I will be using this blog as an opportunity to express opinions on a variety of topics that I hope some people will find somewhat interesting. I'll also use this first blog as an opportunity to post my opinions on a topic that I think illustrates how we can get so stupid by not learning from history.
President George H. W. Bush doesn't get enough credit for the outstanding job his administration did in dealing with Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. He warned, built a coalition, and then, and only then, the U.S. and coalition allies invaded and liberated Kuwait. The coalition, which included an overwhelming majority of U.S. soldiers, kicked butt and could have easily gone all the way and taken over and occupied the entire country. But President George W. Bush did not have the U.N's or the coalition's approval and the troops pulled out. Critics will say he made a mistake but look at what happened during the next decade. The economy soared, the U.S. military learned much and became stronger and the opinion of the U.S. throughout the world was greatly enhanced.
It might not be fair to compare the way George H. W. Bush handled the situation in Iraq with the way his son George W. Bush handled his challenges in that country. But I wish his dad was in the cabinet. I'm not going to pile on during this blog but I sure do think this situation serves as a pretty good start to illustrate the importance of knowing, at least recent history, when decisions are made. My next blog will elaborate on a few other points that probably should have been considered before jumping into the most costly war and occupation in our history.
