George Z. Bush wrote:

"Stephen Harding" wrote in message

I'm not aware that the US has *really tried* to break the Islamic
Republic of Iran.

You should be, unless you have some other reason for us to cozy up to that Iraqi
thug, Sadaam Hussein, in his 8 year long war with Iran. You do realize that we
furnished Sadaam with technical military support (on the most efficacious
methods of using chemical weapons in tactical situations, for instance) as well
as military intelligence of value to him that we had picked up in the course of
our normal intelligence work.

I'd like a cite for your "US helped Saddam in the 'most efficacious' use
of his chem weapons claim.

US certainly helped the guy because we didn't like Iran. Part of an
"engagement" policy that failed, although I'd have thought liberal
minded folks would favor such an attempt to "get along". Of course
it failed.

We didn't do those things with the expectation that they would have no effect on
the Ayatollah's hold on the Iranian government and people. We were trying to
help Sadaam win his war and bring down the Ayatollah and his government.

Having "an effect" on the Ayatollah isn't quite the same as breaking
his government. We've had "effects" on about every government of the
world. Sometimes positive and sometimes negative.

Did Saddam even expect to break the Iranian government? Think he was
primarily after control of the Shat al-Arab waterway and got more than
he bargained for.

US efforts were primarily to preserve Saddam as a counterbalance to
the Iranians; not a back door method of destroying the Islamic Republic.


SMH