Phil- you do realize that getting Osama was the #1 goal of the Clinton administration in the last few years of office.
That Clinton asked the Pentagon for plans to go after Osama, but the Pentagon said the only way to actually get him would require multiple army divisions, air strikes, etc. This was prior to 9-11, and Clinton wasn't willing to launch a preemptive war to get a terrorist.
Furthermore, the Clinton administration warned the Bush people that Osama would be a problem during the transition- but the Bush folks ignored them.
If you doubt this, read
Ghost Wars by Coll.
It wasn't for lack of trying, and when the US did intervene- it was only after the Northern Alliance had pretty much ended Taliban control.
No one says end the war in Afghanistan.
But its also pretty clear that Bush harped on the fears of the American public to start a preemptive war on Iraq- and lied about basis for going to war. While Bush may be gone in about 1/2 a year, if you elect McCain, you're putting the Republicans back in office. And McCain's policies are generally pro-Bush. Why? Because its the same constituent supporters.
Now we are paying $12 million an hour for that war. Our economy is in trouble, our infrastructure is failing, and we can't even rebuild a city hit by a hurricane.
Would this change under McCain- not really. YOu're suggesting a change of leadership will make a change. But McCain's policies are generally pro-Bush policies- which are really just a more extreme version of policies begun under Reagan. More tax cuts for the rich, more weakening of the state, more reliance on military policy abroad, more income inequality that favors the privileged. Consequently, more of the middle class and lower class paying the bill while the rich get richer.
I did support the Iraq War- and I knew there was no Al Quieda in Iraq or WMD. What I don't support is how badly Bush fucked up the policy. Sanctions had failed and Saddam had grown more powerful- he had to go.
But you're telling me that the single super power couldn't deal with a little shit petro-state in the middle east? What kind of fuck up administration couldn't win that war? Oh.. the same one that fucked up Katrina.
I also oppose the idea of using our military to support corporate interests. We send our troops to war, we should be giving them all the support they need- and if that means tax the rich, so be it.
You want to continue that war- either you win it or you give up. What we're doing is half-assed, and that way, nothing gets done. So either you're willing to tax the rich and draft kids or you start thinking of pulling out and leave the Iraqis to figure out their own future.
