THE MOUNTING PROTESTS

Submitted by Jeree on June 17, 2005 - 8:42pm

By William F. Buckley Jr.Fri Jun 17, 8:05 PM ET

It's correct that there is political commotion mounting in opposition to the Iraq war. It is important to distinguish between two kinds. One, which is gaining attention, centers on misrepresentations. The so-called Downing Street Memo is cited. This records an exchange at 10 Downing St. on July 23, 2002, at which, it is said, the representatives of Mr. Bush made it clear that the president had resolved to proceed against Iraq irrespective of what the United Nations might do.

Rejecting that account, the Bush people have said that the invasion was not finally planned until after the appeal to the United Nations by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Feb. 5, 2003.

The revisionist line is saying that the war should not have taken place and that many who gave it support were deceived by apodictic claims from the White House that the enemy had weapons of mass destruction.

That argument, gaining strength with the formation of an "Out of Iraq" congressional caucus, is one thing -- a reiteration of anti-war and isolationist sentiment. This is unrelated to reservations being expressed within the conservative community having to do with the need to rethink the claims of that war on our support.

Last week a conservative dissenter submitted an analysis to his colleagues. Several points were made.
I've met William F. Buckley and I must say I respect the man. I don't always agree with him but he is nobodys fool. The tide is turning my friends.

After the success of the military enterprise, "two goals then took form. The first was to organize elections, giving Iraqis' tribal divisions an opportunity, acting together, to record their willingness to establish a self-governing republic. Once again, the results were gratifying. Some 80 percent of those who voted registered their endorsement of a constitutional regime change.

"The second goal has been to bring such order to Iraq as is required to effect the self-government the voters had endorsed. This objective has failed."

The failure, it is argued, cannot be redeemed by prospects that remain illusory. There isn't freedom of civil action in Iraq. There are areas in which order is routinely exercised, but there are no areas where Iraqis can assume safety from insurgent disruption.
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