Five and half years ago President Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist. Iraq was a sovereign nation and Mr. Bush decided to bypass the U.N. to address a bogus problem. Most of our major allies opposed the invasion and sat on the sidelines. There's no need to go over all the mistakes made during the Iraq War, but one consequence we are now realizing more clearly than ever is that Bush opened the door for other nations to take the same actions against another nation regardless of a threat that was real or a threat that was manufactured.
Now it is Russia's turn to act the story out in Georgia. Mr. Bush says Georgia is a sovereign nation and Russia should end the war and pull all troops out. The U.S. still has 140,000 troops in Iraq after 5-1/2 years, so the presidents words ring hollow.
I have mentioned on several occasions in the past that two can play this reckless game and now its Russia's turn. There will be more leaders who will take their turn if this ideology is not reversed. The day of reckoning has arrived for our reckless decision concerning Iraq. The most frightening part is that the people responsible for the war in Iraq have convinced the American people to forget about the real reason we went to war in the first place and instead we are debating the surge --- a surge over WMD that did not exist and Americans are still dying because of that reckless behavior.
Part of the silent reason of Russia's action in Georgia is the push to have Georgia become a member of NATO which Mr. Bush supports and Mr. Putin opposes. Also a missile defense system in that part of Europe close to Russia that Bush supports and Putin opposes. Mr. Putin is sending a message to stay out of Russia's back yard.
There will be more days of reckoning ahead if our next president does not change this dangerous and reckless policy and change this copy cat notion that world leaders can do what ever they want. If that effort is not made the men and women in the Olympics will be facing each other in war instead of sports competition. Is that what leadership is all about?
