Bush I and Maggie Thatcher had gone in to Iraq to topple saddam's regime immediately after the first Gulf War when we had good reason too, we would have encountered the same problems? (terrorism and drawn out guerilla warfare)
2007-08-19 09:02:21 · 12 answers · asked by Woppa TRFC 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Yes, because the problems with terrorism existed before that war. OBL was already preaching his hate, but had not acted yet. He denounced Saudi Arabia for letting the western militaries stage for the invasion there.
The Sunni and Shia still hated each other back then which was one of the arguments on why Saddam was not taken out then.
The Kurds still wanted independence.
If we had done it back then though, it would probably be finishing up about now.
2007-08-19 09:10:07 · answer #1 · answered by mnbvcxz52773 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Modern war stirs up a mess because we don't fight like we used to. We go as easy as possible on the enemy these days. Precision guided munitions, rules of engagement that prohibit or severely restrict attacks in civilian areas, and other rules that are designed to protect civilians also give them very little reason to cooperate with the occupying forces. There was far less guerrilla warfare after the fall of Germany (that is not to say that there was none, the "Warewolves" carried out a bombing campaign that lasted until the early 1950s) because the German populace was sick of war. They weren't willing to fight anymore, because they had seen what the Allies would do with them. During the war, we bombed their cities flat, and rolled into German towns. When we did, we told them that if there was even one shot taken at US forces, we would stand off, and then bomb and shell the city, then roll in, shooting everything that moved. It is amazing how that threat caused people to turn over guerrillas, rather than risk that.
We fought with the same ROE in Desert Storm as we did in OIF. You notice that most of the help we get these days is in areas that were most heavily fought in. Those Iraqis don't want to have it happen again, and they don't like the insurgents. They rat them out all the time. If we moved back to the old ROEs of WWII, I bet we would have seen far fewer problems. In this case, the war ended so quickly that the Iraqis and their terrorist friends were beaten, not crushed. There is a big difference between a populace that truely believes that they were defeated, like the Germans and Japanese during WWII, and the Iraqis and insurgents, who had the war go by so fast, it almost didn't seem real.
2007-08-19 17:02:43 · answer #2 · answered by joby10095 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Served in the Marines in the Gulf War. Our mission was to liberate the people of Kuwait plain and simple. It was never an option put on the table to invade Iraq..if it was it was shot down...Although we had superior number of troops and an awesome contingent of allies a plan like that would have splintered the coalition. Look were at war here. Whether you refer to these cowards as terrorists, insurgents or freedom fighters(pick one) we are dealing with a populace that considers us an occupational force. Things have to change there but I agree with the assessment that we would have encountered the same problems then as we have now.
2007-08-19 20:16:18 · answer #3 · answered by Cold steel on ice 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They should have toppled Saddam first time round and hand the problem to the Arab nations who are more than capable of sorting out their own problems.It would just be history now.
2007-08-19 17:57:10 · answer #4 · answered by mach 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The USA supplied weapons to the Iraqis to fight the Iranians whilst the USSR was supplying the Iranians and the UK has always backed the US it a vicious cycle which will forever be continued no matter who is in charge.
2007-08-19 16:16:59 · answer #5 · answered by sparky 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
had we gone to iraq we would be in the same dilema the USA is in now and the same one that brought down the USSR. i am gald we did not. and wish we were not there now. by the way i am pro-military
2007-08-19 16:09:35 · answer #6 · answered by IHATETHEEUSKI 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are no ifs and buts its not our choice and were not supposed to think, it would turn out the same either way.
2007-08-19 22:06:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea, we stirred up a hornets nest over there whether it have been then or now.
2007-08-19 16:07:59 · answer #8 · answered by Glen B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes ..but i believe these people need a dictatorship their beliefs are far too extreme for the rest of the world to deal with...
2007-08-19 16:11:46 · answer #9 · answered by baboushka 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
yes
2007-08-19 16:05:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋