The war liberated millions. But the post-war period proved difficult. Members of the former regime went underground and continued to fight, using terrorist tactics - even against their fellow countrymen. Those who had been freed lacked essential services, including food, clean water, jobs and housing. Opposition to the "occupation" persisted. The reconstruction progressed slowly. True democracy took years to establish. Nevertheless, most Americans today agree that President Lincoln was right to wage the Civil War.13 responses total.
[I think we're supposed to get to the 2nd paragraph and say, "OMG!!! I thought he was talking about Iraq!" Then we're supposed to narrow our eyes and smile, and nod slowly as the silliness of our liberal-democrat notions dawns on us, and the truth of the comparison with the US post- Civil War reconstruction sinks in.]
("War Between The States." weren't Lincoln one a' dem dere damned
Republicans too?)
I would think that most Americans agree because it turned out to be good for them. But did someone ask those who suffered?
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Is the argument in #0 that it was OK to invade Iraq because the South declared their Confederate States and attacked Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumpter? Or that the purpose in invading Iraq was to conquer it and "maintain the union" of Iraq and the United States?
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No, the presumption is that our sole objection to the war in Iraq is it is costly in lives and resources. But since we think the Civil War was worth the (vastly higher) cost, then that knocks the feet out of the argument. The Iraqi war must be worthwhile too. By the same logic, the fact that I just bought a new house for $200,000.00 implies that I should be happy to buy the Brooklyn Bridge for a mere $19.95. What a deal! Unfortunately, I don't disagree with the Iraqi War. I disagree with the way Bush entered into it, riding roughshod over global opinion. If he'd done it after securing the backing of the UN, I'd be much happier. I further disagree with the way he justified the war with the absurd claim that Iraq was an imminent threat to the US. If he'd justified it as a war of liberation, I'd be much happier (though I'd think if that was the goal, that there are other places that the US could have done more good for less cost). I wouldn't mind if Bush's estimates of the cost of the war didn't fly so entirely in the face of common sense and previous experience that they can't be explained without assuming *both* stupidity and duplicity. I'm perfectly willing to agree that there are many worthy reasons for intervening in Iraq - I just think our esteemed President trashed everything America stands for in his pursuit of the war - obliterating America's global reputation and lieing outrageously to the American people. I wish I once again had a president who confined his stupidity and dishonestly to the conduct of his sex life instead of to the conduct of the nation. So, though the shear shock and awe of your argument would normally bowl me over completely, the fact that it doesn't even argue against anything I happen to believe to be true somewhat dampens the effect.
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I think the fact that I mostly can't bear to think about Bush must be blinding me to his virtues. I hadn't even thought about the English and the Spanish. What a doofus I am! Of course we know that the governments of England and Spain, being so much more old world than ours, have attained levels of enlightment unknown West of the Atlantic. If their leaders agreed with Bush, then he must have been doing the right thing (never mind every other nation on the planet). Actually, I don't think "duplicity" and "stupidity" are entirely the right words to use. Part of what I think Bush is after is establishing unchallenged American domanence of the world. That is stupid and does inspire duplicity, but the right word for that is "evil."
If someone's going to accuse you of imperialism, having Great Britain and Spain on your side isn't a great character reference.
Heh.
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