I hate to admit that I have no news articles to cite for this. It's a conclusion based off the last decade's worth of news of middle eastern conflicts and geography.
I've spent the last ten years bitching out Bush for invading Iraq, which I saw as an unnecessary crusade for oil reserves in the country. In light of recent events in the whole of the area, I'm biting my tongue and eating my words. Now, it would seem, Bush's stupidity may not have been in going to Iraq, but in not announcing the importance of Iran's nuclear program, which until 2006/2007 would have been but a fetus.
Now, however, its program is on the rise. Iran does not care what the UN or NATO have to say about it. They're building nuclear weapons with or without the world's permission.
Ten years have passed since the World Trade Centers ignited this war. Ten years we Americans - if not the world - have been told that we were attacking terrorism, which I believe to be true. Eight years have passed since we besieged and crippled Iran. For eight years, we have been laughing at the false notions of destructive weapons in the nation. For eight years, we have been fighting to secure the territory and establish a democratic - but more importantly, a NATO-allied - government.
Now, finally, we have some stability there. We are finally going into Afghanistan. Now, a decade later, Iran is giving birth to its nuclear programs. Now I don't think Bush is an asshole for not having invaded Afghanistan first; he only faltered in not telling the people the scope of world events.
I'm not going to say much more on the issue. Instead I'm posting two maps. The first is a map of the middle east. The second is a map of NATO allies across the world.
Feel free to give input.
Middle East. Note the locations of Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.
NATO Allies. Note that Iraq is a huge buffer zone to Iran.
War on Iraq...or Iran?
