
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Iran/Iraq, take 3: Brixton Doyle

This is the third of three I-Report cartoons on the relationship between Iran and Iraq. You can see the others here: Jim Brenneman and Lucas Turnbloom.
This says it best. Where were those weapons of "mass destruction" in Iraq?
Not meaning to dismiss the serious situation in the Middle East, but this exemplifies how Bush Jr. has been trying to prove to the American people that He's right and we're all idiots. I'm just glad he can't run again for President.
Another great example of our President using the "bully pulpit" -- although in this case the emphasis is on the "bully". Why are we at all surprised that Iran might be helping the Shia fighters in Iraq? From Iran's viewpoint, they smell a mighty big opportunity in turning a one time foe into a hard right Islamic ally. Iran is simply taking advantage of the chance we gave them.

The problem is not that Iran might in fact be supporting fighters who are shooting at our troops. The problem is that we are providing the targets for them. We need to get out. And soon.
The problem we run into, of course, is history. Iran may indeed be supplying weapons, they may indeed be the hideous monsters that our POTUS is portraying. Unfortunately, Bush has cried wolf so much and damaged the credibility of the United States so much that no one will listen.
Very nicely done. Mr. Brixton has a wonderfully wry sense of humor and an ability to capture the essence of current events without being preachy.

I look forward to more of his work.
...line 'em up and watch 'em fall. America has become a mad dog chasing cars at this point. When does it stop? Ill will toward America has grown to such proportions that it will be miraculous if we make it to the next presidential election without a mushroom cloud.
It would be funny if it weren't so dreadfully plausible.
Where would this president be without his FEAR mongering?
Great cartoon.
Our President has stretched his credibility beyond the breaking point. Mr. Brixton makes this point quite well. Like the ears, too.
Brixton Doyle is consistenly funny, accurate, and perceptive. Keep them coming!
Did I miss something? Are we gonna invade Canada?
It's about time, and I think we can beat them. Maybe.
Just kidding! Great cartoon, pithy and relevant.
Good work Mr. Doyle (I hope you're not Canadian, Eh?)
The president sent our sons and daughters to Iraq certain that Iraq had or was on the verge of producing WMDs. I think we all realize now that the original justification for taking military action in Iraq was based upon incorrect information. Unfortunately, the mistake was not trivial and our kids and families have paid a price. Can the president be held accountable for this mistake...negligence? Can a law suit be pursued? Is he immune from some sort of civil action? I mean, law suits have been pursued for less. We have some power preventing another president from deploying troops and dropping bombs 'willie-nillie'....right?
It comes down to it Saddam was a bad guy, and we were right to go in and get rid of him.

There are many countries around the world that do not want to see us accomplish our goals in Iraq, for their own reasons.

Unfortunatly it is Hollywood that gives America a bad rep around the world, they are the face of the USA to the world, not Bush.
Very stupit to have things as this about the leader of the free world.

Route your "work" to a productive path.

J Gilson
It would be even funnier if it wasn't so likely to happen, although I doubt Bush would be able to cover that much ground in the time he has left.
Oh the dreadfully uninformed comments made against a president who had the courage to fight back. Saddam fooled how many presidents with his bluff on WMD? At least 3 US Presidents, oh and the rest of the world. Remember 11 September 2001? I do; 9/11 gave us the resolve to get rid of a madman (Saddam) who we honestly believed posed a clear and present danger to the US. Saddam had to go, he stiff armed us for 12 years since Desert Storm and was just waiting until no one was looking to get back in the WMD game... he may have fooled us into thinking he had some already, we know he wanted more. Good riddance. Keep up the good work Mr. President.
Nay-sayers should thank him that there have been no attacks on US soil in the last 5 years. By the way, if we leave now, the terrorist will have a place to plan a good WMD-like attack against us... Yea, no troops in Iraq would mean no targets... also nothing to stop them from planning that attack! Think about it.
Except for Canada, Don't be shock or surprised when they come here...
People are so blind and ignorant. Yes weapons are likely coming from Iran. Syria and Iran have been supplying terrorist for years. Ever heard of a little thing called hamas? Its not like Iran has nuclear ambitions even though oil is cheaper than water in Iran. I am sorry people but you cant just sit blissfully ignorant and stupid and say "gosh the president is such a war monger" sometimes you have to actually consider the facts. No one said we will go to war with Iran, just that they are supplying weapons to the people killing our soldiers.
I believe we all now understand that WMD means Witless Mass Deception
Less some forget, which has apparently happened; we supported Iraq in the Iran/Iraq war (we also supported Iran by providing TOW 2 missiles. We looked the other way as Sadam murdered civilians in his country.

We only went after Sadam when it suited our needs. So, lauding the elimination of a tyrant must be balanced with the fact that we (our government) supported and enabled him for years. Is the world better off without Sadam? Yes. Was it up to the U.S. to do it? Different question, and probably a different answer.

As to the writer who asked if we remembered 9/11, well, I doubt anyone could forget it. Show me where Iraq actually figured into that horrific event.

Before I get branded as unpatriotic, or a kid, or something else that people like to brand others with for questioning Bush, I am speaking as a combat veteran of the US Army. (2nd Ranger Bn).
It's been a lot of fun reading the responses to this political cartoon. For people who have never been in a position of responsibility, it's easy to disagree with the President's decisions and make jokes. This cartoon, while entertaining, echos the sentiment of a large portion of this country. Unfortunately, a group that loves their own short term comfort in exchange for long term security. If you were in the President's shoes, looking at the information he had before the war, would you have had the courage to do something? Or like the previous leadership, would you look at the data and do nothing to fulfil your responsibility to protect this country?
I've taken a shower every day since 9/11, and there has been no further attacks of terroris. I feel my cleanliness has deterred Al Qaeda. Makes about as much sense as saying since 9/11 there haven't been any attacks and Bush gets the credit.
As an Iraq War vet, I know I speak for many other vets when I thank you Liberals for stabbing us in the back. Bush is not turning this into another Vietnam. You anti-war protesters that empower our enemy are. During my one year tour in and around Baghdad, including the "Triangle of Death", I heard this opinion echoed by most soldiers I served with.
what i really want to ask the writer who related iraq with 9/11 is forgetting that it was actually osama we wanted for that attack.sure the world is better off without saddam hussien & his tyranny but where is osama who we really needed who is responsible for terrorizing innocent people around the world and why have we forgotten that he is still on the loose.well thats my 2 cents anyway.
Well it's distractive to revolve so much around Foreign Policy as Mr.Bush does. Foreign Policy is one aspect to America's relationship to the world.

However,there are some valid points made in the cartoon.Iran has not and does not cooperate with international agencies as it is expected do.There is no tranparency in it's nuclear program and it has not shown at all a wllingness to playball with the international community by living up to it's obligations.

Can Syria be trusted? As yourself if it is a contributor to harmony in the region? Chavez as well,why the rush to form trade deals with Iran at this time and point.Chavez and his bizarre myopic perception that America is an imperial empire with Caracas in the cross-hairs? North Korea has even disappointed the Chinese and now North Korea has come in from the cold,acknowledging it's illegal nuclear program,one that is advanced and one that was possibly a regional threat.Missles over Japan? Where did the technology come from? Pakistan? Russia?

Canada.Well,we tend to understand you better than you understand yourself.
Children from a common mother.
Isn't it wonderful that we live in a country that allows this type of blatant undermining of our elected officials? If you're reading this thank a teacher. If you're reading this in English, thank a soldier.
I must be "blind and ignorant" as Duyck infers, because I hear the administration trying to make a casus belli out of the weapons flowing from Iran issue. Why does it sound like that? because the current drumbeat bears a striking similarity to the one prior to the Iraq invasion. Fool me once...

As for me being part of a group that "loves their short term comfort in exchange for long term security" I would like to rather consider myself a believer in the following quote:


That was Ben Franklin, by the way. If I was in the President's shoes prior to the war, I think I would NOT pursue the invasion. As it turns out, the case for war was largely manufactured with the biased conclusion that Iraq must be invaded. WMDs were the reason given. As it turns out, this data was exaggerated and in parts fabricated. Very quickly we changed the justification to getting rid of the "bad man" Saddam Hussein - all well and good, but if our aim was to depose the leader (however evil in our eyes) of a sovereign country, this makes a new paradigm for international intervention - for any nation, not just our own. The Bush doctrine now means that if a country feels another country is being led by a bad man, then this is justification for invasion. An interesting doctrine to be sure, and one that might bite us in the backside.

As for the "previous leadership" (I can only assume that William from Charlottesville means Clinton and not Papa Bush who wisely stopped short of invading Iraq, or Reagan who helped arm Saddam) are you implying that Clinton was wrong for not making the mistake Bush has made? The inspections were WORKING - and 3000 American soldiers who were alive then are dead now (not to mention at LEAST 50,000 innocent Iraqi civilians).
Jim asks:


Uhhhhh...yeah, Jim. It is. It's called freedom of speech, and if you don't like it, I hear there are homes for sale cheap in Iran.

As for thanking a soldier, I do it every single chance I get.
It's amazing to me, reading the comments here that there are people who still think Iraq had anything to do with September 11th. Come on, even the neo-cons admit they didn't.

Also amazing, some people think Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Again, even the neo-cons admit they messed that up.

Certain narrow minded people assume being against the war is also against the troops. My view is this: Those that rushed to war - and I mean rushed, we kicked out the UN inspectors who were apparently doing a good job - Those who rushed to war have demonstrated a complete lack of respect and care for the troops. Yes sometimes war is necessary and yes sometimes soldiers need to be sent to die. That can NEVER be done with the disregard this administration showed.

Finally J.L., would you honestly have voted to go to war because Saddam was a bad guy? Honestly? He had fooled no one. That's why the majority of the world tried to keep us from blindly charging in.
Did Iraq have anything to do with 9/11? No, and we know that (Bush too). Did we invade Iraq under false pretenses? Of course, it is blatanly obvious in retrospect.

However, we went to war with Iraq based on the information given to the president and his advisors by our FBI/ CIA. Bush, although stubborn about it, took care of that problem. I really do not think that we can look at this and say it is all the President's fault. The majority of our House and Senate voted in favor of invading Iraq. What do they all say? "If I knew what i know now, I would have voted against it." Well, sure, I think everyone, including President Bush would have voted against it.

How blind do we have to be to not see that?
Jim Brenneman

Jake Novak
CNN producer by day, comedian by night

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