When Failure is Better than Success: (Iraq War) By Andrew Bard Schmookler

[Demeter]

OpEdNews.com

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_andrew_b_061127_when_failure_is_bett.htm


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November 27, 2006

When Failure is Better than Success: What Americans, and the World, Owe to the Disaster in Iraq

By Andrew Bard Schmookler

There can be no doubt that the failed American invasion of Iraq has been a terrible thing. Because of this American failure, the Iraqi people have suffered horrific trauma and destruction, and there's no indication that their ordeal will end anytime soon. For America, too, this botched invasion has proved most costly: in blood, in treasure, and in national reputation. The order of the world has been rent, the global stage dominated by violence initiated by its leading nation in an act interpreted by most of the world's people's as an unjustified act of aggression.

Looking at these developments from the standpoint of the year 2000, it would appear to be an unmitigated catastrophe.

Yet, from another perspective –a valid and important perspective-this ongoing disaster in Iraq is good news. It's good news only in terms of the alternative. That is, in terms of the alternative if one takes as givens the Bushites' being in power in the United States and, especially, their decision to invade Iraq.

Imagine, in other words, what the situation would be –in America, and in the world-had the mission truly been accomplished at the time that this arrogant and ignorant president of ours strutted across that aircraft carrier in front of that infamous banner.

The Escape from Fascism at Home and from an Imperial Global Bully Abroad

It is hardly likely, had Bush been able to ride into these recent elections a victory rather than a debacle, that the American people –who always love a winner-would have hesitated to ratify the one-party state –that "permanent Republican majority"-toward which these Bushites have aspired. And it should be recalled that this was to be a one-party state fundamentally different in nature from that which the Democrats once enjoyed. This present regime, as we now know, is one that early on set out to transform our constitutional democracy into a system of government in which the Great Leader –our "war-time president"-- enjoyed unchecked power. Imagine how much further down this road toward fascism we would be now if Iraq had not dragged this president out of that cocky, swaggering posture which, it seemed, more than half of our countrymen were willing to applaud.

We Americans may well owe the survival of our democracy to this failure in Iraq.

MORE GOOD POINTS IN REST OF ARTICLE!

Authors Website: http://nonesoblind.org/

Authors Bio: Andrew Bard Schmookler's website www.nonesoblind.org is devoted to understanding the roots of America's present moral crisis and the means by which the urgent challenge of this dangerous moment can be met. Dr. Schmookler is also the author of such books as The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution (SUNY Press) and Debating the Good Society: A Quest to Bridge America's Moral Divide (M.I.T. Press). He also conducts regular talk-radio conversations in both red and blue states.

[sam sarrha]

1. i had an old car once, replaced everyting on it... but it just wouldnt run.. had to dump it, and i

thousands of dollars of new parts on it.. i parted out what i could and hauled it off..

unfortunately Iraq is a Total Bust.. nothing to retrieve.. we will leave everything there, it is all warn out.. and radioaactive