The Iraq War retrospective Thread

[Jester]

The simple fact that you tend to ignore, that the UN war of 1991 wasn't finished.

First, that makes so very little sense. Like Korea, the 1991 war was only "ongoing" in the strict diplomatic sense that there was no peace treaty. The actual war part of the 1991 war ended a decade before 2003, and it's silly to pretend otherwise.

Second, if you're going to go with 2003 being a continuation of 1991, then it was the UN's business to "continue" the war, or let it drop. The US no more gets to make this decision than any other random nation.

Failure to comply with ceasefire and UNSCR's was a commonplace starting by day ninety of the first ceasefire's expiry. You will note that the trade embargo on Iraq was an explicit UNSC action, and was to be lifted upon Saddam's government complying with the terms of the cease fire.

Yes. And that was everyone doing what they were supposed to: the UN was deciding what happens with its own ceasefire, declaring sanctions, just as it has every right to do

The UN could not prevent NATO from attacking Serbia in 1999. How special is your UN now, Jester?

Putting one's faith in the UN is a phenomenally stupid idea: ask any Rwandan, or the folk of Darfur.
Works for me, except for a few problems in reality.

And putting your faith in the US is turning out to be a real winner. Ask the Iraqis.

I don't believe the UN is some super awesome "special" institution that wins every fight, walks on water, and dispenses holy justice from its fingertips. It is, however, the highest body of international law in the world.

Israel doesn't have enough bombs, nor missiles, to do as you suggest. See also the problem of whose airspace Israel has to go through to get to Iran.

Are you subscribing to the Conspiracy Theory that the Israeils, Jordanians and US will violate Iraqi airspace and attack Iran?

Well, it would hardly be a conspiracy on the Israeli end; they've said they'd do it. Ditto the Iranians. For the rest, I have no idea. I'm not making a serious prediction here, more a tongue-in-cheek world's-going-to-hell-in-a-handbasket comment.

-Jester