Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld: ‘Unrealistic’ For President Bush To Pursue Democracy In Iraq

Bloomberg: Donald Rumsfeld: George W. Bush Was Wrong About Iraq

The former U.S. defense secretary says that the former president was mistaken to insist on trying to “fashion a democracy in Iraq.”

When it comes to the U.S.-led war in Iraq, hindsight continues to turn up its share of surprises.

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, one of the staunchest defenders of the Iraq war, said in an interview with the Times of London that his boss, former President George W. Bush, was wrong to try to create democracy onto Iraq.

“The idea that we could fashion a democracy in Iraq seemed to me unrealistic. I was concerned about it when I first heard those words,” Rumsfeld said, adding, “I’m not one who thinks that our particular template of democracy is appropriate for other countries at every moment of their histories.”

WNU Editor: I do remember Rumsfeld voicing concerns before the Iraq invasion (which made sense to me at the time since he was primarily focused on the Afghan war and occupation) .... but I also remember him dressing down General Shinseki when the General made it publicly known that believed that a few hundred thousand soldiers would be necessary to tie down Iraq. I also remember Rumsfeld making predictions that the Iraq invasion would succeed and the war would be over in 5 - 6 months .... which of course it did not happen. As to his remarks that "bringing democracy to Iraq was unrealistic" .... in hindsight many of us are guilty of thinking that we can bring Western political concepts to a Third World country. I personally went through that with Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. I personally believed that European concepts of liberalism and democracy would work .... but I was wrong. I will never forget what a very senior person in the foreign ministry told me in the early 1990s on why this could not happen .... his explanation ..... and I am quoting what I remember .... "the American political system took 200 years old. The Russian political system is now only 10 years old. It takes time and a specific culture to develop a political system like the West`s .... and you cannot impose it but it has to come naturally from within."

Sighhh ... so true .... and doubly so in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. 

More News On Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Remarks That It Was ‘Unrealistic’ For President Bush To Pursue Democracy In Iraq

Donald Rumsfeld admits that expecting a democracy in Iraq was 'unrealistic' -- Business Insider
Rumsfeld breaks with Bush on Iraq -- MSNBC
Rumsfeld: Democracy in Iraq was 'unrealistic' -- CNN
Rumsfeld: 'Unrealistic' for Bush to try to build democracy in Iraq -- The Hill
Rumsfeld admits Bush was wrong pushing democracy on Iraq -- RT
Rumsfeld: ‘Unrealistic’ for Bush to pursue democracy in Iraq -- FOX News