Thomas Friedman
Thomas Friedman doesn't like the Bush claim that war in Iraq is essential to America's security. The problem that Mr. Bush is having with the legitimate critics of this war stems from his consistent exaggeration on this point. When Mr. Bush takes a war of choice and turns it into a war of necessity, people naturally ask, "Hey, what's going on here? We're being hustled. The real reason must be his father, or oil, or some right-wing ideology." Friedman's criticism is spot on. Bush has made the easy domestic case for war, exploiting American fear and anger after September 11th. The result: half the American public think Saddam was behind the attack on the World Trade Center; there's no meaningful debate on US intervention in the Middle East; and open-minded liberals are needlessly alienated. The war will be won, relations with Europe repaired, so this isn't the end of the world; but the US has confirmed its reputation internationally for lies and hypocrisy. And that was unnecessary. Fire, Ready, Aim [Friedman]
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