On Iran: The False Iraq Analogy

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Here we go again. This is Iraq all over again.

Not even close.

The US was on a path for war with Iraq before George W. Bush. And there was a strong American constituency on board and pushing for the war.

The Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 basically set America’s policy on Iraq as regime change. The summary, without quotes:

Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 - Declares that it should be the policy of the United States to seek to remove the Saddam Hussein regime from power in Iraq and to replace it with a democratic government.

Authorizes the President, after notifying specified congressional committees, to provide to the Iraqi democratic opposition organizations: (1) grant assistance for radio and television broadcasting to Iraq; (2) Department of Defense (DOD) defense articles and services and military education and training (IMET); and (3) humanitarian assistance, with emphasis on addressing the needs of individuals who have fled from areas under the control of the Hussein regime. Prohibits assistance to any group or organization that is engaged in military cooperation with the Hussein regime. Authorizes appropriations.

Directs the President to designate: (1) one or more Iraqi democratic opposition organizations that meet specified criteria as eligible to receive assistance under this Act; and (2) additional such organizations which satisfy the President's criteria.

Urges the President to call upon the United Nations to establish an international criminal tribunal for the purpose of indicting, prosecuting, and imprisoning Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi officials who are responsible for crimes against humanity, genocide, and other criminal violations of international law.

Expresses the sense of the Congress that once the Saddam Hussein regime is removed from power in Iraq, the United States should support Iraq's transition to democracy by providing humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people and democracy transition assistance to Iraqi parties and movements with democratic goals, including convening Iraq's foreign creditors to develop a multilateral response to the foreign debt incurred by the Hussein regime.

Source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/4655

The Iraq Liberation Act passed 360-38 in the House and unanimously in the Senate.

In the US, Iran is not Iraq.

There is no support for regime change in Iran.

And the Iranian opposition can only dream of having the supporters that the Iraqi opposition had. And the American media, if not against the war, is outright defending Iran. 

The New York Times, for example, an outlet that promoted the Iraq war with false reporting, is actively promoting good relations with Iran, while its writers, as someone noted, are busy accusing President Trump of treason.

On Iran, Iraq is a patently false analogy.


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