I have read a few liberal columnists today, speculating that maybe those of us who were/are against the war were wrong.
A college student we know well was also asking this question.
Well...the answer is yes. Bush was right. The Iraqi people wanted democracy.
BUT.....
ALL people want a voice in how they are governed.
ALL people everywhere want to vote in a free and fair and clean election.
Even Bush couldn't get this wrong.
Does that mean that it is right to bomb the crap out of any totalitarian state, destroy the infrustructure, level whole cities, kill tens of thousands of civilians, kill thousands of military personel unlucky enough to have to fight for their tyrant's army?
All that so that we smug Americans can sit in our safe comfortable homes, choking back tears as we watch the wretched survivors line up to VOTE, and then congratulate ourselves for bringing the blessings of democracy.
Harsh view maybe, but I find all the cheerleading a bit obscene. "See there," say the war cheerleaders, "the brown people DO want democracy. Aren't those ink-stained fingers just adorable?!"
I would love it if America's official policy was to bring freedom and true democracy to all, with clean police, fair and equal court system and protection for minority rights.
Not at the point of a gun, but as the respected moral leader of the Free World, uniting the rest of the world to pressure tyrants to flee.