National Security Advisor Rice says that President Bush believes that the response to 9/11 ought to be to deal with Afghanistan, and to deal with the circumstances in the Middle East that have created Al Qaeda, by implementing a peaceful and stable Iraq.
What created Al Qaeda was Osama bin Laden’s and others’ frustration with (perceived or real):
- absolute, severe embargo on Iraqi people that didn’t affect Saddam’s regime
- unlimited, unconditional support of Israel
- presumptive US possessiveness of Arab oil
- US alliance with the House of Saud to loot the Saudi Arabian resources
- occupation of sacred Muslim lands by America, especially the military
- arrogant disregard of Muslim casualties
The war in Iraq seems to be exacerbating those problems, not quenching them.
Bush and Rice fill their water buckets with high-test gasoline.