Aftershock: The War on Terror Episode 2: The Frog and the Scorpion
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Nov 27, 2025 After 9/11, war planners portrayed Iraq as a quick fix, but chaos ensued instead. Neo-conservatives pushed for regime change, yet many doubted the feasibility. Early optimism faded as the occupation unraveled, leading to rampant looting and rising insurgency. Misguided policies, like de-Baathification, deepened ethnic divisions and fueled resistance, while the supposed handover of sovereignty proved superficial. The episode explores a parable illustrating how misguided intervention led to self-destructive regional consequences.
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Parable Framing Justified Intervention
- Paul Wolfowitz framed the Middle East as inherently violent and self-destructive using the frog-and-scorpion parable.
- That parable justified neoconservative intervention as a necessary civilising mission.
Neocon Vision Of Global Hegemony
- The Project for a New American Century urged the US to convert its unipolar moment into global hegemony.
- Its founding statement framed regime change in Iraq as central to American strategy.
9/11 Became The Pretext For Iraq
- After 9/11, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz saw an opportunity to pursue Iraq, claiming quick success and regional democratization.
- They treated Iraq as "doable" and predicted being welcomed as liberators.