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Comment by Tycho | Hacker News Reader

Well under Dubya it was pretty successful. Firstly, there was never a repeat of 9/11. Secondly, they pulled off one of the most overwhelming military victories of all time against Iraq, a full-blown invasion completed in weeks with hardly any losses. This also secured Israel’s long term prospects in the region, which seems to be one of the most sacred directives of American policy. It did also lead ultimately to civil war in Syria and political destabilisation in Germany/Europe (from refugees), but that is no skin off Uncle Sam’s nose. You may not like it, but in the history books that’s what peak foreign policy looks like.

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A wouldn’t say the Iraq finished in “a few weeks.” They knew if they just left it would go back to the same business as usual. So the USA stayed for years playing Sim City. Trillions of dollars all said and done doesn’t seem like a win. These proxy’s are just that, proxies, because foreign policy on a grander scale is harder to accomplish like with China or Russia. USA won one proxy in the region but it’s more akin to winning the battle not the war. Iran is showing this as I type.

Hardly any losses except for the violent deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis over a decade.

Those don’t count.

Looking forward to the future where Americans wake up to learn why they are the most hated country in the world. They’ll still think it’s only because of Trump.

> This also secured Israel’s long term prospects in the region, which seems to be one of the most sacred directives of American policy.

Not really—it massively increased Iran's influence in the area, which is why in 2007 they had to panic, reverse course, and start backing al-Qaeda again ("the redirection").

Israel is currently in the position where it can bomb Tehran, using American tech and logistical support, with complete impunity. This is the golden age of Israel.

Of course, but the Iraq war didn't cause that.

In the long term I think my did. It meant the US had an interest in the middle east so would be around long term for Israel to lean on.

Iraq was a disaster for the USA and created an insurmountable amount of debt.

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