Sunday, October 15, 2006
Correctin' a CATO
In a Bush-bashing piece in the American Conservative (go figure), Leon Hadar says this about the Iran-Iraq War:
Ronald Reagan ... encouraged Saddam [Hussein] to launch what would become the bloodiest war in the modern history of the the Middle East.
The conflict between Iran and Iraq began in September 1980. Ronald Reagan did not take office until January 1981. Given that the Iran-Iraq War began two months before the Gipper - God bless 'im - was even elected, how on earth did he have anything to with the start of said war?!
It was Jimmy Carter who encouraged the Iraqis to invade Iran. He did so during months of secret communications with the Saudis, who were deeply afraid of the Shi'ite theocracy that'd emerged in Iran following the 1979 revolution.
I would think that a feller who works at the highbrow CATO Institute would know this. I guess that's what I get for thinkin'.
Ronald Reagan ... encouraged Saddam [Hussein] to launch what would become the bloodiest war in the modern history of the the Middle East.
The conflict between Iran and Iraq began in September 1980. Ronald Reagan did not take office until January 1981. Given that the Iran-Iraq War began two months before the Gipper - God bless 'im - was even elected, how on earth did he have anything to with the start of said war?!
It was Jimmy Carter who encouraged the Iraqis to invade Iran. He did so during months of secret communications with the Saudis, who were deeply afraid of the Shi'ite theocracy that'd emerged in Iran following the 1979 revolution.
I would think that a feller who works at the highbrow CATO Institute would know this. I guess that's what I get for thinkin'.
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Sunday, October 15, 2006 
