An Alternative to the Self Proclaimed Islamic State

SO, WHICH AMERICAN PRESIDENT should we blame for the existence of the self proclaimed "Islamic State". If that new country keeps self proclaiming long enough, we're all gonna have to start calling it a regular country, rather than a "self proclaimed" one, but that's another matter. Well, the self proclaiming happened on Obama's watch, thus, its all his fault. The situation he inherited from Bush in Iraq and everywhere he has failed to handle properly, thus, the self proclaimed Islamic State, and all the rest of the big mess, is Obama's fault. Sounds reasonable enough. After all, the president of the United States deserves both credit and blame for almost everything that happens in the world, or so American political discourse makes it seem. Alas, the burdens of empire...George Bush the first started it all back in 1990, it could be argued, by telling Saddam Hussein that it was perfectly fine with America is iraq invaded Kuwait, basically, giving Saddam a blank check. Type in the name "April Gladspie" on google, scroll down to the link "Conversation With Saddam", read it, and weep. The rest is history. Another clever American trick, so much like the ones that got us into Viet Nam, the War With mexico, the War with Spain, and others we don't have time to discuss here. When America's ruling corporate elite wants war, America gets war, by whatever means necessary, including blatant dishonestly and deceit. Saddam smiled at April Gladspie, invaded Kuwait, and suddenly, the United States was indignant, outraged, sanctimoniously insulted, you name it; freedom and democracy were under attack, and the mission of almighty Christian America was to rectify the situation, oil field ownership and all. All this, and all that followed, after giving Saddam permission to invade Kuwait. Incredible. That started it all, twenty five years ago, that started America's slow bleeding death in Iraq and Afghanistan. What if April Gladspie had warned Saddam that attacking Kuwait would cause the great Texas gun slinger George Bush to B52 the hell out of him and his, poste haste? Alas, we'll never know. Most likely, Saddam would have backed off Kuwait, would still be in power today, and several thousand young Americans would now be alive, which might be better than what we have now: the self proclaimed Islamic State and other nightmarish chaos.