Why is the Iraq war an illegal war?

Question

I see this comment all the time (from mostly liberal minded people) and wonder, why is this an illegal war?

Also, the democrats also voted for war, does this make them complicit in this "illegal war?"

The democrats say they were misled and lied to, but isn't information in all wars shaky, i.e. the fog of war, etc.?

If saddam broke hundreds of U.N. resolutions (like he did, and he agreed to abide by these resolutions), doesn't this mean he had to be stopped?

Answer 1

It's not an illegal war. Congress approved it. It is legal.

Answer 2

I don't think it's an illegal war. I think that Bush made moves against Iraq before a vote in Congress, which seems to completely skip over the system of checks and balances. You're right, though. Congress did vote in favor of the war, which made it official and legal.

Congress was lied to about information regarding weapons of mass destruction. I don't think anyone knows for sure whether the lies were intentional, but it's pretty obvious there aren't any weapons of mass destruction.

Saddam was a terrible human being who is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths (at least). However, there are dictators and even elected officials, all over the world, who are equally as bad (take a look at the civil wars in Africa, where millions of innocent civilians have died).

The question for me has always been - Why Iraq, but not the other countries with worse problems? The answer at the time was "Well, Saddam has weapons of mass destruction," but he didn't. So why are we still over there?

Answer 3

broke Hundred of UN resolutions?Oh wait..Please someone Stop America and israel too...they have broken thousands of such resolutions !

Btw its none of US business to take care of the countries ruled by the bad presidents...Is it?? This is an illegal war becuase all the excuses that were made came out to be false and nothing but the greatest lies of the history!!

Iraq was a separate country and had its own identity and an other coutnry like Americah as no right to invade it for wrong reasons like oil !whatelse you need to prove it an illegal war?can you prove it legal btw?there are many more such countries having ruler worse than saddam..Why US is not there yet?? i don't know whom US governament think they are fooling !!the world is not blind and these excuse can not make thiswar legal in any way !

and okay forget about the libs..the whole world is calling is illegal and it is so!

Saddam was not at all attacking US ..he was once the best friend of US governament..and that time his every act was taken as "Legal" like waging war against Iran and kuwait....then what went wrong afterward that made him a criminal? atleast be thankful to the person who helped US to get in in Iraq?No??

Answer 4

We now know that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, as repeatedly alleged by Mr. Bush and other members of his administration. And contrary to Mr. Bush’s allegation that the United Nations showed no backbone and courage, the Security Council did, in fact, stand up to the Bush administration’s pressure and did resist authorizing war prior to the UN weapons inspectors completing their task. It was the Bush administration’s impatience with the Security Council process and unwillingness to abide by it that led them to initiate an unauthorized attack on Iraq in violation of international law. Although the war in Iraq is widely regarded throughout the world as illegal under international law, few consequences seem to be flowing from this in holding to account the perpetrators of the war, including leading figures in the Bush administration.

Answer 5

It is an undeclared war which is just as bad as an 'illegal' one in my book, but, it was sanctioned by an act of Congress, so it's legal by US standards.

Answer 6

It was a sovereign country.

Answer 7

it is off of the mission that it was originally started

Answer 8

because it's based on lies.

Answer 9

it's not.