Is Clinton trying to instigate another actual war or is this a good idea?

[KillerMuffin]

US to give help to Iraqi Opposition by John Lancaster (Washington Post)

"IN A REPORT submitted to Congress on Wednesday, the administration outlined plans to distribute food, medicine and other forms of humanitarian relief inside government-controlled areas of Iraq by means of the Iraqi National Congress, or INC, the main umbrella group for opposition forces arrayed against Hussein’s government.

Notwithstanding its humanitarian purpose, the $12 million program has important political and security implications because it would commit the United States to assist the INC in reestablishing a substantial operation inside the U.S.-protected “safe area” of northern Iraq, from which it was ousted by Hussein’s forces in 1996. Congress appropriated funds for the program last fall and gave the administration until Jan. 5 to develop a plan for carrying it out.

According to the plan, prepared in close consultation with the INC, opposition members will make clandestine forays into government-controlled areas to distribute relief supplies and propaganda. Administration officials acknowledge that the Iraqi leader is sure to regard the opposition’s presence as a provocation, raising questions about the willingness of the incoming Bush administration to protect the relief operation from Iraqi government forces.

Opposition leaders, meanwhile, say they view the operation as a precursor to the armed insurrection that they hope to mount one day with the help of American weapons and air support."

There is more, but I'm not gonna paste it all, click the link.

I think this is pretty chickenshit of Clinton to do something like this right before he leaves office. He shoulda done it back in July, it would kill the Democtratic Party in elections wouldn't it? What do ya'll think? Smashing idea or really bad move?

From my perspective, it's a really bad move. It is operating in the territory of a hostile government that considers the US the enemy. I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up having to go to war because of this stupid little plot. Saddam is highly unlikely to ignore it. The other Arab nations who are staying neutral, for now, aren't likely to ignore it either.

So, who all thinks this is an altruistic move on Clinton's part to help bring the Persian Gulf Crisis thing to a close? Or who thinks, like I do, that this is engineered to force Bush into a position that requires military action in his first year in office? Is Clinton using the Persian Gulf to further his party's and his own political agenda? Hitlery will probably be running in 2004, if not then in 2008. What better way to stack the deck than to force the opposition into having to make decisions that are not only bound to be unpopular, but an affirmation of what everyone has been saying, like Sr. like Jr.?

 

[Closet Desire]

Always playing with forces...

...they don't understand, cultures they don't appreciate, and men and women who are their equals.

Remember Iran? The US supported the Shah and didn't really care what happened as long as the listening posts up north were working. CIA crawled all over the place but when the revolution took place they were absolutely clueless. Had no idea it was about to happen.

Ooops...my soapbox is cracking...I'll let somebody else get up here...watch that edge though...

 

[Slick66]

I have a name for this op.

I would humbly suggest the name Taliban 2.

In honor of the incredible success story of a similar effort in Afghanistan in the eighties.

Its projects like this that will identify and develop the next generation of Osama Bin-Laden's. YeeHaaa! A CIA sponsored farm league for insurgents and terrorists.

Go Willy go Willy..... no seriously, GO WILLY

 

[Comshaw]

Both these passages came from the link K.M. provided.

"On Capitol Hill, Republicans and some Democrats have criticized what they regard as the administration’s failure to move aggressively to topple Hussein’s government."



"BUSH PLEDGED STRONG SUPPORT
In 1998, Congress passed, and Clinton reluctantly signed, the Iraq Liberation Act. It authorized the Pentagon
to provide the opposition with as much as $97 million in
arms and military training. So far, however, the Pentagon
has spent barely $2 million of that sum, most of it to provide nonlethal training in areas such as civil-military relations and logistics. In addition, the administration last fall provided the London-based INC with $4 million for administrative and broadcasting expenses.
During his campaign, Bush pledged strong support for the Iraq Liberation Act, and several of his top advisers have
been vocal in their criticism of Clinton’s policy toward
Baghdad. In a February 1998 open letter, Secretary of
Defense-designate Donald H. Rumsfeld and Paul D. Wolfowitz, who was picked last week to be his deputy at
the Pentagon, joined other conservatives in urging the
administration to recognize a provisional government of Iraq
headed by the INC. Among other measures, the letter
called on Clinton to “help expand liberated areas” in Iraq
“by assisting the provisional government’s offensive against
Saddam Hussein’s regime logistically and through other
means.”"

Does it sound like Clinton is setting Jr. up? Yes and no. It sounds to me like a very astute move by a consummate politician. Whether you think Bill Clinton is a moral slim ball or not, you have to give him credit for knowing how to play the game. Sounds to me like the Republicans and some Demo's have been giving him hell for not providing the relief that G.B. Jr. promised he would if elected. What Mr. Clinton did was three fold.

1. He is essentially saying,"Ok, you wanted this, here you go. I'll just get it started for you." At the same time he's managed to:
2. If it back fires, it put's the Democratic challenger in the next presidential race in a very good place. IE; "we told you not to do that, you did and now look at the mess you've gotten us into!" A very powerful election tool.
3. If it doesn't backfire and G.B. Jr. makes it work, the Demo's can claim, "Well Clinton got it started for you!"

Would it have killed the Demo's during the election? Yes. Because I think Clinton understood that it would lead to another war. Something that G.B Jr. either doesn't understand, or wants.
And to clarify things I'm neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I voted for Gore only because McCain wasn't running. I believe in staying with the devil you know, rather then one you don't.
But be that as it may, as I said above, Bill Clinton is a consummate politician. He's given the incoming administration what they say they wanted. In so doing he's put the Democratic party in a situation where they can't loose. Not bad for a morally bankrupt scuz bucket, wouldn't you say?
Comshaw (I are smart, I are a mechanic)

 

[Guest]

According to Sadam's speech yesterday he won. That no account cum bubble.

Dubya ah strongly suggest y'all round up a posse' mosey on over and learn that boy a lesson.

Thar ain't been no really good TV since that little tussle wound up over there.

'Cordin to mah sources them boys down at the Pentagon got a new deliveruh system so accurate that they can fly a cee-gar right up his patootie. That and ah really hot electronic warfare system that will make sure all TV and radio transmishions end up soundin' like pillow talk.
between Hila-ruh and Madeleine Albright.

So c'mon Dubya spring trainin' is a piece off and this migh actually cut in to Fox's market share.

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Tex