Why the Decision on Iraq was Wrong!

Lincoln Chafee stood tall when it came to a vote in Congress on the U.S. involvement in Iraq. He was a Republican Senator, and he had severe reservations about the intelligence presented by the Bush administration. Why did Lincoln Chafee doubt the administration and why did he take the principled stand to oppose the war in Iraq?

I can't speak for Lincoln Chafee, but I think that the same things that were going through my head went through Linc's head. Let's take a look at some key points.

I was 12 years old during the Cuban Missile Crisis; I think that Linc was near to my age. We all feared the possibility of nuclear war with the Soviet Union. This was a gut wrenching time in American history. We stayed glued to our TV sets and watched transfixed as Adlai Stevenson presented the United States case before the United Nations. Stevenson presented irrefutable evidence of Soviet missiles being placed in Cuba, a country just 90 miles from the United States (the video does not show the entire United Nations episode). The evidence was compelling. There were pictures of missiles, silos under construction, and Soviet ships delivering the cargo at Cuban ports. Nobody could deny the reality of the situation.

Some 40 years later; Colin Powell makes a similar presentation to the United Nations regarding weapons of mass destruction in a far away place, Iraq. The presentation was weak and was based on intercepted conversations that the intelligent listener had to question. There was no visible evidence accept a picture of a truck that later proved to be an agricultural vehicle.

I sat and watched the Powell presentation before the United Nations and asked myself; How the hell could 40 year old technology used in 1962 be superior to the technology available today? We can actually read license plates on automobiles from space based satellites; and, all we get is an agricultural truck? In 1962, we had pictures of airfields, excavations, ships, missiles and ground personal working to employee missiles; and 40 years later with much improved technology , we get a milk truck?

Eventually, we find out that Colin Powell was mislead on the claim of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Powell goes on to say that we should never have invaded Iraq. Powell resigns from the Bush administration and eventually endorses, Barack Obama as the next President.

I think that a reasoned person that had the opportunity to live the United Nation's moments surrounding the Cuban Missile crisis should not have been fooled by the presentation by our government on Iraq. Powell's presentation before the world was pathetic in hindsight. Powell himself agrees. Those that are too young to have first hand knowledge of the Cuban Missile crisis should view the linked videos. Those of you that watched Adlai Stevenson in 1962 and then watched Colin Powell 40 years later; and did not question the believability of the Iraq threat, should be ashamed of yourselves.

tomtoak