If North Korea and Iran are such a threat, why did we invade Iraq. Is that a legitimate question?

Answer 1

Nothing to gain in North Korea with no oil or anything of value there and keep China happy since they support North Korea. I think the US see North Korea more Japan's problem than anything else.

Iran is another story...

Answer 2

Carter gutted the CIA. Reagan sold WMD to Iraq (it was used against both Iran and the Iraqi Kurds). Desert Storm ended with a cease fire agreement brokered by the U.N.. Part of that agreement was to allow U.N. weapons inspectors to look at Iraq's war making capabilities -- specifically, WMD. The first chief inspector resigned in absolute digust because he got no support from either the U.N. or Bill Clinton. The inspections were a joke. France, Russia and Germany were accepting bribes from Saddam. An Iraqi chemical engineer defected and landed in Gemany. He told a convincing tale of Saddam's WMD making capabilities. We were never allowed to question him directly -- and, with no CIA operatives worth a damned working in the region, this was the only real, solid evidence available. It seemed credible. Months of negoitiating and diplomacy failed. We went to war AFTER Congress gave approval.
Iran did not become a real and viable threat until after the "Mission Accomplished" speech. As the first "free" elections in Iraq drew near, Iran seized on the opportunity to destabilize the American/Coalition efforts. Iran's oil industry is a disaster. Their wells are all over 50 years old and in a rate of decline of 13% a year. Over (at least) the last two years, they've not been able to export a single drop and worse yet, have instead been forced to IMPORT just to keep up with their own supply and demand issues. Our leaving would allow them (as they announced last week) the opportunity "to fill the vacuum of leadership..." in Iraq. The world's economy runs on oil. Can you just imagine what would happen should a country not friendly to the west take charge of the world's largest oil deposits?
North Korea was not seen as a threat of any magnatude until the Chinese sold them missile technology and missile guidance technology that now enables them to launch into the central United States. Kim is a lunatic and a very little man who now suddenly carries a very big stick. It is hard to tell what goes on behind an iron curtain (as in the closed society of North Korea). Of course, if we had a well trained and fully capable CIA, we'd have a better idea of what is actually going on instead must blindly fear the boogie man. But between Carter's gutting of the CIA and Clinton's draw down of our military -- we will never see another two front war with Russia's having fallen. Myopic stupidity from the left has just about sealed our fate.

Answer 3

Because Iraq was the biggest threat. North Korea and Iran were barley on the radar when we were focusing on Iraq.

Charlie, what happened to your team yesterday?

Answer 4

Iran has an actual military and would defend itself. North Korea would be protected by China. That leaves Iraq with no military left from Desert Storm and a leader who we could demonize to serve our interests, oil.

Answer 5

First, Iraq did agree to new inspections, albeit reluctantly, in 2002. These inspectors did not find WMD stockpiles. Second, there has been no evidence of any substantial collaboration between Hussein's Iraq and al Qaeda.

For the true reasons of the invasion of Iraq, read the PNAC agenda.

Answer 6

North Korea and Iran were not flying its military aircraft into our no fly zones and challenging our pilots. They were not accepting wounded from Afghanistan and obviously (now) al queda operatives too. Iran and NK have not used weapons of mass destruction in battle over the last 15 years - Iraq had. None of the other worlds' leaders suggested Iran or North Korea were intending on attacking us or anyone else and Saddam was kicking out inspectors and being defiant to the UN.....not one of the worlds leaders stood beside him and pleaded with the UN or the USA not to invade his country - not one.

Answer 7

Iraq was thumbing their nose at the UN and expecially us. We made the conditions after thee 1st gulf war that he disarm and comply with UN security council resolutions. He did neither violating 17 of them. So by our own inaction of allowing him to stay in office in 91, we had to go back. Iran and N Korea are under certain sanctions and we havent progressed that far yet with them. And also N Korea has shown signs that they are willing to disarm.

Iraq was a long time enemy of ours. It was felt by virtually everyone in govt back then that Iraq supplying chemical or nuclear weapons to Al Queda was a risk that we couldnt afford to take. Saddam had already used chemical weapons on the kurds and iranians killing millions.

The hitler-like tyrants of the world need to be stopped before they get too powerful or it means doom and disaster for millions, possibly billions.

Answer 8

No one knows why we invaded Iraq actually. There are theories but it's a question that even future historians will not be able to answer.

Probably the best answer that will emerge is that it was the action of a mentally unbalanced or mentally-deficient president who was ill-advised by ambitious followers who wished to profit monetarily or in prestige.

Answer 9

Because Bush and his administration expected Iraq to be a 'cake walk'!

Iraq is meant to be the United States base of operations in the Middle East.

It is an intimidation ploy by the U.S. to bring about voluntary cooperation by hostile regimes in the Middle East like Iran.

It is submit to U.S.regulation or be forcibly, militarily submitted!

Imperialism American Style!

Answer 10

Just spout some of that GOP 'history" that netjr apparently thinks is reality(in what dimension that might be,I don't know)and you'll see that Dubya had every right to invade Iraq.