I don't think any government other than Bush Jr et al would have invaded Iraq. That was completely made up by that administration. Afghanistan for sure. Saudi still goes untouched.
Iraq was going to be invaded eventually no matter who was in charge.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
I believe it would have been. The American's wanted a basically strategic base in the Middle East to control the other nations, going after Iraq was ideal, they thought they could topple an unpopular thug of a dictator and win the hearts and minds and nations like Iran would basically be facing an American mega super aircraft carrier and a few battalions of troops at their border.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
I believe it would have been. The American's wanted a basically strategic base in the Middle East to control the other nations, going after Iraq was ideal, they thought they could topple an unpopular thug of a dictator and win the hearts and minds and nations like Iran would basically be facing an American mega super aircraft carrier and a few battalions of troops at their border.
The Project for the New American Century wanted a strategic base in the middle east to control the other nations. That wasn't happening under Gore.
I don't think any other government would have done what Bush did to justify Iraq. 9/11 didn't provide what they needed for Iraq. He went well above and well beyond what anyone else would have.
I was in journalism school in Ottawa at the time. My roommate was watching the news in the morning and woke me up just after the 1st plane hit, saying "this is crazy, you have to see this."
At first everyone thought it was just some drunk pilot of a small private plane, or someone who maybe passed out at the controls. Then that 2nd plane hit, and immediately we all knew it was something far more frightening.
We headed to class and our prof had the news on as we walked in. A few moments later we all watched in horror as the first tower crumbled and fell. Our prof used the whole thing as a teaching tool for developing stories on the fly, and sent us running around the city to get reactions from people. The whole day was completely surreal and incredibly sad.
Crazy that it's been almost an entire generation since it happened. I remember it like it was yesterday. Then again, things like that rarely happen - it's easy to remember.
I don't think any other government would have done what Bush did to justify Iraq. 9/11 didn't provide what they needed for Iraq. He went well above and well beyond what anyone else would have.
Bush was the perfect catalyst for getting in there hard, fast and ugly, but getting in there was the long term goal (as evidenced by the fact they've never left or improved things). Would things be that much different in the middle east today if it was Gore instead of Bush back then? I doubt it.
Was walking across campus and came across a table with a kid asking people to sign a thank you note to local first responders. Was ready to do it until I saw he was wearing a "Socialism Sucks" shirt, and the thank you note looked very much like a blank petition form, with full names, addresses and phone numbers being filled out. I didn't bother with the actual petition, but I did ask him if he saw the irony of what his short said and what he was doing. For some reason, it never dawned on him. I would hope we could let 9/11 go by without politicizing the day? Nope. Still a rallying point for some. Sigh.
Wife lived in Manhattan and saw the first plane hit the tower. Took off her shoes (high heels) and walked back uptown.
Saw her mom (who was visiting) standing on a street corner, just waiting for her two daughters to come home (both mid-20's adults who worked downtown).
Yelled "I'm ok Mommy!" when she saw her, and ran into her arms.
Still waiting for her sister.
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There are three news events that I remember vividly, down to where I was, and what the weather was like. Princess Diana, Columbine, and 9/11. Those events happened when I was still a wide eyed 19, 21, and 23 years old. Now I think I've been desensitized. Now it's all just news. Not because I care or don't care, just that once you've had your mind blown, it's just diminishing returns after that. Celebrities die, psychos shoot up schools, and terrorists blow stuff up. Kind of sad that none of this phases me anymore. I don't remember where I was when I heard about Sandy Hook, even though it bothered me.
There are three news events that I remember vividly, down to where I was, and what the weather was like. Princess Diana, Columbine, and 9/11. Those events happened when I was still a wide eyed 19, 21, and 23 years old. Now I think I've been desensitized. Now it's all just news. Not because I care or don't care, just that once you've had your mind blown, it's just diminishing returns after that. Celebrities die, psychos shoot up schools, and terrorists blow stuff up. Kind of sad that none of this phases me anymore. I don't remember where I was when I heard about Sandy Hook, even though it bothered me.
Princess Diana was the first breaking news story I remember, but I was younger than you.
Columbine obviously stunned me, but like you I became desensitized to subsequent shootings. Sandy Hook was the last shooting that really shook me up (and still does today). I can't help that even the bigger shootings like Orlando and Vegas just seem to blend in with all the others.
