Christopher Hitchens versus Ritter: Iraq war debate part 2

Christopher Hitchens and Scott Ritter duke it out over the Iraq war. ca 2006.

Ritter proves himself to be Hitchens' most formidable opponent in the Iraq war debates. He was intimately involved in the Gulf war, and in the events leading up to the Iraq war. He gives a very detailed account of the contradictions and hypocrisies of US policy toward Iraq. Hitchens largely agrees, but draws a different conclusion.

Part 2

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Christopher Hitchens
• Scott Ritter
• Iraq
• Iraq war
• terrorism
• WMD
• George Bush
• Dick Cheney
• Saddam Hussein
• UN
• weapons inspectors
• Kurdistan
• Kuwait
• Kanan Makiya
• Gulf War
• Al Qaeda

[Meowwithanh]

@smithy2306 would you like to specify some of his views which are not reflective of iraq?

[smithy2306]

How Hitchens even got onto this debate is beyond me. His views on this are pure bullshit as is typical of the right wing mentality.

[nocturnezero]

@moh490234890238490 Why aren't we trying Bush I for genocide by the sanctions on Iraq which killed so many Iraqis? Why didn't we invade Indonesia when it engaged in genocide in East Timor? Hitchen's implicit assertion that the US can rule the world by force because we are somehow exempt from the laws we enforce is dangerous and harmful. I wished to see Hussein overthrown, but not an American flag and ten years of brutal occupation in his place.

[nocturnezero]

@moh490234890238490 If we have the right to stop others from using WMDs, did other countries have the right to bomb Washington to prevent the terrorist atrocities by the US against Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Hitchens even says here (I've never heard evidence for this claim, but using his logic) that if states commit occupation of neighboring states they are subject to regime change. By his logic, the US should be bombing and invading Israel and replacing the Israeli government. Why aren't we?

[nocturnezero]

@moh490234890238490 The US engaged in the Bay of Pigs terrorist invasion and harbors numerous international terrorists, so, logically, all civilized nations should immediately bomb Washington and install a client regime. Israel engaged in the terrorist invasion of Lebanon and Operation Cast Lead, so the US should bomb Israel.

[jeboshifru]

what on earth is he talking on 1:53? Milošević invaded Bosnia? Wtf? He cannot not know what happened, so he obviously lies. Militaristic motherfucker. NATO has it's Goering. His name is Christopher Hitchens.

[NorthCitySider]

@Territomauvais

Ansar al-islam and Saddam Hussein were enemies.

[Territomauvais]

@NorthCitySider Evidence of what? Also, in the second brief paragraph I accidentally retyped Al-Qaeda. I meant to write Ansar al-Islam. Apologies if that's what you were referring to; but I did say prior to that the Al-Qaeda link was tenuous.

[batvette]

@NorthCitySider husseinandterror d o t c o m all you need to know about saddams links to terrorism. the joint resolution made no claim of saddam linked to al qaeda, so none need be produced to justify the war. saddam was deeply offended by the saudi royals alliance with us and allowing us to attack him from there.

What did OBL seek? having the saudi royal family gone. Al Qaeda's 1998 fatwa justifying 9/11, 2 of the 3 grievances were about Iraq- Al Qaeda attacked us on 9/11 on behalf of Iraq!

[NorthCitySider]

@Territomauvais

Can you give me any evidence of that?