What if 12 years ago...

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-03-31 11:40pm

Imagine this: 12 years ago, the USA had actually FINISHED the job they started, and pulled Sadaam out of power, installed their regime, placed their heavy hand "gently" upon the Iraqi oil supply, and accomplished all the objectives that we are trying to complete with THIS war.

What would Bush's approval rating be?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-03-31 11:42pm

Stupid fucking question. The 1990's would have been a completely different decade foreign-policy wise if this had been done; there are way too many unknowns (I doubt whether Bush Jr. would even be President).

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-03-31 11:47pm

Well if the war had ended 12 years ago under Bush Sr., GWB's father would have been considered a hero. And who wouldn't elect the son of a hero? As it is, Bush is seen as the "Boy King" (Robin Williams). I would think that public opinion of GWB would only be higher. Granted, I think that his approval rating after his presidency had taken effect would be SIGNIFICANTLY lower than where it is now. The man is an idiot, and this war has made him a hero. Plain and simple.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-03-31 11:48pm

Queeb Salaron wrote:Imagine this: 12 years ago, the USA had actually FINISHED the job they started, and pulled Sadaam out of power, installed their regime, placed their heavy hand "gently" upon the Iraqi oil supply, and accomplished all the objectives that we are trying to complete with THIS war.

What would Bush's approval rating be?

Do you mean the current Bush or the previous one?

I'm not sure this one would have been elected president by now if things had been finished then. This may be because Bush I either got his second term because his approval raiting remind high longer or because people hated Bush I more because the Iraq situation turned into a major clusterfuck.

Plus, I think Durran Korr's comment about the 90's being different foreign policy wise would also impact Bush being elected. I don't think the current Bush would be president right now if Iraq had been finished in 1991.

Mabye his approval rating as Governor of Texas would be high though.

Assuming he still won that in the first place.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-03-31 11:50pm

CLARIFICATION:

I mean, what would DUBYA's approval rating be? Not Bush Sr.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-03-31 11:58pm

Thank you.

On that note I think W would have a moderately high approval rating as the Governor of Texas and "Ol Sparky" would be getting a workout.

XPViking · Post by **XPViking** » 2003-04-01 12:03am

Extremely difficult question. Bush Sr might have been re-elected. Hard to say if his son would be president though.More folks might have been leary of voting for him since the thought of Bush Jr. banking on his father's reputation would have been heightened.

XPViking

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-04-01 12:23am

The economy still would have tanked sending Bush Sr walking. Im wondering which people would be hailing conquering Iraq as the best thing to do. When the war ended I heard very few Americans saying we should have gone all the way. MOST Americans were happy it was over.

It was'nt until about a year later that voices starting pondering wether or not we should have gone all the way. Remember, probably on the British would have gone with us, and the rest of the world would have gone WTF? like just as they are now.

Also, there would be no 9/11 for Americans to think about, so support might have been thin on the home front.

Osama would still exist, and there might be more of his ilk, if we had conquered Iraq.

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-04-01 12:43am

TrailerParkJawa wrote:Osama would still exist, and there might be more of his ilk, if we had conquered Iraq.

Iffy. If Bush Sr. had been around, he might have dealt with them istead of ignoring them the way Clinton did.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-04-01 12:47am

IG-88E wrote:
TrailerParkJawa wrote:Osama would still exist, and there might be more of his ilk, if we had conquered Iraq.
Iffy. If Bush Sr. had been around, he might have dealt with them istead of ignoring them the way Clinton did.

Only if there was a major attack, and then only if the Republicans were in Congress. Where was the great Republican cry for war against Al Queda after the Cole? After the embassy bombings? I dont remember any.

Its entirely possible that if we didnt leave forces in Saudi, and instead left them in Iraq, then Ossama might have left us alone, but I still think terrorism would have increased afterward.

This is basically all guessing on our part, but invading and removing Sadam from Iraq in 91 would have been a hard sell.

Post by **Kuja** » 2003-04-01 01:13am

Only if there was a major attack, and then only if the Republicans were in Congress. Where was the great Republican cry for war against Al Queda after the Cole? After the embassy bombings? I dont remember any.

Which is why I said "MIGHT".

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2003-04-01 01:22am

TrailerParkJawa wrote:Only if there was a major attack, and then only if the Republicans were in Congress. Where was the great Republican cry for war against Al Queda after the Cole? After the embassy bombings? I dont remember any.

Its entirely possible that if we didnt leave forces in Saudi, and instead left them in Iraq, then Ossama might have left us alone, but I still think terrorism would have increased afterward.

This is basically all guessing on our part, but invading and removing Sadam from Iraq in 91 would have been a hard sell.

The Sudanese government offered us to deal with Bin Laden when he was in their country during Clinton's Administration. He did nothing. That was before any of the African bombings or such, IIRC. It's a pity he didn't can Osama's ass.

irishmick79 · Post by **irishmick79** » 2003-04-01 12:50pm

You most likely would not have seen the election of William Jefferson Clinton, and you most likely would not have seen the election of George Walker Bush. Bush was able to capatilize on the negative baggage left behind by the Clinton administration, and it played a big part in propelling Bush to victory. Bush Jr would'nt have been ready to run against the democratic challenger in ''96, after daddy steps down, so he wouldn't have run then. If the democrats win in '96, I seriously doubt Bush Jr would have taken on an incumbent Democratic president running for re-election in 2000

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-04-01 12:51pm

What if a frog had wings?
well then it wouldn't bump it's ass when i hopped.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-01 12:52pm

Stupid question

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-01 12:53pm

Stupid question

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-04-01 01:37pm

Bush Sr. Would have been re-elected if the economy didn't get in his way, so unless ousting Saddam outweighed the economy, or ousing Saddam helped the economy, he wouldn't have been re-eleced, though I'm sure he'd have an insanely high approvela rating because of it (Wasn't his approval rating 90% after the first Gulf War?)

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What if 12 years ago...

If this war had been fought and won 12 years ago, what would Bush's approval rating be?

What if 12 years ago...

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