Do you think that our presence in Iraq has anything to do with defending our country?

Answer 1

Definitely not! Iraq was of no threat to either its neighbours or the US, and it was definitely no threat to Australia, so why invade a sovereign country? There had been many countries prior to March 2003 (1980's)who tried to take action in the UN about Iraq. These measures were either voted against by the US, Britain and probably us, or were vetoed by the US. On 2 occasions in 2001, both Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice declared, that Saddam Hussein had no weapons and posed no threat. It became apparent to all but the stupid or stubborn, that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, and therefore was of no threat to the invaders' countries. The 'reasoning' has been modified over the 41/2 year period. The current reason for staying, is to 'enable Iraq to look after its own security'. This is a nonsense. You can't expect people to trust those who've been responsible for killing and maiming the people they love, for destroying their country and infrastructure, and denying them employment and food. Medical facilities and vital drugs are not available, and highly trained professionals are deserting on a daily basis.

The supporters of the extreme right in the US had plans to invade Iraq for some years, and saw Sept.11 as an ideal occasion to mount their campaign of aggression against Iraq. There are lots of articles/documentaries before and since the invasion that clearly show, that there was not plausible intelligence that warranted invasion, it was fabricated to suit the goals of the Bush Administration, aided and agreed to by Blair and Howard. The difficult question for the Bush/Blair and Howard administrations, was seeking the best 'lie' to sell to the public. Many of us were not fooled, and over 20 million people protested around the world. Now, after the newly released figures, 1 million Iraqi people are dead, 2 million are displaced in Iraq, and 2 million are displaced in neighbouring countries. There is widespread malnutrition, lack of essentials like electricity and clean water, not to mention the many people who've been injured or maimed. These horrific facts are coupled with the knowledge, that Depleted Uranium used in the first Gulf War has been used again in horrific quantities. There are already documented cases of birth defects and cancers, particularly childhood cancers,during the last 17 years. The deaths from these horrors plus that invasion is 1.3 million. Those horrors have been multiplied in increased amounts. The use of cluster bombs have killed and maimed thousands of children, who confuse unexploded fragments with 'toys'. It is also horrific to know, that half the population of Iraq today, is under the age of 15. All males over '5 feet', who commit the 'crime' of speaking against the invasion can be killed, or rounded up and jailed in either Abu Graib or one of the other US controlled prisons. Women, mad with grief, pain, hunger and terror are trying to look after their families. Many of these women hold vigils outside the jails, begging information about their husbands, sons and fathers. Women and children are also jailed, and many have been raped.

These are horrendous and despicable repercussions of illegal and unforgivable war crimes. The three major countries have acted in contravention of the requirements of both the Nuremberg Trials and the Geneva Conventions. The US and Britain have drawn up legislation passed by the Iraqi parliament after they bullied them into accepting. This will ensure, that the oil companies from these two countries will have the major say over Iraq's oil for the next 35 years. It is estimated, that the 'spoils' could be worth many billions of dollars. The US is also building a huge embassy at the cost of $800 million; hardly the action of a benevolent country, whose only aim was to remove a dictator, and an oppressor of his people. The US does not intend to 'hand back' the country to the citizens of Iraq. Those who have not already been murdered will be forced to live under occupation for decades. Australia's shame is limitless, and does not bother to even acknowledge the death and misery it's caused.

Prior to the invasion in March 2003, the only person who was a threat or 'evil' was Saddam Hussein. Sadly, everyone in the Middle East has reason to hate us, and who can blame them. The Bush mantra of "you're either with us or with the terrorists" has been repeated by members of the Howard government. Those who protest these atrocities are defiled and made out to be 'terrorist sympathizers'. The mainstream media refuses to ask the hard questions, and prefer instead to follow their own interests by supporting the bloodbath in our name. There are many articles available on the internet, book stores and some libraries that have evidence of these truths. For the sake of the world's children, we need to be aware of these truths, and confront those who will risk world peace for their own lust for power, and greed for the spoils of the middle east. The overlying motivation is to do with control, and with the murmurings of the US, putting 'heat' under the motivations of Iran, I fear, that the same lies are being trotted out once more. This will bring about unthinkable and unknown horrors, and not just for the people of Iran - for all of us!

It is worth reading the judgements of the Nuremberg Trials, plus the Geneva Conventions. It is clear to many legal minds, that on matters of law, the Coalition of the Willing members are guilty of very serious war crimes. Saddam Hussein was hanged for the deaths of just over 140 people. While I'm opposed to the death penalty for any crimes, it makes you wonder what punishment should await Bush, Blair and Howard. There have been more deaths in Iraq than were murdered in Rwanda, and that has been classified as genocide! Lest We (never) Forget Iraq!

Answer 2

nope.

Our presence in iraq really is not doing any significant damage to terrorism. This is because most terrorists are not in iraq, they are in afghanistan, pakistan, etc. So we are mostly leaving them alone.

So why are we in iraq?

So, this is why al qaida is getting stronger, while we are policing a civil war we are not supposed to be a part of.

And, al qaida never operated in iraq, now they do so we'eve actually allowed al qaida to spread to another country.

The terorists probably attacked us because we'eve been meddling around in the Mid east for so long. Why do we always do that, mess with other countries business? Both washington and jefferson warned us about entangling ourselves in the affairs of other nations.

oil profits and stuff like that should come second to national interest and national safety

Answer 3

The only reason the terrorist extremists over there care one bit about the west is because the west has had its troops all over the middle east for years, has been supporting Israel for years, and so on.

They are poorly organized, poorly trained, poorly armed. They make sporadic attacks where they can, on an ally if they can't get to us, on their own if they can't get to anything else.

Our troops in Iraq have nothing to do with the defense of our country. They have to do with the defense of our middle east policy.

It is a policy designed for and at least in part by our domestic oil and auto industries. Those industries will not help pay for if they can avoid it.

Their interest in oil profits should be secondary to our national interest in avoiding such dependence on an increasingly foreign resource. It will inevitably lead us to entangle ourselves further into interminable states of counterinsurgency and war, which may one day escalate into a larger conflict, all at enormous cost of course.

Answer 4

No. I think the president wanted an excuse to go to war with Iraq over oil and he also felt he had something to prove.
Some think that if you're against the war, you're against fighting terrorism. Wrong. Some of us just don't think the "war on terrorism" in Iraq is actually quelling the violence.
We do need to defend our country, but not in Iraq.

Answer 5

Had it been sanctioned by employing UN(could desire to be the sanction grow to be gained 'below duress', it does no longer have been an occupation even with the incontrovertible fact that that is been there defying the worldwide opinion and non-cooperation of even the closest allies. And apart from not one of the justifications whey it grow to be released have grew to become out to be properly based.The mere plea of the electorate to no longer pass away is by technique of the actuality that by employing occupying and inflicting all varieties of demages u . s . a . has no longer left the Iraquees in an extremely unenviable subject the place whilst they hate the occupation they re afraid that the post-holiday era could be the deluge.the main suitable way out could be for stationing a Peace Keepig rigidity,ideally of Arabic forces in the intervening time.

Answer 6

Not much, no. The plain fact of the matter is that it doesn't take much in the way of resources or training or logistics to commit a terrorist act.

The only difference between the massacre at Virginia Tech (?) and a terrorist operation was a matter of nationality and type of psychosis.

Terrorism is a sort of political crime. Like other crimes, you can do a little to suppress it, but mainly you are left reacting. As long as people are willing to kill themselves to accomplish their goals they are going to have some success.

Probably the best you can do is try to get as many people as possible invested in society. The more you reduce the outcasts, the more you can keep them interested in other, more manageable activities. But you won't ever get them all. Some are going to kill, molest and steal no matter what you do.

Answer 7

Our presence have nothing to do with their freedom or helping their government establishing a democracy currently speaking. I’m more then sure once we get our troops from out of there they will be just fine. We’re a greedy country man so now there are in debt to us because of the war etc, so in essence its for certain sectors of the US government financial gain pimpin!

Answer 8

It has everything to do with that. Did it ever cross any of your cynical minds that our government is attempting to make the world a better place by ridding it of the worst elements. It's many of your conspiricy theory mindset and that of the people of the middle east which is making it even more difficult.Bush is a good decent human being with good intent no matter what garbage you choose to believe.You are unpatriotic.

Answer 9

If I may quote our fearless leader & commander in chief when asked 'What'd Iraq have to do with 9/11?'
He said: "NOTHING!!!"

May I add by asking, "Defending our country against WHAT???!!!"

Answer 10

Absolutely not ! We are there to defend the oil for Bush and his family.There is almost no mention of Osama any more.
The troops are just pawns for his benefit ONLY. I cant wait for him to leave office.

Answer 11

short and to the point.

Yes I do. It might be the only reason but i know in my heart that we are there for the right reason. We are defending 9/11 and many other threats.

I wont say it is being done right but i do thing we are there for a good reason. It might not be popular but I know that things would be far worse if we did not defend ourselves from tyrants like Osama and Husein. They truely live a life we do not understand