"When the west invaded Iraq and when it invaded Afghanistan, we had two options:
1. remove Saddam/the Taliban, or
2. stand by, twiddle our thumbs and watch the slaughter.
Both difficult choices. The west chose the former in both cases. Both sets of tyrants were removed but let's not pretend without a high price."
that's not, however, the basis on which the so called Coalition of the Willing invaded Iraq. Rather, as I'm sure you know, it was on the basis of Saddam having weapons of mass destruction, none of which were ever found, despite exhaustive searching.
It's difficult not to conclude that this bellicosity, along with that in the invasion of Afghanistan, was not actually attributable to George W. Bush's overwhelming desire for revenge for 9/11.
Consequently, I quite understand the reluctance of some people to go rushing into Iraq once again. Yes the situation does seem entirely different now, and - whilst in the previous instance Saddam's brutal regime was only affecting Iraqi citizens - the depraved behaviour of ISIS has the potential for global ramifications.
Personally, I'd like to see Australia stay right out of anything happening in the ME but at the same time I acknowledge that our international obligations and loyalties may make this impossible. So far Mr Abbott, supported by Mr Shorten, seems to be proceeding rationally.
