I agree that the foreign policy part of the speech was good although there remains a major hole when it comes to dealing with Iran.
It’s important for people like Frank to remember that irrespective of what happens to Iraq now or in the future – and let’s assume worst case that the U.S. leaves and it descends into chaos – without Saddam and the Ba’athists it will be at least 20 years before Iraq develops nuclear weapons and can threaten its neighbors. The alternate 2007 universe in which Saddam is in power, the U.N. sanctions have been lifted, and the U.S. is out because it never went in, is one in which a reconstituted Iraqi nuclear program is no more than a couple of years behind Iran’s. Why is that universe preferable to this one?
Bonus question: Why is any universe in which Iran has nukes desirable?
When opponents of the Bush Doctrine can offer rational responses to those questions, I’ll start listening to their objections – not before.
