So what will happen if we capture or kill Saddam?
This question worries me. The easy, half-joking answer is, "well, if it happens in a certain timeframe, then George is
definitely going to have a second term." But that's not the part that bothers me most. What worries me is how Saddam's death or capture might change Americans' perception of the ongoing military/humanitarian (militarian?) operation in Iraq.
See, I think the whole Weapons of Mass Destruction catfight is a red herring. I think most Americans believe we invaded Iraq in order to
bring Saddam Hussein to justice. This begs the question, of course, but the phrase does neatly cover many of the reasons suggested, plausible or no— the WMD threat; ending Saddam's oppression of the Kurds and other Iraqis; resolving an unfinished "feud" from Poppy's day; preventing Saddam from aiding terrorists; taking down an Arab scapegoat; and so on, ad boredeum. The importance, plausibility, or prudence of any one of these encapsulated "Saddam-centric" reasons is no longer important, once the goal has been rephrased as
bringing Saddam to justice.
The problem with this, of course, is that bringing Saddam to justice does
not cover the reason dearest to the heart of liberals who, to one degree or another, supported the war; it does not include
helping Iraqis create a better way of life.
I'm afraid that if Saddam
is brought to justice, there might be a sea change in American public opinion; I am afraid that the chorus of "US out of Iraq / No Blood for Oil / Impeach Bush" coming from the, er, "angrier" parts of the Left will be drowned out by chants of "Bring Our Boys Home, the Job is Done" coming from various points Right and Center.
Bush isn't feeling any political pressure on the home front right now; capturing Saddam might change things significantly. And that, I fear, would be bad news for the people of Baghdad.
