On the Iraq War

This recent post by Brad De Long is curious for its lack of empathy for the million or so Iraqi's who had their lives ended prematurely by the war. Is the big problem with the war really the fact that Iran gained a bit more influence, or that the precious national security of the United States was ever-so-slightly damaged ? Internationalism is the only intellectually progressive position to take in today's world.

Yes, getting rid of Saddam Hussein would have been a mitzvah--if we had not replaced him with a chaotic mess that was, for half a decade at least, significantly worse than being ruled by Saddam Hussein.
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Certainly the national security of the United States has been harmed by the adventure. Iran is no longer contained by Iraq. And there are an awful lot more people in the world who have very good reason to hate America.(1)

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1Why were We in Iraq ? - Brad De Long