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319 Comments
- kimonokiller, on 02/28/2009, -25/+115No, George Bush was.
- Jericho6, on 02/28/2009, -8/+76I wouldn't call it the biggest mistake. I mean slavery, the treatment of Native Americans, and so forth rank higher on my list. But it's certainly one of the bigger ones.
- michaelpinto, on 02/28/2009, -11/+53I think it's a little bit too early to make that judgement. For example the domestic impact of Vietnam shadowed an entire generation (will Iraq do the same?) — and if you're looking for unjust wars of imperialism you have the Spanish-American War. Also once you start taking into account covert actions like the 1951 coup against Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran which has colored our relations with them for over 30+ years what happened in Iraq might not be on that scale. We still have to see what's going to happen with the economy, but if it goes seriously south Bush may have more in common with a Hoover than a LBJ. And if there are dire consequences with global warming that would easily overshadow Iraq as a bad move.
- bixby1, on 02/28/2009, -7/+47"It's all fruit of the poison tree. It all stems from the original sin of invading Iraq when we shouldn't have which is, I think, the biggest mistake in American history."
- Nickolassc, on 02/28/2009, -27/+59Iraq was a mistake, but calling it the biggest mistake is a bit dishonest. Was it more of a mistake than say:
slavery?
genocide against the native americans?
killing 600,000 in a civil war, instead of seeking a peaceful solution?
the creation of the federal reserve?
the jim crow south and separate but equal?
the new deal?
the great society?
stagflation/gas shortages/price controls?
Vietnam?
The failures to protect against 9-11?
Bush's bank bailout?
Greenspan's failure as the chief of the federal reserve?
Obama's new deal ][? - HAL90000, on 02/28/2009, -1/+28You forgot internment camps, and locking up a few hundred thousand Japanese Americans because they weren't white.
- piratearggghhh, on 02/28/2009, -3/+28Twice
- killerknives, on 02/28/2009, -1/+25slavery was a pretty big mistake
the civil war was a huge ***** - inactive, on 02/28/2009, -0/+17not really, america was one of the last places in the world to allow slavery. almost every other part of the world had outlawed slavery by the time lincoln came round...
- scoottie, on 02/28/2009, -1/+17Most people would say Vietnam was a bigger mistake in terms of "wars". and there are alot of things listed by Nickolassc that seem to be bigger mistakes in general.
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -0/+16Uh...do these people have any knowledge of American history prior to 2000?
- TheYar, on 02/28/2009, -1/+14I believe the phrase "biggest mistake in American history" is what made it a comparison, not meilong's response.
- Nickolassc, on 02/28/2009, -0/+12Good point. I did miss a few didn't I?
The internment camps were a pretty bad idea, and one of the largest violations of liberty in our country's history. Once we let the Japanese Americans into the Army they truly proved how loyal they were with how well they fought. - mildewmedia, on 02/28/2009, -0/+12Andrew Jackson sending the U.S. Military to slaughter innocent Native Americans on the Trail of Tears was a lot worse than Iraq.
Hyperbole, and right now always being the most EXTREME TIME EVER....for the lose. - spriggig, on 02/28/2009, -5/+17Well, first, he's selling a book, so such a statement needs to be taken in that context. But, second, if you watch the video he alludes to the idea that the worst is yet to come for Iraq and the whole region. The long-term effects on the region may well surpass any of our other mistakes.
- dreamofspirals, on 02/28/2009, -3/+14wow, can you say "missed the ***** point"?
I knew you could. - azureskies88, on 02/28/2009, -3/+12A mistake, for sure - but how quickly do we lose sight of the events in the past...
- afruff23, on 02/28/2009, -3/+12Way to strawman. Ctrl+F on Nicolassc's comment. No mention of "moral". That list was a list of candidates for bigger mistakes than the Iraq war. You said that it he can label it as a "big mistake".
Ultra-fail. - rckxxmedk, on 02/28/2009, -3/+11As a person who has served over there, and read Rick's book "Fiasco", I can say that Ricks has elegantly synthesized the struggle in the Middle East.
I was recently at an Iraq Veterans Against the War meeting, where a respectable Marine Corps grunt pleaded his case against the war. And in many regards, he was dead on about it - the social atrocities we've committed, the fact that we're getting blown up despite our high technology, the fact that the people don't like us, dubious beginnings of the war. One could even say that this is American imperialism or that we're losing the war.
But I respectfully disagree with him on one central issue: Leaving Iraq right away.
Thomas E. Ricks illustrates the immense complexities in leaving right away, and while there is no easy path for America out, it is essential we leave it in the right position.
When we invaded Afghanistan, we were quick to say "Let's not let the mistake of Afghanistan happen again." The mistake was that we went in, messed it up, then exited right away to leave extremist in power. Yet, when it came to the Iraq war, people are quick to leave again after we've messed it up. Now we have allowed Sunni tribes in the Anbar province to take power and money from the US. This runs parallel with Afghanistan. I'm flabbergasted when those and all those who say "Get out now!" quickly forget the lessons of Afghanistan. I mean, Afghanistan was the breeding ground of the events of 9-11 and that happened less than a decade ago!
The whole thing is wrong, but there is a slightly more right way of getting out. It isn't much, but the best chance of success we may have. - inactive, on 02/28/2009, -4/+12Most users of this site are only about 8 years old.
- poopsybythebay, on 02/28/2009, -7/+15We can see Meilard or whatever his or her name might be, has been getting her history from the latest CPAC conference or some other rightwing nutjob facility. What a surprise. She still actually believes the yellowcake story. I mean, how long ago was that ***** debunked? Kennedy was responsible for 60,000 deaths in Vietnam? Really? I thought he died and they(the rightwing nutjob military) more than likely killed his ass because Kennedy wanted to bring them home. Since when was the Cuban Missile Crisis a failure? You are one DUMB MF. What planet do you have to live on to believe FDR did a bad job with WWII? Yalta? You are one of the real "whackwhackwhackwhackjobs" that believe all that Yalta *****. You are a real loser. Obama wanted to stay in Iraq? Are you on crack? Or just a special needs person?
- claytrainor, on 02/28/2009, -16/+24Your dam right Iraq was a mistake...
- xeomage, on 02/28/2009, -0/+7Don't forget the war of 1812! "Hey guys let's do a half-assed job of invading Canada and then let the British burn down Washington DC!"
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -7/+14You are right.
To bad many Americans get the sugar coated version of history in Public schools. - SQLserver, on 02/28/2009, -10/+17Obama DOES NOT want to stay. Please stop making ***** up. He wants to have almost all troops out by 2010, and a final force stay until 2011. All troops will be out before the next election.
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -5/+12The fact that you think they are 'free' over there and it was worth 4,000 American lives and our world reputation goes to show how disgustingly ignorant you are.
Yuck. - inactive, on 02/28/2009, -1/+8So when are you guys going to stop using socialist when it doesn't apply?
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -2/+8It isn't even worth arguing with you guys if you really think we went there for a liberation of the Iraqi people.
"Most troops voluntarily re-enlist for second, even third tours in Iraq. Because our troops believe in the mission."
Because they are taken advantage of and believe the same ***** you do, I was one of them, and so were most of my friends. Pointing out that people volunteer for multiple tours in Iraq does not help your argument at all whatsoever. Most people voted for Bush twice in the US, so that means it was a good decision?
We were able to control Iraq for years without invading, it was piss poor foreign policy for us to invade Iraq.
PS - I remember you too, now grow up. Hey, I can use catchy annoying one-liners on digg too!
@ Kolobcreek -
Your comment is so conceded and elementary that it doesn't even warrant a response, but thanks for trying. - AboveandBeyond, on 02/28/2009, -2/+8Hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahaha
As far as I know, the goverment cannot go to war alone....it was congress who approved....so if anyone to blame ,it is the american people themselves. - funkedup, on 02/28/2009, -1/+7I think there are many events in American history that were bigger mistakes then this. Maybe, the installation of the shah? How about the time when we gave Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein weapons? Mogadishu? Our middle east presence in general.
Iraq was just icing on the cake... - pinchduck, on 02/28/2009, -0/+6Biggest mistake? Hardly. A big one? Yup. Biggest, IMHO, has to be slavery. The absolute immoral treatment of fellow human beings for centuries ranks much, much larger than an 8 year war.
The way we have let our constitution slip into near-irrelevancy will also have longer term implications than the war. As a matter of fact, you could argue that things like the war are dependent upon the unconstitutional rise of a super-powerful Federal government.
The Civil War was a huge mistake, as well. We could have ended slavery and held the union together without so much destruction and death.
History doesn't start the day you are born. Do some genuine research before making wild unconstrained claims. - offrdbandit, on 02/28/2009, -2/+8Bigger mistake than slavery?
Bigger mistake than genocide against the Native Americans?
Anyone who thinks invading Iraq was the biggest mistake in US history is a moron. - masamunecyrus, on 02/28/2009, -7/+13If this was the biggest mistake in "American history", then perhaps "American history" is only about 8 years old.
- akhomestead, on 02/28/2009, -12/+17creation of the federal reserve and slavery kinda go hand in hand don't they?
- Angostura, on 02/28/2009, -6/+11The biggest mistake was obviously the secession from the UK. Still, you're not doing too bad, I suppose.
- b0ngsm0ke, on 02/28/2009, -2/+7Thank you Michael.
- banshee90, on 03/01/2009, -0/+5Reedan that is wrong the correct statement would be most users of this site have only the mental capacity of an 8 year old
- EmperorAwesome, on 02/28/2009, -1/+6Prohibition sprung to mind when I read this headline.
- twiztidsinz, on 02/28/2009, -3/+8Obama does not want to stay in Iraq... nor Afghanistan.
He wants to pull out of Iraq and finish the job in Afghanistan... the job that most people seem to have forgotten about that happened after 9/11 that was soon neglected and turned into a stepping stone to go to Iraq. - BlacklabelSAR, on 02/28/2009, -3/+8You really just want the U.S. to rule the world don't you?
- acroyear2, on 02/28/2009, -2/+7I don't entirely agree with this guy. Not really. I think you can inject a sense of morality in the aftermath. I believe we could, if we were inclined, make wise and moral decisions to turn this around. Whether that be reconciliation, taking down our implanted embassies, etc. His argument is weak. What a pessimist.
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -4/+9You're a ***** idiot dig
- akchrs, on 02/28/2009, -0/+5"Can't say "Oh, those darn liberals"
Oh, those darn liberals. - floorman56, on 03/01/2009, -0/+5if you want to compare this to Vietnam there's 45000 less dead Americans
And we won this one - hymneforthedead, on 02/28/2009, -5/+10get ready America, its time for a whole new generation of emotionally disturbed veterans!
THANKS BUSH! - jscnet, on 02/28/2009, -1/+5Saddam wasn't a threat to anyone. We had him pinned down completely after the first Gulf war. The only threat he posed was to his own people... and it's the people of Iraq that are responsible for their liberation. DigPiglet -- lets say Saddam had a nuke, just for giggles... any effort to erect a missile would be immediately shot down (before it even took off.) Secondly, had he possessed a nuke (rocket) -- the range would have been limited to the point of being generally useless. Thirdly, had Saddam tried anything after we pinned him down (while the US completely controlled the Iraqi airspace) -- he would have been vaporized inside of 30 minutes. Saddam Hussein, agreeably a sociopath, was NO threat (anymore) to anyone. There was no reason to go into Iraq again, the US should have just waited until he died or was assassinated by his people.
The only thing the US liberated in Iraq, was the Oil. - haloplayer9672, on 02/28/2009, -0/+4Why is RonPauls being dugg down? It was more an issue of State's rights and how the South didn't think the Federal Government could control their economy.
- inactive, on 02/28/2009, -5/+9So stupid.
Bush already agreed to have all forces out by 2011. Obama is simply fulfilling what was going to happen anyhow and I guess reaping the political reward. The fact is even the Iraqis who like our presence don't want us there forever. If we stayed past 2011 when Bush agreed to leave, that would definitely heighten tensions in Iraq even with people friendly to us there. We were on our way out with our without Obama. - inactive, on 02/28/2009, -1/+5No, I meant that as in I voted for Bush in '00 and was in the military for 7 years, all of which were during his presidency.
Despite my veteran status I never did a tour in Iraq, but most of the people I grew close with while I was in the military did do anywhere from 1-3 (4 in one case) tours in Iraq. And you're right, the majority of soldiers want to deploy to Iraq, but that doesn't justify our presence there.
"btw How did we "control" Iraq for years before the war?"
Just find some literature on our historic involvement with Iraq (or the middle east altogether) and read about it. - Frozo, on 02/28/2009, -1/+5Leave general Patraeus alone!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiuRhy4CqzU -
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