Is the war in Iraq a war of aggression?

Question

I'd love to see someone try and deny that it is.

We have some real geniuses answering this question huh? A war in which the US is the aggressor as opposed to acting in defense, smart guys.

Answer 1

No nation has ever gone to war to altruistically free an oppressed people from the reign of a despot. All wars are fought for political control and control of resources, period end of story.

You ask is the premeditated and unprovoked invasion of Iraq a war of aggression? It is at least partly that. It provided a vent for our post 9/11 bloodlust, and for GW Bush personally the chance to redeem on his own what some perceived to be his father's failed legacy. It is at least equally a war of conquest, like any other.

There are other oppressed peoples and other tyrannical dictators in the world. We don't seem to rouse ourselves to action to liberate those who live in areas devoid of natural resources.

Answer 2

Guns
Again we pass that field
green artillery piece squatting
by the Legion Post on Chelten Avenue,
its ugly little pointed snout
ranged against my daughter's school.

"Did you ever use a gun
like that?" my daughter asks,
and I say, "No, but others did.
I used a smaller gun. A rifle."
She knows I've been to war.

"That's dumb," she says,
and I say, "Yes," and nod
because it was, and nod again
because she doesn't know.
How do you tell a four-year-old

what steel can do to flesh?
How vivid do you dare to get?
How explain a world where men
kill other men deliberately
and call it love of country?

Just eighteen, I killed
a ten-year-old. I didn't know.
He spins across the marketplace
all shattered chest, all eyes and arms.
Do I tell her that? Not yet,

though one day I will have
no choice except to tell her
or to send her into the world
wide-eyed and ignorant.
The boy spins across the years

till he lands in a heap
in another war in another place
where yet another generation
is rudely about to discover
what their fathers never told them.


Copyright © 1993 by W. D. Ehrhart
The Distance We Travel, Adastra Press, 1993

This poem is currently published in
Beautiful Wreckage, New & Selected Poems, Adastra Press, 1999

Answer 3

Guns Again we pass that field green artillery piece squatting by the Legion Post on Chelten Avenue, its ugly little pointed snout ranged against my daughter's school. "Did you ever use a gun like that?" my daughter asks, and I say, "No, but others did. I used a smaller gun. A rifle." She knows I've been to war. "That's dumb," she says, and I say, "Yes," and nod because it was, and nod again because she doesn't know. How do you tell a four-year-old what steel can do to flesh? How vivid do you dare to get? How explain a world where men kill other men deliberately and call it love of country? Just eighteen, I killed a ten-year-old. I didn't know. He spins across the marketplace all shattered chest, all eyes and arms. Do I tell her that? Not yet, though one day I will have no choice except to tell her or to send her into the world wide-eyed and ignorant. The boy spins across the years till he lands in a heap in another war in another place where yet another generation is rudely about to discover what their fathers never told them. Copyright © 1993 by W. D. Ehrhart The Distance We Travel, Adastra Press, 1993 This poem is currently published in Beautiful Wreckage, New & Selected Poems, Adastra Press, 1999

Answer 4

No. Go to Iraq. Live as one of the People. It is a war AGAINST aggression. Pretty UN-educated question if you ask me. Go talk to a veteran! NOT just from the war in Iraq or Kuwait or Afghanistan, talk to the Veterans that were in World Wars. YES, there are many still alive. Talk to someone that can tell you that evil will prevail unless GOOD MEN ACT! Talk to the women that have come here and are free now that were oppressed and abused and then, delete your question. Educate yourself. STOP looking away from reality. I suppose you believe that September 11th devastation was completely and utterly due to the Americans? GEEEEEZ! Are you living in America? WHY do you think you are able to ask this question? Oh, sure, Sudam Hussein made it possible for you to be free....yeah right! Join the Army!

Answer 5

the war in iraq was used as a vehicle to build an oil pipeline from the caspian sea, and to set-up a permanent base in the middle east to launch future wars against oil-bearing non-conforming countries. but it must be understood in the larger context, 9/11 was used as a means to launch two unprovoked, illegal wars, against afghanistan and iraq, but it also was used to inact a war agiainst you, the patriot act, military tribunals act, and the homeland securtiy act were all designed to legislate away your civil liberties.
there is no such thing as a war on terror b/c the bush admin constructed this war, and if you believe bush is the good guy then there is no helping you.

Answer 6

If it was anything else then explain why we have built permanent bases all over Iraq .

Not just reinforced bunkers but stand alone off the grid self sufficient bases with nuclear power stations to provide electricity and food supplies to last over a year .

Answer 7

It is a war of liberation. The U.S. is taking nothing from Iraq and has given it back its freedom and is pumping untold wealth into rebuilding its economy.

All with the purpose of getting out as fast as it can.

Now take a look back through history at other wars and tell me when this has happened; when one nation has fought a war of independence for another nation.

This Iraq War is the noblest war in history.

Answer 8

You think there are wars of passivity? Of course it's a war of aggression.

Answer 9

A war against aggression? YES.

Answer 10

War, by nature, is aggressive. Don't you think?