'Bush I's failure to get Saddam in the Gulf War cost him re-election'

[bobbieinok]

so said one of my brothers Saturday.

He said many of his friends were disgusted that Bush didn't 'take out Saddam' and refused to vote for him. They all 'knew we'd have to finish the job later.' When I said many claim that Bush's 'read my lips - no new taxes' cost him re-election, I was told 'no, it was the failure to finish Saddam.'

I said I had opposed the war. 'So we should have just let him take Kuwait and then attack Saudi Arabia?'

I said Bush told Saddam we wouldn't object if he went into Kuwait. Response 1: 'Yeah, I read that story too.' Response 2: 'We suckered him in, baited a trap and caught him.'

In the same 'lecture,' he said we should have let Saddam take Kuwait and then attack Saudi Arabia. Then US would have 'ridden to the rescue and would now control the MidEast. (There's clearly no need for consistency in this world view.)

Also, we're 'clearly going to have to go after Iran; but US won't need to do it b/c Israel will take out their nuclear capability.'

(sigh)

[Fenris]

1. Actually Gulf War I was Bush's biggest advantage in 1992

The war was mercifully short, was not hideously costly in terms of casualties, and had ended exactly within the confines of the original plan (ie stopping once Saddam cried uncle and Kuwait was once again sovereign). Bush rode a wave of positivism and approval following the war. What brought him down was a) his failure to understand the economic situation in the country and bring a swift end to the recession and b) a rift among the conservatives over direction (including bitterness due to the tax hike).

[fed-up]

6. I don't think 11K dead 320,000+GWI vets on disability=not hideously costly

When will people quit repeating the LIE that there were a low number of US casualties??

The 11K is number of returned GWI vets that have died (note-it may be around 10K, but I am tired right now and con't remember)

The dollar amount spent on care for these vets is huge.

[FlemingsGhost]

2. Nonsense. Domestic issues ended Poppy's tenure

The country was mired in recession. Bush was sucessfully portrayed as hopelessly out of touch with the general public ... and he was. (Remember his amazement regarding barcode scanners at the grocery store?) Oh, yeah ... a tax hike, after his famous "read my lips" sound bite didn't help matters

Your brother is talking out of his ass. He likely has a hard-on for "kickin' ass," and arrogantly paints his picture of the world with it.

[SPKrazy]

3. Taxes did poppy in n/t

[SPKrazy]

4. As I recall Iraq Victory didn't include the will to go after Saddam

The country and it's many allies at that time weren't behind going after Saddam

Even Cheney as I recall was against it.

Predictions of the disaster it is today were prevalent then

[brainshrub]

5. As I recall, it was domestic policy and Ros Perot.

And back then, they didn't have BBV.