*What will this do to our arguments?* Someone asked.
If our argument was that the US shouldn't invade and occupy Iraq because it would be unable to apprehend Saddam then we should be concerned. But of course, this isn't the case.
*Won't this boost Bush's re-election chances?*
The election is still quite a few months away and many things will happen. It is unwise to assume that the capture of Saddam, a man most Americans think about to a very limited extent, will produce sufficient fuel to power starship Bush for nearly a full year. It may contribute, that must be said, but this alone is not enough.
I believe the proper response is to continue to patiently state the bare facts: in the beginning, the Bush administration said that Iraq must be invaded to prevent its use of weapons of mass destruction. Following the invasion, no such ordinance was found. Next, the administration claimed that it was *doing a good thing* by toppling Hussein and also laying the foundation for a grand transformation of the Middle East. A romantic idea, suitable for patriotic children's stories but unsupportable by any facts or a consideration of the known behavior patterns of great powers.
Indeed, even if this remolding was the true goal what indication is there that the US has the mental discipline and material resources to accomplish such a task? Other than saying, repeatedly *we're America* as if that were explanation enough the administration is unable to provide concrete answers.
So, following Hussein's capture we are just where we were in the beginning; asking the critical questions: why did the US invade Iraq and what does it seek to achieve by occupying or otherwise dominating that country?
By answering these questions with subtle discernment, taking into account all the nuances, we will be able to debate from a position of sophistication and strength.
Someone mentioned that the problem seems to be that much of the left shares the assumptions of the right. This is true. Our tendency to create simple morality tales gets the best of us. Because Hussein was a tyrant and was captured by American forces, some scratch their heads and think that this must mean trouble for critics since anyone who brings discomfort to someone bad must be *good.*
Our attachment to simplicity will be our undoing in the end if it cannot be overcome.
Remember, an arsonist can both set a fire and call the fire department, therefore saving lives. This does not make the arsonist any less a criminal.
DRM