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Not only was the disaster entirely predictable, they themselves predicted it. For Gulf War I, Cheney (then Secretary of Defense) explained why they left Saddam

by bmm6o 9y ago

Not only was the disaster entirely predictable, they themselves predicted it. For Gulf War I, Cheney (then Secretary of Defense) explained why they left Saddam in power - that removing him would create a power vacuum and a civil war leading to regional instability. Gulf War II - with Cheney as VP - has exactly this outcome, leading us to dump blood and money (ours and others) in the desert sands.

jancsika 9y ago
So who was the mastermind? Wolfowitz?
- empath75 9y ago
  I’m not sure there was _a_ mastermind. More of a confluence of economic and political incentives combined with a bloodthirsty populace post-911.
- bmm6o 9y ago
  I don't even know all of the players, and don't claim to know their motivations. I will say that you don't need a mastermind or a conspiracy if your incentives are shared or aligned. Some may have done it for money, some for power, some to prop up W's popularity in order to pass a domestic agenda.
  - jancsika 9y ago
    > I don't even know all of the players, and don't claim to know their motivations. I'm asking for a response from someone who knows the players and can give convincing evidence for their motivations. I mention Wolfowitz because as I remember it he was one of the chief writers of the PNAC policy pieces[1] that were urging for a ground war in Iraq during Clinton's second term. I'd be interested in reading more from an expert on the chief movers and shakers in buildup to the Iraq War, especially since almost all of those neo-cons involved have done a lot to distance themselves from it over the last decade. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_C...
duderific 9y ago
Gulf War II was advantageous to Cheney, as he had been the CEO of Halliburton, and still had ties in the defense industry. As we know, Halliburton and other similar companies ended up with billions of dollars in US Government contracts supplying food and personnel for the Iraq war. Probably one of the greatest unenforced conflicts of interest in the history of the United States.

by bmm6o 9y ago

jancsika 9y ago

So who was the mastermind? Wolfowitz?

empath75 9y ago
I’m not sure there was _a_ mastermind. More of a confluence of economic and political incentives combined with a bloodthirsty populace post-911.
bmm6o 9y ago
I don't even know all of the players, and don't claim to know their motivations. I will say that you don't need a mastermind or a conspiracy if your incentives are shared or aligned. Some may have done it for money, some for power, some to prop up W's popularity in order to pass a domestic agenda.
- jancsika 9y ago
  > I don't even know all of the players, and don't claim to know their motivations. I'm asking for a response from someone who knows the players and can give convincing evidence for their motivations. I mention Wolfowitz because as I remember it he was one of the chief writers of the PNAC policy pieces[1] that were urging for a ground war in Iraq during Clinton's second term. I'd be interested in reading more from an expert on the chief movers and shakers in buildup to the Iraq War, especially since almost all of those neo-cons involved have done a lot to distance themselves from it over the last decade. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_C...

duderific 9y ago

Gulf War II was advantageous to Cheney, as he had been the CEO of Halliburton, and still had ties in the defense industry. As we know, Halliburton and other similar companies ended up with billions of dollars in US Government contracts supplying food and personnel for the Iraq war. Probably one of the greatest unenforced conflicts of interest in the history of the United States.