Parallels of the Spanish American War and the Iraq War

About a century ago, some men wanted control of Cuba as much as today's conservatives want control of Iraq. And like today's conservatives, they got it. Then, like now, the planning went back many years. In 1854, following a failed attempt to buy Cuba for one hundred thirty million dollars, three American diplomats signed a manifesto in Belgium that explained Cuba's importance to Spain, and that it be imperative "To detach that island from the Spanish …

…Iraq War took about 4 months, and approximately 400 deaths were ensued on the battlefield. Like Madrid, Baghdad denied any wrongdoing or treaty violations and offered their submission to investigation and/or arbitration. Americans, coming off an easy victory with Spain, found that they had idealized the Cubans, who immediately began looting villages. Joseph de Maistre made the wisest observation I have come across pertaining to this sort of situation; "Every nation has the government it deserves."