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Originally posted by Mephisto:
Granted, there was not much time left but I think at least one or two more weeks would have been possible.
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Actually no, one or two more weeks was not an option. But not because of the US/UK. The final UN resolution that never came to a vote would have given the Iraqii's another week. But the French and Russians made it clear they would veto it if it had any sort of ultimatum or approval to use force at the end of it. France had determined they were not going to approve the use of force under
any circumstances until the inspectors made the determination that they could do nothing more constructive. (I think that was Chiracs term. I can find the link if it matters.) They would not consider
any timetable, no matter how long. Of course that would have never happened. The inspectors were being duped, and they would have gone on being duped forever if neccesary.
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If you used this money to support the troops over summer and maybe avoid the war altogether, it would be worth it and maybe it would even be a cheaper way. But we’ll never know.
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Maybe I am naive, but for me the money is irrelevant. 75-100 billion dollars sounds like a lot of money, but it's not that big a deal when you compare it to the gross national product. And what exactly is the monetary value of our national security? What is the value of a human life, American, British or Iraqii? I don't like getting into those sorts of discussions because to me it cheapens all of us.
What is not irrelevant is the degradation of operational readiness of the forces sitting in the desert. You can't keep the soldiers on a razors edge like that for months and then expect them to be able to perform at their peak once you give them the go.
The only relevant question in this regard is was their any usefull purpose for continued inspections. I believe there was not. I am human and will allow the possibility that I am wrong on that point, but that determination being made deadlines and timetables become irrelevant. You go when you believe your forces are operationally ready, or you don't go at all.
Geoschmo