Did Al Gore have what it takes to be President?

[Caliga]

Al losing was a blessing in disguise for him.  He's a far richer man now than I think would have been possible had he been elected.

[DGuller]

History decided that question. Gore would have been the same as Bush on most things, especially war. Especially with Iraq.

What do you base this conclusion on?

[garbon]

History decided that question. Gore would have been the same as Bush on most things, especially war. Especially with Iraq.

What do you base this conclusion on?

History

[DGuller]

Elaborate?

[The Larch]

Isn't Gore a killbot himself?

No, he's the Emperor of the Moon and the founder of the Vice Presidental Action Rangers.

[lustindarkness]

No

[frunk]

History decided that question. Gore would have been the same as Bush on most things, especially war. Especially with Iraq.

Afghanistan, yes.  Iraq?  I doubt it.

[KRonn]

Gore would have been an average president, like most presidents, and yes I feel he could have done the job. He would have been hit with 9/11 and would likely have done the same in Afghanistan that Bush did. Any president would have had to take strong action, and then to address security over the issue of radical Islam and its terrorism.

I wonder if he would still have invaded Iraq, as the Clinton WH had voiced some similar notions, though likely not very seriously. I tend to doubt it but taking down Saddam had been on the minds of many politicians prior to Bush choosing to do it. Or more likely Gore would have taken stronger measures but less not an invasion.

[Razgovory]

Yeah, I'm not seeing Iraq as something anyone besides Bush/Cheney would have done.  The weapons inspection crisis was largely created by them.  The inspectors had left years before, and nobody really cared that much then.  Reviving the issue was done for their own personal issues and philosophy.

[Admiral Yi]

Yeah, I'm not seeing Iraq as something anyone besides Bush/Cheney would have done.  The weapons inspection crisis was largely created by them.  The inspectors had left years before, and nobody really cared that much then.  Reviving the issue was done for their own personal issues and philosophy.

This is seriously overegging the pudding.  The inspectors left years before because they felt they had thoroughly inspected their hotel rooms for WMD and were not allowed anywhere else.

[Razgovory]

Yeah, I'm not seeing Iraq as something anyone besides Bush/Cheney would have done.  The weapons inspection crisis was largely created by them.  The inspectors had left years before, and nobody really cared that much then.  Reviving the issue was done for their own personal issues and philosophy.

This is seriously overegging the pudding.  The inspectors left years before because they felt they had thoroughly inspected their hotel rooms for WMD and were not allowed anywhere else.

And this is seriously understating what they did, since they did find and destroy some WMD over the course of several years.  Of course after they did leave it wasn't like the world was on the brink of war for 4 years and we were in a state of constant crisis.  During the 2000 presidential campaign the Iraq "crisis", wasn't the main issue or even a big one.  Bush was rather laid back about Iraq in 2000 about a country that was the verge of a surprising us with a mushroom cloud over one our cities as he suggested in 2002.  If there was an inevitable war going to result in the leaving of inspectors in 1999, you'd think it would on everyone's lips.

[Admiral Yi]

In order to understate, seriously or otherwise, what they did before inspecting their minibars, I would first have to state it.

[alfred russel]

Not sure why a chemical weapon program mandated an attack anyway. Iraq was less of a threat than in 1990/1991. The administration knew that--as evidenced by a much more rapid ground war in Gulf War II.

[Eddie Teach]

Not sure why a chemical weapon program mandated an attack anyway. Iraq was less of a threat than in 1990/1991. The administration knew that--as evidenced by a much more rapid ground war in Gulf War II.

Collective stupidity/naivete.

[KRonn]

Invading Iraq was a mostly bad idea, but it had large bi-partisan support. Only after the going to tough did some politicians start going.... against it, same ones who were for the initial invasion. Everyone had the intel info, including the UN and other nations. Saddam was being deceptive and not cooperating even though he didn't have an active program on WMDs. He was gaming the system to save face among Iraqis and others in the Mid East, and that backfired on him big time as it lead to the invasion.

Leaving Saddam in place would have been a bulwark to thwart Iran. Our esteemed leaders should have known that and were probably being told that by some of the advisers or others. They should also have known the folly of nation building a nation of disparate tribes and serious religious animosities.