What do you all think is the real reason for the war?

Question

I feel that protection of the jewish state of israel and oil is the real cause. We are on the jewish side of the arab/jewish "holy war" so to speak!! But, why??

Answer 1

In order to combat terrorism, the USA needed to eliminate possible bases and supply lines for terrorist activity which were located within Iraq. The war is a result of the 9/11 attacks, and an attempt to prevent any more such attacks.

Answer 2

First it was about WMD's, he had them, we know because he used them (on his own people, and the Iranians), if he had not thrown out the inspectors I don't think this would have happened because when he did that they probably figured they were getting close to something Saddam didn't want them to see. Second it was about going into Iraq the first time, in "91" this was finishing the job that wasn't finished the first time. Third it was about terrorism and the assumption that Saddam might give those WMD's to terrorists or they would somehow get them from a rogue element inside Iraq, it was never about oil.

Answer 3

I believe we went to war, because all the inteligent reports showed Saddam had WMDs. And Saddam was being cooperative and allowing the inspectors to do their job. I also feel we got wind that Saddam wasn't following the Oil for food policy we established after the first gulf war and was amassing a lot of money in a Swiss Bank account.

Answer 4

When Britain and the U.S. decided to found Israel and resettle it with Jews from all over the world they didn't bother to ask anyone who was actually there at the time, largely because they were so scattered and disorganized that there was no one to ask. As a result they become our only real friend and ally in the region, since they have a vested interest in a Strong U.S., and we have a very powerful Pro Israel lobby in Washington.

Answer 5

"In order to combat terrorism, the USA needed to eliminate possible bases and supply lines for terrorist activity which were located within Iraq." by TechnoRat06.

That is just what the Bush administration wants you to believe. The fact remains that before Saddam was toppled, Iraq was never a haven for terrorists. Islamic fanatics undermined Saddam's authority and he dealt with them severly. Iraq has now become a haven for jihadis trying to take a shot at every american soldier they can hit BECAUSE Saddam was toppled.

The real reason behind the war is quest for power and influence.
The Bush admin. believed that once they carried out thier threat and attacked Iraq, it will cause other Middle Eastern countries to remain in line. Unfortunately, the debacle in Iraq has only enboldened countries like Iran and Syria. Iran knows that the US would never launch a military attack against them now.

Answer 6

Oil has nothing to do with the war. Our gas prices started rising after the war started. So the real reason for this war is that President Bush feels that he needs to Finish what his Dad Started. Now that is the real reason for this war.

Answer 7

“The Real Reasons For Terrorism and War (“Holy” or otherwise). By Zubi.

Does anyone actually believe that acts of terrorism are motivated by religion? That would be so naive as to be almost laughable. Religion (any religion), is used only to motivate the terrorist/soldier into doing their duty, because if they knew the real reasons why they were fighting and dying, their leaders would have a hard time obtaining volunteers.

Terrorism and war are motivated purely by economics plain and simple. The obtainment of land (and the resources contained therein), and/or the attainment of control of a sovereign government's wealth are the only reasons for terrorism and war. “We” may dress it up by saying that we are fighting to protect our freedoms of our democracy and “they” (since they have no democratic freedoms to begin with), dress it up as “Jihad” or “Holy War”. But these are only rationalizations and do not reflect the real truth about terrorism and war.

We might have had good reason to hate Saddam Hussein, but you had to give the guy some credit for not hiding behind religious rhetoric when he sent his army to invade Kuwait. He wanted their wealth and when Kuwait refused to pay for “protection”, Saddam tried to take it by force. Remember the sight of all of those luxury cars being driven back across the border to Iraq? Though these images might have made it more difficult, Saddam could have put a Muslim Fundamentalist spin on the invasion by saying that the Kuwaiti government was corrupt and that this was the cause of the economic inequities that existed in the Muslim world and therefore he was calling for a “Jihad” against them, but he didn't. Who knows how history would have turned out differently if he had?

In a 1997 interview with CNN's Peter Arnett, Osama Bin Laden explained his demands. One of them was that the United States military leave the “holy” land of Saudi Arabia. The estimated worth of Bin Laden at that time was $400 million. Let's say that the U.S. had acquiesced to his demand and left Saudi Arabia. That would have left them vulnerable to a coup from both inside and outside the country. Bin Laden could have quite easily ended up as the leader of that country and his $400 million would have paled in comparison to the billions upon billions of dollars (Saudi Riyals), that he would've had access to in Saudi Arabia.

Who can really blame people in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and many of the 330 million Muslims living on the African continent and in the Middle East who want to pick up arms and overthrow Western governments (along with their own). I mean, have you seen the way many of these people live? To just say that they live in poverty is not doing their situation justice. They literally have no food to eat. If I grew up without my perceived slice of the world economic pie (as much of the Muslim world outside of the Gulf States believe they have), and without hope for the future, I might strap on a bomb myself. But no one will ever perform an act of terrorism or war based upon an ideology of economics (except paid mercenaries), hence the need for them to be motivated by religion.

By the way, as the war in Afghanistan goes on and on, I can guarantee you that there will be an increase in the religious rhetoric offered by our Military Chaplains in order to motivate our own troops, since the soldiers will eventually become disillusioned with our mission there and will need something more to motivate them to fight and die than currently exists.

Answer 8

Saddam Hussein's involvement with the terrorist attack on 9/11

Answer 9

money-if you look deep enough into the causes of wars, you will always find a financial catalyst

Answer 10

Because we had evidence that Iraq had WMD.