At a forum at the University's Darden School, former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger discussed the ramifications of a potential attack on Iraq, though neither of them took a position explicitly for or against an invasion.
As part of the event, Scowcroft and Eagleburger responded to questions from the forum's audience of more than 600 students, faculty and local residents.
Scowcroft and Eagleburger also spoke on a whole spectrum of other foreign policy issues at the forum, which was sponsored by the Miller Center for Public Affairs and titled, "American Foreign Policy: Past and Present."
With President George W. Bush's United Nations speech condemning Saddam Hussein and Congressional consideration of an act authorizing military force against Iraq in mind, much of the discussion focused on the potential for war.
"There are some people who have made the fundamental mistake of thinking that this war will be over in 15 minutes," said Eagleburger, who served as secretary of state in former President Bush's administration. "That's always a mistake when you're thinking of going to war."
One particular question that Eagleburger raised about a potential war was whether foreign policy experts sufficiently have considered the difficulties of establishing a friendly regime in Iraq.
"I have serious doubts that at the point of a bayonet the Iraqi people can be made to accept democracy," he said.
Scowcroft, who served as national security advisor in both the Ford and first Bush administrations, expressed similar doubts about the feasibility of a war seeking regime change.
Scowcroft listed Vietnam, Iran and Nicaragua as countries where the United States has sought positive regime change and failed before.
"I see no reason it should be much different in Iraq," he said.
Despite their reservations, neither Eagleburger nor Scowcroft said they necessarily opposed war in Iraq.
"I keep sounding like I'm opposed to the Iraq thing -- I'm not under certain circumstances," Eagleburger said.
Scowcroft gained attention for questioning the merits of an invasion of Iraq in a Wall Street Journal opinion editorial piece last month.
In today's discussion he said he would support Bush if he decided to go to war.
Scowcroft and Eagleburger also tried to put the War on Terrorism and the Iraq issue in the context of the fall of the Soviet Union and globalization.
"The nation-state is becoming porous," Scowcroft said. Increasingly, commerce, culture, ideas and environmental problems are spanning borders and contributing to the phenomenon known as globalization, he added.
"What for us is a promising future for much of the world is a bewildering melange of forces," Scowcroft said.
Although different parts of the world are interacting more, there is a counter-trend in which political units and ideological groups have become more divided over the past decade, he said.
Eagleburger said these trends raise important questions about the proper foreign policy role of the United States, the world's lone remaining superpower.
"Not since the Roman Empire has one country so dominated the world -- dominated yet we can't control it," he added.
Read More
Archivist Report on Jim Ryan
By Finn Trainer and Clara Franklin | YesterdayArchivists Finn Trainer and Clara Franklin recount Jim Ryan's tenure as the 9th President of the University.
Why did Student Council vote no confidence in the Board of Visitors?
By Lauren Seeliger | 2 days agoUltimately, Dickerson said during the Aug. 8 meeting that the decision to draft this resolution was not easy but was necessary so as to fulfill Student Council’s role.
U.Va. to seek external firm in search for 10th president
By Brendon Bordwine | 6 days agoExternal search firms are often retained by universities to identify and recruit candidates for top leadership positions.
