Iraq: 5 U.S. presidents, 5 failures

Andrew J. Bacevich, professor of history and international relations at Boston University, has an interesting editorial in the Los Angels Times that says five U.S. presidents have been failures in Iraq, which the New York Times’ Peter Baker calls the "graveyard of American ambition."

Ronald Reagan used Iraq as a proxy to tamp down Iran’s militancy. The result was the Iran-Iraq war and empowering Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

George H.W. Bush punished Iraq and Saddam for invading Kuwait and transformed Iraq from partner to adversary.

Bill Clinton affirmed papa Bush’s policy of militarized containment, which stoked anti-American jihadism that led to 9/11.

George W. Bush, unhappy that Saddam put a contract out for his father, went the “off with his head” route, albeit unintentionally, and made Guantanamo Bay a worldwide discussion about torture and American values.

Barack Obama vowed to extricate the United States from his predecessor's war, but is bombing one side to save victims of the other side.

To read the editorial, click on http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-0810-bacevich-iraq-airstrikes-policy-20140810-story.html