanistan Bush allowed the idiot at the Pentagon and the idiot next to him, and the idiots before him (misinformation and failed Intel from the Clinton Admin.) guide his decision making after the horrific events of 9/11.

The situation in Iraq is much different now. Both Bush and Obama deserve credit for how things have fallen into place. Unfortunately the frat boys in DC think with their political motives ahead of the best interest of the USA.

[TexasTiger 12,811]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

In other words, he was largely correct?

[AURaptor 1,121]

Saddam could have been manipulated in the region through strategic means.

By who ? 10 years of UN sanctions and US military presence didn't do squat to " manipulate " him one damn bit. In fact the UN HELPED him carry on, with the single worst corruption case in its history, and not a DAMN thing happened to anyone for it.

Bin Laden knew we'd fall for the trap, and we did. Instead of going "All In" in Afghanistan Bush allowed the idiot at the Pentagon and the idiot next to him, and the idiots before him (misinformation and failed Intel from the Clinton Admin.) guide his decision making after the horrific events of 9/11.

More asinine political moves to try to sway the MSM by listening to the inside the beltway know-nothing wonks. It's not a Dem or Republican way, it's the D.C. way.

The situation in Iraq is much different now. Both Bush and Obama deserve credit ( blame ) for how things have fallen into place. Unfortunately the frat boys in DC think with their political motives ahead of the best interest of the USA.

Obama gets a pass, as he didn't want this war and , of course, he's the darling of the Left. He's not accountable for ANYTHING. Ever. Save for not destroying the United States more and faster.

[AURaptor 1,121]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

In other words, he was largely correct?

How do you or anyone get " he was largely correct " out of IT WAS HIS DAMN SCREW UP ???

[TexasTiger 12,811]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

In other words, he was largely correct?

How do you or anyone get " he was largely correct " out of IT WAS HIS DAMN SCREW UP ???

You tend to be 180 degrees off.

[autigeremt 6,569]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

I believe you are wrong to assume what is widely known. H.W. upheld the promises he made to coalition partners which left Saddam in place.

[TexasTiger 12,811]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

I believe you are wrong to assume what is widely known. H.W. upheld the promises he made to coalition partners which left Saddam in place.

The Republican President got that right.

[AURaptor 1,121]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

In other words, he was largely correct?

How do you or anyone get " he was largely correct " out of IT WAS HIS DAMN SCREW UP ???

You tend to be 180 degrees off.

The dress is blue, and you don't even see blue or white, but instead see a stranded polar bear on an ice cube in the middle of an ocean. That's how far off you are.

[AURaptor 1,121]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

I believe you are wrong to assume what is widely known. H.W. upheld the promises he made to coalition partners which left Saddam in place.

Things change in war. But where Colin failed was allowing helicopters to fly over Iraq, which enabled Saddam's military to crush the Kurds. He also called off the assault on the Highway of Death. We went into Bagdhad, 10 years later, with a much smaller fighting force than we had the 1st time.

Still think he was right ? I didn't then and I don't now.

[autigeremt 6,569]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

I believe you are wrong to assume what is widely known. H.W. upheld the promises he made to coalition partners which left Saddam in place.

Things change in war. But where Colin failed was allowing helicopters to fly over Iraq, which enabled Saddam's military to crush the Kurds. He also called off the assault on the Highway of Death. We went into Bagdhad, 10 years later, with a much smaller fighting force than we had the 1st time.

Still think he was right ? I didn't then and I don't now.

Rumsfeld led the charge into Iraq with a smaller, more mobile force. Not Powell.

[alexava 6,973]

I think it's widely thought that Colin Powell was responsible for a host of screw ups and poor choices in Gulf War 1.

I believe you are wrong to assume what is widely known. H.W. upheld the promises he made to coalition partners which left Saddam in place.

Things change in war. But where Colin failed was allowing helicopters to fly over Iraq, which enabled Saddam's military to crush the Kurds. He also called off the assault on the Highway of Death. We went into Bagdhad, 10 years later, with a much smaller fighting force than we had the 1st time.

Still think he was right ? I didn't then and I don't now.

Rumsfeld led the charge into Iraq with a smaller, more mobile force. Not Powell.

true