Decius wrote:

With regard to the war in Afghanistan liberal groups claimed at the time that widespread international support occured simply because other countries had no choice but to bow to US pressure. I take the difference in the amount of international support for the Iraq war as irrefutable evidence that this was not the case. Some conservatives have argued that opposition to the Iraq war is totally motivated by politics. I take the widespread bipartisan support for the war in Afghanistan as irrefutable evidence that this is also not the case.

I would argue that the invasion of Afganistan was justified under the UN Charter because it was an act of self-defence. There was and in many ways remains a huge global pool of sympathy for the United States after the events of 9/11. It was a completely unprovoced attack, unjustified and "evil". I use such emotive language even though I believe to a certain extent the impulses behind the attack are driven by more than Isamic fundamentalism but also by a rejection of western values. These values are of freedom, democracy and capitalism. People see poverty, war and disease in the developing world and seek simplistic solutions. They perceive America and the west as making war on them which in turn justifies their acts. Is capitalism the global way forward out of poverty for hundreds of millions? Perhaps or perhaps not.
The "decadent western powers" will not collapse and I beleive the real strength of our values which fundamentally are about individual liberty, even capitalism about which I have reservations, is about the small growing and being empowered.
Liberalism is my battle cry. Democracy, human rights, the rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of religion and capitalism( the freedom of people to take small ideas [memes] and build enterprises. My Muslim friend at work JC who wants to start a driving school, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, the small business people who come to my country UK or USA and build lives, corner shops, supermarkets, restaurants. Liberalism has given them freedom; economic and political, the two went hand in hand in my country historically {the same is necessary in China}).
Memes grow, propergate and mutate. The meme of liberalism is conquering the planet and can I believe do so by what Ghandi called Satyagraha or "truth force". Imperialism is a failed idealogy, illegal under International Law and against the liberal principles which underpin International Law. I believe in the United States and I believe in the principles which underpin the Constitution. Freedom and law. I am not saying that we do not need to be robust hence my belief that the invasion of Afganistan was justified however we are all bound of the law, even America.
The cry goes forward that the invasion of Iraq was an act of liberation. I agree. But the Soviets claimed to stay as liberators. Saadam claimed he liberated the Kuwaitis from their dictators. The fact that I agree with the liberating ideology does not justify the act of imposing it on others. If I am a Nazi and invade Poland and thereby start a war of aggression then I am a war criminal but Iraq, Iran, China. If imposing an ideology on a country by force of arms was wrong for the Nazis then it is wrong for the USA.
Liberalism is the stronger meme I believe.
Satyagraha

RE: FOXNews.com - Politics - Talabani: Iraqis 'Will Never Forget' Bush