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#iraqwar — Public Fediverse posts

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  1. Bush Without 9/11: The Presidency That Never Happened

    By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News
    Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — August 22, 2026

    George W. Bush entered office in January 2001 with a conventional policy agenda rooted in domestic priorities and limited strategic adjustments abroad. His early focus centered on tax cuts, education reform, and a governing philosophy described as “compassionate conservatism.” In foreign policy, his administration emphasized missile defense and signaled interest in reducing the United States nuclear arsenal. At that stage, there was little indication that Bush intended to pursue large-scale military conflict or redefine U.S. global posture through sustained war.

    Prior to September 11, 2001, Bush’s presidency appeared positioned to follow a standard post–Cold War trajectory. His administration engaged Russia on strategic stability, including discussions on nuclear reductions, while maintaining a cautious but not overtly aggressive international stance. The early months of his presidency reflected continuity with existing policy frameworks rather than a pivot toward expansive military engagement.

    The attacks on September 11, 2001, fundamentally altered that trajectory. The shift was immediate and structural. National security priorities displaced domestic policy as the central organizing principle of the administration. The resulting “War on Terror” redefined U.S. foreign policy, expanding executive authority, increasing military commitments, and reshaping global alliances and conflicts.

    The U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001 was directly tied to the presence of al-Qaeda under Taliban protection. In contrast, the 2003 invasion of Iraq did not stem from credible operational links to the September 11 attacks. Subsequent investigations found no evidence of a collaborative relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda in carrying out attacks against the United States. The decision to invade Iraq reflected a combination of pre-existing policy interests, post-9/11 threat perception, and selective interpretation of intelligence rather than a direct response to the attacks themselves.

    Absent September 11, Bush’s presidency likely would have remained centered on domestic governance and incremental strategic policy shifts. Nuclear arms reduction, already under consideration, may have emerged as a defining foreign policy achievement. Instead, it became a secondary outcome overshadowed by prolonged military engagement.

    Economic conditions present at the start of Bush’s term also suggest an alternative path that would have been shaped less by war and more by structural financial instability. The early 2000s economy was still adjusting to the collapse of the dot-com sector, while risk in the housing and financial markets continued to build. Policies expanding access to homeownership and the growth of subprime lending were already in motion. While the financial crisis of 2007–2008 likely would have occurred regardless, the absence of large-scale military expenditures may have altered the government’s fiscal position entering that crisis.

    This counterfactual does not remove responsibility for decisions made after September 11. Rather, it clarifies the degree to which a single event redirected an administration’s priorities and reshaped its legacy. Without the attacks, George W. Bush would likely be remembered as a conventional domestic-policy president navigating economic instability and modest strategic change. With them, he became a war president defined by conflict, security policy, and the long-term consequences of both.

    For more information, visit https://cliffpotts.org

    If this work helps you understand what’s happening, help me keep it going: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WPSNews

    References
    9/11 Commission. (2004). The 9/11 Commission Report.
    U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. (2008). Report on Iraq Intelligence Assessments.
    Miller Center of Public Affairs. (n.d.). George W. Bush: Domestic and Foreign Affairs.
    Bush, G. W. (2001). Remarks on nuclear weapons reductions. White House Archives.

    #911 #AfghanistanWar #financialCrisis #GeorgeWBush #IraqWar #nuclearPolicy #USForeignPolicy
  2. Two war criminals and a playboy discuss #peace in #Gaza.

    This is not going to end well for anyone, is it?

    #GazaGenocide
    #IsraelWarCrimes
    #IraqWar

    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post
    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post share.google/UvyjForZ2aMKQDnAd

  3. Two war criminals and a playboy discuss #peace in #Gaza.

    This is not going to end well for anyone, is it?

    #GazaGenocide
    #IsraelWarCrimes
    #IraqWar

    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post
    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post share.google/UvyjForZ2aMKQDnAd

  4. Two war criminals and a playboy discuss #peace in #Gaza.

    This is not going to end well for anyone, is it?

    #GazaGenocide
    #IsraelWarCrimes
    #IraqWar

    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post
    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post share.google/UvyjForZ2aMKQDnAd

  5. Two war criminals and a playboy discuss #peace in #Gaza.

    This is not going to end well for anyone, is it?

    #GazaGenocide
    #IsraelWarCrimes
    #IraqWar

    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post
    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post share.google/UvyjForZ2aMKQDnAd

  6. Two war criminals and a playboy discuss #peace in #Gaza.

    This is not going to end well for anyone, is it?

    #GazaGenocide
    #IsraelWarCrimes
    #IraqWar

    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post
    Jared Kushner, Blair meet Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to advance Trump’s Gaza plan | The Jerusalem Post share.google/UvyjForZ2aMKQDnAd

  7. “HOW MEDIA LENS FORGED A PATH FOR INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM”

    by Peter Oborne in Declassified UK

    @Declassified_UK
    @DeclassifiedUK
    @uk_politics
    @medialens
    @turnleft
    @cemedia
    @novaramedia
    @BylineTimes
    @MiddleEastEye
    @DoubleDownNews

    “We are seeing today a surge in heretical media outlets including Novara, Doubledown News, Drop Site, Byline Times, Middle East Eye – and of course Declassified UK.

    We have emerged thanks in part to a growing appreciation that the mainstream media is broken, cannot be trusted, and is far more likely to disseminate falsehood than tell the truth.

    So it is only fair to wish a happy 25th birthday to the earliest of these dissident outlets – Media Lens”

    declassifieduk.org/how-media-l

    #Press #SocialMedia #UK #LegacyMedia #MediaLens #LiberalBias #Gaza #Iran #PalestinianGenocide #BBCPropaganda #Lies #Disinformation #ClimateCrisis #IraqWar #NHS #Assange #Vindication

  8. “HOW MEDIA LENS FORGED A PATH FOR INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM”

    by Peter Oborne in Declassified UK

    @Declassified_UK
    @DeclassifiedUK
    @uk_politics
    @medialens
    @turnleft
    @cemedia
    @novaramedia
    @BylineTimes
    @MiddleEastEye
    @DoubleDownNews

    “We are seeing today a surge in heretical media outlets including Novara, Doubledown News, Drop Site, Byline Times, Middle East Eye – and of course Declassified UK.

    We have emerged thanks in part to a growing appreciation that the mainstream media is broken, cannot be trusted, and is far more likely to disseminate falsehood than tell the truth.

    So it is only fair to wish a happy 25th birthday to the earliest of these dissident outlets – Media Lens”

    declassifieduk.org/how-media-l

    #Press #SocialMedia #UK #LegacyMedia #MediaLens #LiberalBias #Gaza #Iran #PalestinianGenocide #BBCPropaganda #Lies #Disinformation #ClimateCrisis #IraqWar #NHS #Assange #Vindication

  9. “HOW MEDIA LENS FORGED A PATH FOR INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM”

    by Peter Oborne in Declassified UK

    @Declassified_UK
    @DeclassifiedUK
    @uk_politics
    @medialens
    @turnleft
    @cemedia
    @novaramedia
    @BylineTimes
    @MiddleEastEye
    @DoubleDownNews

    “We are seeing today a surge in heretical media outlets including Novara, Doubledown News, Drop Site, Byline Times, Middle East Eye – and of course Declassified UK.

    We have emerged thanks in part to a growing appreciation that the mainstream media is broken, cannot be trusted, and is far more likely to disseminate falsehood than tell the truth.

    So it is only fair to wish a happy 25th birthday to the earliest of these dissident outlets – Media Lens”

    declassifieduk.org/how-media-l

    #Press #SocialMedia #UK #LegacyMedia #MediaLens #LiberalBias #Gaza #Iran #PalestinianGenocide #BBCPropaganda #Lies #Disinformation #ClimateCrisis #IraqWar #NHS #Assange #Vindication

  10. “HOW MEDIA LENS FORGED A PATH FOR INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM”

    by Peter Oborne in Declassified UK

    @Declassified_UK
    @DeclassifiedUK
    @uk_politics
    @medialens
    @turnleft
    @cemedia
    @novaramedia
    @BylineTimes
    @MiddleEastEye
    @DoubleDownNews

    “We are seeing today a surge in heretical media outlets including Novara, Doubledown News, Drop Site, Byline Times, Middle East Eye – and of course Declassified UK.

    We have emerged thanks in part to a growing appreciation that the mainstream media is broken, cannot be trusted, and is far more likely to disseminate falsehood than tell the truth.

    So it is only fair to wish a happy 25th birthday to the earliest of these dissident outlets – Media Lens”

    declassifieduk.org/how-media-l

    #Press #SocialMedia #UK #LegacyMedia #MediaLens #LiberalBias #Gaza #Iran #PalestinianGenocide #BBCPropaganda #Lies #Disinformation #ClimateCrisis #IraqWar #NHS #Assange #Vindication

  11. “HOW MEDIA LENS FORGED A PATH FOR INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM”

    by Peter Oborne in Declassified UK

    @Declassified_UK
    @DeclassifiedUK
    @uk_politics
    @medialens
    @turnleft
    @cemedia
    @novaramedia
    @BylineTimes
    @MiddleEastEye
    @DoubleDownNews

    “We are seeing today a surge in heretical media outlets including Novara, Doubledown News, Drop Site, Byline Times, Middle East Eye – and of course Declassified UK.

    We have emerged thanks in part to a growing appreciation that the mainstream media is broken, cannot be trusted, and is far more likely to disseminate falsehood than tell the truth.

    So it is only fair to wish a happy 25th birthday to the earliest of these dissident outlets – Media Lens”

    declassifieduk.org/how-media-l

    #Press #SocialMedia #UK #LegacyMedia #MediaLens #LiberalBias #Gaza #Iran #PalestinianGenocide #BBCPropaganda #Lies #Disinformation #ClimateCrisis #IraqWar #NHS #Assange #Vindication

  12. Joe Rogan says Trump has ‘no clear way’ to end Iran war

    Joe Rogan said that there is “no clear way” to end Donald Trump’s ongoing war with Iran, which…
    #Conflict #Conflicts #War #AnnieJacobsen #departmentofdefense #DonaldTrump #Iran #iranwar #iraqwar #joerogan #unprovokedattack #war
    europesays.com/3168510/

  13. Palestine Action

    Andy Burnham & his Blairite still on the path set by Kier Starmer and his Blairites?

    Puzzled?

    #UKPol #AndyBurnham #KierStarmer #TonyBlair #IraqWar #ISIS #Brexit #PalestineAction #AllTheWayWithLBJ

  14. Palestine Action

    Andy Burnham & his Blairite still on the path set by Kier Starmer and his Blairites?

    Puzzled?

    #UKPol #AndyBurnham #KierStarmer #TonyBlair #IraqWar #ISIS #Brexit #PalestineAction #AllTheWayWithLBJ

  15. Palestine Action

    Andy Burnham & his Blairite still on the path set by Kier Starmer and his Blairites?

    Puzzled?

    #UKPol #AndyBurnham #KierStarmer #TonyBlair #IraqWar #ISIS #Brexit #PalestineAction #AllTheWayWithLBJ

  16. Palestine Action

    Andy Burnham & his Blairite still on the path set by Kier Starmer and his Blairites?

    Puzzled?

    #UKPol #AndyBurnham #KierStarmer #TonyBlair #IraqWar #ISIS #Brexit #PalestineAction #AllTheWayWithLBJ

  17. #FBI mum on reason for raid on Canon Drive mansion in #BeverlyHills now apparently owned by unnamed Chinese nationals who bought it from an LLC linked to politically connected #Kurdistan family . Home was formerly owned by prominent #Kurdish President's family that bought it for $19m and sold it for over $25 million in 2023.

    The US Govt had filed a case earlier this year publicly alleging the ostentatious home was bought by Mansour Barzani with illegal #kickback proceeds diverted from shady US #DefenseDept #IraqWar dealings. Another potentially related property in #ChinoHills was also searched by federal law enforcement.

    justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-dep

    canyon-news.com/fbi-agents-rai

  18. #FBI mum on reason for raid on Canon Drive mansion in #BeverlyHills now apparently owned by unnamed Chinese nationals who bought it from an LLC linked to politically connected #Kurdistan family . Home was formerly owned by prominent #Kurdish President's family that bought it for $19m and sold it for over $25 million in 2023.

    The US Govt had filed a case earlier this year publicly alleging the ostentatious home was bought by Mansour Barzani with illegal #kickback proceeds diverted from shady US #DefenseDept #IraqWar dealings. Another potentially related property in #ChinoHills was also searched by federal law enforcement.

    justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-dep

    canyon-news.com/fbi-agents-rai

  19. thank you, #IraqBodyCount, for your work to document #Israel's #genocide in #Gaza, as you have done with the #IraqWar!

    It's crucial work

  20. thank you, #IraqBodyCount, for your work to document #Israel's #genocide in #Gaza, as you have done with the #IraqWar!

    It's crucial work

  21. thank you, #IraqBodyCount, for your work to document #Israel's #genocide in #Gaza, as you have done with the #IraqWar!

    It's crucial work

  22. thank you, #IraqBodyCount, for your work to document #Israel's #genocide in #Gaza, as you have done with the #IraqWar!

    It's crucial work

  23. @crazyeddie Both the #IranWar and the #IraqWar were horrible. The #IranWar is so much of a failure that it is good to see so much opposition to it inside and outside of the United States.

  24. @crazyeddie Both the #IranWar and the #IraqWar were horrible. The #IranWar is so much of a failure that it is good to see so much opposition to it inside and outside of the United States.

  25. @crazyeddie Both the #IranWar and the #IraqWar were horrible. The #IranWar is so much of a failure that it is good to see so much opposition to it inside and outside of the United States.

  26. Rod Dreher: "Trump started the #IranWar, and he lost it. There was a massive loss of US authority, to say the least. I backed him in 2024, in part because I trusted him to avoid stupid wars. This war is going to cost the United States way more in the long run than the #IraqWar did. To hell with Trump's stupid, lying excuses."
    #OperationEpicFailure #politics #military

  27. Rod Dreher: "Trump started the #IranWar, and he lost it. There was a massive loss of US authority, to say the least. I backed him in 2024, in part because I trusted him to avoid stupid wars. This war is going to cost the United States way more in the long run than the #IraqWar did. To hell with Trump's stupid, lying excuses."
    #OperationEpicFailure #politics #military

  28. Rod Dreher: "Trump started the #IranWar, and he lost it. There was a massive loss of US authority, to say the least. I backed him in 2024, in part because I trusted him to avoid stupid wars. This war is going to cost the United States way more in the long run than the #IraqWar did. To hell with Trump's stupid, lying excuses."
    #OperationEpicFailure #politics #military