“If the Japanese had never attacked Pearl Harbor it is likely that America might have never entered WWII or might have done so bitterly divided. The events of December 7th 1941 so united the country that ever afterward we forgot just how viciously divided we truly were. We Americans like to think that we heroically rose up and saved the world but in truth Japan’s attack shoved us into action. Until that point, most Americans happily crammed their heads in the sand while calling those warning of the dangers of Fascism warmongers motivated by greed or manipulated by Jews. (Sound Familiar?) In those days, Republicans opposed entering the fight while Democrats wanted to get more involved. Even after December 7th, Republicans and their newspapers for months called WWII “Roosevelt’s War” and blamed him for failing to prevent it by diplomacy.” –Shannon Love, on how the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor saved modern civilization
Spanish philosopher George Santayana told us: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
See: http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/EDIT0202/612080340/1090
True_Liberal,
Yes, clearly the Iraqi War and WWII are equivalent in every aspect. This has been obvious to me from the very day Saddam Hussein attacked us.
Typical revisionist history. ROFL!
Point of fact: Saddam invaded Kuwait 8/90 because he perceived that nation weak and undefended.
When we went to Kuwait’s aid in 1991, and virtually destroyed Saddam’s forces, we abandoned the effort short of the objective.
This left an indelible impression of weakness on our part, and the Arab world took notice. The many attacks on our interests through the ‘93-’00 period reinforced that perception - we made insufficient attempts to respond. How better to set the stage for 9/11?
History may not repeat itself but it certainly rhymes.
- attributed to Mark Twain
“we abandoned the effort short of the objective.”
Not really true. The objective was to remove Sadam from Kuwait, it was never to remove Sadam from Iraq.
Germany sued for peace to end WWI - and the result was WWII.
Saddam in effect sued for peace to end Gulf War I… and the result was …
Who says history doesn’t repeat itself?