How many liberals agree with me? We did the right thing attacking Afghanistan, but were wrong to attack Iraq?

Question

Even though I am liberal myself, I do believe that the USA had every right to go into Afghanistan, just not Iraq. I beleive war should only be done as a last resort action when our country is in clear imminent danger. In other words I believe war is justified if it is done in defense. The attack of Afghanistan was done as a response to an extreme and imminent situation such as 9/11. Our country was in immenent danger at the time. There was clear and obvious evidence that Al Quaida was responsible and there was clear evidence that Afghanistan was condoning their activities. We even gave the Afghani government a chance to avoid war by giving them a week to extridite Al Quaida themselves. However they refused. On the other hand Iraq was attacked pre-empitivly and the US's motives for attacking the country was entirly arbitrary and without solid evidence. Liberals are not always against war, most liberals
support wars only if it has a just cause. Agree or Disagree?

Unlike Iraq, studies by indepentdent media organization show that the majority of Afghani citizens are slightly happier with their new government then the older one (even though war lords and famine still threaten the country. However civil rights have improved modestly and they are happy that they have government thats trying to take action against their problems. But not entirly happy but a little better.). As compared to surveys in Iraq, people were happier with their old government. (Ill post the source for it later)

Also remember Clinton also dropped a few bombs on Iraq in the past. Only a few bombs to scare Saddam Huissane into listining, not to wipe out the country.

It is true that Afghanistan is also a failure, but its slightly better then how it was in the past. However some matters their got worse as well. But mostly slight improvement most issues.

Answer 1

Yes - of course liberals support wars with a just cause. I also believe that we should have stayed in Afghanistan. What I'm angry about in Iraq most of all was the lack of planning, and that we've now let al Qaeda get out of control. Saddam was a horrible dictator who ruled by fear and murdered thousands who opposed him. The world is a better place with him not in it - however, we really seemed eager to get in there and not so eager to fin Bin Laden, which I still find extremely concerning.
As far as Iraq - we removed a country's government with no plan. Imagine someone coming in here and doing that? Just taking out our government with millions of people who have their own ideas of what they want the new gov't to be. Bush didn't even know the country was filled with Sunnis and Shiites (and some Kurds left who weren't murdered by Saddam...) who have been fighting for thousands of years. If you're going to remove this country's gov't, shouldn't you try and understand how the country's population will react? They both will of course want to be in charge now, you couldn't predict a civil war - and therefore had a plan for that? Anyway, that's just one of MANY problems with this war. If we had gone in, killed Saddam, and everything was hunky dorey, that would've been great. Saddam was way over due to be taken out, but the fact that there seemed to be zero planning/research is the issue has put us into the middle of a civil war that should've been predicted and that we're not going to be able to fix, al Qaeda has gotten stronger, and Bin Laden is nowhere to be found. What I'm also pissed about is that Bush used 9/11 to manipulate people into thinking going into Iraq was just.

Answer 2

I agree with you. The war in Iraq did not have to happen.

What I am sick and tired of is Republicans and conservatives that think Liberals are cowards because they are against a trumped up folly of a war. I have never met a Liberal that would not fight for his country if it were for a just cause. What I don't understand is why would anyone fight for his country if the cause is an unjust one. Unfortunately, our government has manipulated a lot of people into believing that this is a just war in Iraq. It isn't just. There is more murder, chaos, and destruction in Iraq now then there was when saddam was in power. That is sad.

I wander what "dez604" has to say about reports of nearly a million dead civillians in Iraq since the war started. Or the fact that at least 5 million have left there homes. Number of wounded?? I can't even imagine. I wonder if "dez604" even cares?

Answer 3

I agree absolutely. Afghanistan was justified as an appropriate response to a direct attack on American security. I do not believe that Iraq ever posed a legitimate threat to the United States, certainly not more than Iran, Syria, or North Korea.

I'm not against all war, just war without a good reason. I support military action in the Sudan (too little too late?), Rwanda (same), Kosovo (same). I would have supported both World Wars but not Vietnam, had I been alive back then.

Answer 4

We didn't even do anything in Afghan. We just beat up the stupid Taliban for a bit and then worked the outer areas. Taliban are bigger and stronger than ever. Yeah great job there...I support war as a liberal. Not stupid Iraq, Vietnam, or Korean wars, but wars that matter I support. When we even Liberated Kuwait I was all for it and it was done the right way. Kosovo, police action with the UN, support that. Don't support us invading a country based on lies for corporate interest. That according to the constitution is a crime. And no one is held accountable in the govt. Why is this? When can we get our country back and stop letting a few hundred tell us how to live.

Answer 5

Agree. Al-Qaidas HQ is in Afghanistan, so it is just like a countr's caoitol. If alqaida were a country, ther HQ would be the capitol. That is where all the big boy meet and discus things.probably where all ther records and stuff is kept to. Sound most reasonable to attack ther and destroy it right?. right. But not according to Bush. He wanted to change subjects and invade iraq. Now, we have problems in both country's that we need to solve. Iraq was never a major place for terrorists we made it one. It was never a problem. we made it one. Now, Al-quaida is there and fully operational!!! We helped them. We spread them into a nation they have never operated in before. We see no significant reduction in troops. Bush better fix this problem before his term is up, and not leave the next prez with a problem!!!

Answer 6

I agree.

bin Laden should not even be an issue at this point in time, he should have been taken out by Special Forces long ago. My grandfather, retired Green Beret, said it best in December, 2001 "What the hell are they doing? He's right there, just whack him!"

When Bush was appointed president, I knew we'd go to war with Iraq. It was just a matter of when and how.

Answer 7

There are three kinds of people. Bullies, victims, and protectors.

Fortunately the United States is a great protector powerful enough to protect victims within its shores (that would be the liberals who do not believe in violence), it is strong enough to protect victims from bullies around the world (Kosovo, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc., etc.).

This isn't a dig against you or the liberals. I too used to be a liberal and a victim. I joined the Army and realized that I had led a sheltered life and there were really bullies in the would who wanted to kill me without reason. You see, that realization is why most people who have served in the military are Conservative or, at minimum, like me, a moderate Democrat.

Ignorance is truly bliss. God bless you!!

Answer 8

I AGREE

When the towers fell George W Bush got on TV and told every one----"We will go after these people and catch them----if they run into other countries to hide--these countries are harbouring fugitive terrorists and we will Cross these borders and persue these terrorists.
I was all for the President then, as most of the world was

THEN
When Bin Laden went into Pakistan WE STOPPED AT THE BORDER !!!
And by LYING to the AMERICAN people AND CONGRESS Bush morphed this whole thing into a war on IRAQ

I still think that we need to "get" Bin Laden----end of story

Answer 9

The Taliban did not refuse to extradite. They referred to due process and asked for credible proof that the alleged plotters were involved in the attacks. Besides, Luis Posada Carriles is in the US right now, Venezuela and Cuba have asked for his deportation. THe US has not even followed due process even though there is a mountain of evidence proving his involvement in the bombing of a plane.
Sorry, war in this case was not justified.

Answer 10

No.

I was against it.

We bombed the wrong people; the Afghans didn't do anything to us.

I know I'm in a really tiny minority here, but it was wrong.

Back then, we could have had the cooperation of nearly the whole world, and COULD HAVE gotten the people actually responsible and, as Bush SAID, brought them to trial for crimes against humanity.

And now, the Taliban are retaking the country.

What good was it?