http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/iraq-wmd-poll-clueless-vast-majority-republicans_n_1616012.html
I am neither Republican or Democrat, I just don't trust either party anymore. However, the article
at the above link begs for the pure light of peer reviewed research by scholars with no agenda, and that has been done by many respected scholars. Those kind of researchers who are experts, and who will pour over documents and communications, interview key eye witnesses and then assemble the information without prejudice are the kinds of resources we should rely on. Then there should be scholars with the same credentials, same years of education, and same experience who review for factual accuracy, solid critical thinking and sound conclusions the work they produce. That is what the designation of "with peer review" indicates for research that is most reliable
I suggest the work of International Security, June 1, 2011, Volume 35 for a first selection, it gives extensive background from over several decades. Our government has begun releasing captured documents which chronicle the threat Saddam presented to the world because of his obsession with pushing back the boundaries of Israel, and eventually leading the Arab countries in the extermination of Israel. The reviewers of these articles are the best of the best scholars concerning international security. To me the only point I find valid in your article is your observation that the media is often biased. My husband is a distinguished graduate of the Army War College. He is a soft spoken, shy, and gentle man, with 30 years of military service. He is retired now, but works in the American Embassy in Iraq. He has served both in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan. He disagrees with your position as well, and he never takes a position on anything unless he certain of his facts and the source of those facts. Despite all the military ties I have, and the great respect I have for them, I realize groups tend to be biased toward whatever their group positions are. In matters of such grave importance, for which men and women of the Coalition Forces have given their lives, and many more have had their lives forever altered, I am very, very, careful which resources I consider valid. The sacrifices of their families demand the hard light of truth, and politics set aside as well.
I suggest the work of International Security, June 1, 2011, Volume 35 for a first selection, it gives extensive background from over several decades. Our government has begun releasing captured documents which chronicle the threat Saddam presented to the world because of his obsession with pushing back the boundaries of Israel, and eventually leading the Arab countries in the extermination of Israel. The reviewers of these articles are the best of the best scholars concerning international security. To me the only point I find valid in your article is your observation that the media is often biased. My husband is a distinguished graduate of the Army War College. He is a soft spoken, shy, and gentle man, with 30 years of military service. He is retired now, but works in the American Embassy in Iraq. He has served both in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan. He disagrees with your position as well, and he never takes a position on anything unless he certain of his facts and the source of those facts. Despite all the military ties I have, and the great respect I have for them, I realize groups tend to be biased toward whatever their group positions are. In matters of such grave importance, for which men and women of the Coalition Forces have given their lives, and many more have had their lives forever altered, I am very, very, careful which resources I consider valid. The sacrifices of their families demand the hard light of truth, and politics set aside as well.
Additionally, since I personally know a young officer who participated in loading the yellow cake transported to Canada and bought by a Canadian company which paid the Iraqi government for this resource, (well documented,) I beg to differ with your position. He is a young man of impeccable honor, and his "boots on the ground" word is for me the ultimate authority. The yellow cake was not the extent of all that was found. The rumor of weapons being sent to Syria sounds plausible as well in the light of the documents which are being released. Those bodies buried in mass graves in the dessert surely speak loudly of mass destruction to me. I don't think it's the Republicans that are delusional, or operating from some obsessive agenda, but I do believe there are those among us who are.
America, you must not take the word of people who are paid to write articles about such extremely important issues. Nor should you get your information from all the facebook groups and pages where polar opposite assertions are made every day, each individual American must take the time to find the truth, and sources without agendas should be sought out. Usually the truth speaks out for itself to those who earnestly search it out, especially in hindsight. We can't continue to accept the word of those whose livelihood depends upon their writings and broadcasts. We cannot trust parties or politicians to simply tell us the truth. It takes time and effort to know truth, and if we are not willing to put in the work it takes to route out the truth, our country has the potential of becoming the great nation that was.
If one desires to publicly trash 63% of the citizens who declare themselves Republicans, that says something to me about the individual doing the trashing. To me that person can be summed up in one word, which has a negative connotation, that word is elitist. Another word that comes to me is narcissist. Certainly anyone is entitled to their opinion, but when a person cannot realize that millions of people are not simply too stupid to leave the house, and in the assertions cites nothing, just assumes that their own intellect is sufficient evidence to prove their ideas, another word comes to me, and that is pompous. Mr Froomkin, there are reality based arguments by credible sources that Iraq actually had WMD.
