Looking back 20/20 hindsight, was it a good idea to invade Iraq?

Question

Just wondering...

"Eastasia is our enemy. Eastasia has always been our enemy.

War is Peace.
Ignorance is Strength.
Freedom is Slavery."

Your mind is owned by Fox News consheep!

Answer 1

We had 20/20 vision before the invasion, and it was STILL clearly a bad idea.

Bush & Co. clearly had their own agenda in invading Iraq, and were making up excuses as they went along.

Answer 2

My opinion has become, in hindsight, it was probably not a good idea simply due the high financial cost and the loss of life, but since we are there we should finish the work and leave Iraq with a stable democracy. As difficult as it has been, still a lot of good has been done for the whole world and thousands of terrorists have been captured and killed, and the people of Iraq are much better off. Even if we left today, we could say that we have given the Iraqi's a freely elected government. Whether they could maintain that is another issue, but that's why we need to finish the job.

Answer 3

All we need to know in order to answer is what would have happened had we NOT invaded. Something we can never know.

Therefore the question is not answerable.

There's some image out there of Saddam keeping perfect order and the world not having problems with him, which was not the case.

I believe that at the very least, he would have been a continued thorn in our side, as Iran's leader is now.

But again no one can answer with certainty. We don't have a crystal ball showing us the path not taken.

PS You are absolutely right that hindsight is 20/20. I suppose one could ask the same question, in hindsight, about Clinton's decision not to capture bin Laden when he had the chance. But again I believe the question is of limited usefulness now - conditions were different then. yes, we try to learn from the past. maybe this question should be filed under History! :)

Answer 4

The thing is, 20/20 hindsight is irrelevant....it is a tool used by critics and has no place in intelligent discussion. Hindsight is afforded to those who have no involvement and had no foresight to begin with. The rest of us choose to try and plan forward instead of harping on the past. History will show us a net pos or neg of OIF...so let us finish before we start to judge.

20/20 hindsight doesn;t give us the opportunity to know if Iraq would ahve contributed weapons or training to an attack or if they themselves would have attacked. Those are things that you must factor in, but cannot. You could not predict what Iraq would have done in the years sicne we invaded.

Answer 5

No way! I was against this war from the very beginning. If we had actually gone after Osama bin Laden and the others who were the main ones responsible for the 9/11 attacks instead of invading a country that was in no way involved, the terrorist situation probably wouldn't be as bad as it is now. After all, instead of improving the global terrorist situation, the war has actually WORSENED it, because it has because a cause celebre among Muslim fundamentalists worldwide, and as a result, a whole new generation of terrorists is now being bred.

Answer 6

When saddam was toppled we should have got out then, but we can all look back with hindsight, mistakes were and probably still are being made, but the thing that is the most sickening is the fact that America is trying to help them, and they haven't fathomed that out yet, after all this time and so many of our heroes have given their all and for what?? a bunch of suicidal maniacs who are running around the desert with NUKES, good god almighty, get our troops out of the direct line of fire, they are being used as fv**ing cannon fodder for a bunch of ungreatful stone age type mentality degenerates, send in the air force and bomb them back twenty generations, and any future threats to Israel, should be dealt with accordingly, drop more bomb's on the perpitraitor's heads, The Israeli's are the only ones in that region who are what would be considered as SANE, the rest of them ie: the Arabs are a bunch of MAD DOG'S who are filled with utter hatered and contempt for Israel and America, who from the time of conception are taught to HATE and KILL us.

Answer 7

No, it was not a good idea. I am isolationist by nature and against any war where we were not directly attacked. I say wait until Iran builds a nuke and actually uses it on us, then turn their country into a glass parking lot. That way public support will actually be behind the military action. This pre-emptive crap is very un-American.

Answer 8

In hindsight, no rational person would advocate the invasion of Iraq.

However, that does not change the fact that it occurred, and leaving prematurely could provide radical Islamics with both a symbolic and strategic victory.

Answer 9

I think Paul Q and Jeffy B, hit Bulls Eye in this issue,

outstanding comprehension.

Now I think it is never right to invade another country,

because if another country invade US I'll be very pissed off,

and I'll do every thing in my power to kick them out. And I'll

defend my country, so how can I convince my self that it is OK

to commit an act of aggression against another nation.

Regards.

Answer 10

"He who wishes to fight must first count the cost. When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain. Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor dampened, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity.

Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue... In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns." ~ Sun Tzu

Answer 11

I never thought it was a good idea. I was much more keen to focus on Afghanistan, where bin Laden was being harbored.