Do you really think that it was necessary to start this war?

Question

Why is it that other countries in these modern times have been able to avoid wars while we still havent? Consider all we've lost & are still losing with these actions. What do we "ordinary citizens" really have to gain by waging war on other countries? Please don't insult my intelligence by giving me nonsensical cookie cutter-Bush-type answers like; "these terrorists attacked us first" (for no reason?), or "they hate us for our freedom & we must protect it" or "they're jelaous of us", etc. I don't buy it & I think we all know better by now. Tell me something that makes some sense & please keep in mind that the Iraqis didn't attack us & no WMD's were ever found.
Please keep it civil & refrain from insults. If you can't answer in a calm, rational manner, then don't answer at all.

Answer 1

We citizens have nothing to gain from "business wars". We have nothing to gain from "wars of distraction" either. In order to dominate a free people, it is helpful to create a foreign enemy. This deflects attention from the activities of those in power. The technique has worked for centuries, and it's working now in the USA. For any American to be afraid of "the Moslems" seems pathetic to me. Still one has to admire the administration's success at creating boogey men to distract some of our fellow citizens.

What can we do about it? Nothing, of course. Wealthy industrialists run our country now. They tell us what to believe, where to send troops, and then get us to fight and argue with each other instead of with them. I'm not interested in fighting with Iraqis, Persians, or my fellow Americans. Life is still good out here in the provinces, as long as your brother/sister, spouse/father/mother, daughter or son wasn't sent off to die in a "Bush war". Have any members of the "ruling class" families gone over yet? Or are they all busy running CitiBank and Haliburton? Well, I guess Wall St is more important duty - God bless them for their "sacrifice".

Answer 2

Muslims are just now acquiring the technology to do what their religion madates; the eradication of ALL (you included) infidels. The US has had no more than its "fair share" of wars in its history compared to other western countries. You're just close to the conflict being, I assume, an American. Let's not forget that a LOT of other coutries quickly roll over and surrender to slight pressure from certain groups easily. Look at Spain, France and Germany. Thank God we defend ourselves. Have some of these ventures been misguided? Sure.

The Iraqis certainly attacked us indirectly. Of course, that was our fault for staying there under the auspice of the UN after the Persian Gulf war. If they had not kept attacking us in bits over and over and over, we would have left.

Hopefully, more and more citizens are waking up to the genocide Islam will inflict upon us. America has given Islam no reason to attack us other than their above-mentioned mandate. I don't care what the Lib America-haters say. Islam has been attacking any and all groups who do not submit to them for over a millenium. Islam attacked America while our country was in it's infancy. Only after President Jefferson stomped on them did it cease (for a short while).

By the way; yes, they do hate freedom. Freedom of choice, religion, speech and any other freedom you can think of. Why do you think Muslim nations are the most repressive in the world?

No, no WMDs were found in Iraq. Not assembled, anyway. Many, many components were found, however. The mechanics were there but the radioactive material was quickly shipped to Syria and Iran during the fall of Hussein's regime. That's why the Israeli's just took out a site in Syria. Oddly, Syria didn't complain because they knew what we all knew. The only whiners were the North Koreans who have been supplying the Syrians with the delivery systems.

Answer 3

I wish we never had another war anywhere on this earth.

But I am a rational human being, and I understand that there are times when war will happen.

This war in Iraq could have been avoided but it was Saddam who could have stopped it, not President Bush.

You are right, the stockpiles of WMD that everyone expected to find weren't there. And I'd bet Bush was more surprised than just about anyone else.

Read Duelfers report and see just what was found, all the dual usage factories that were set up so they could be converted to WMD facilities. Or the base strains of biologicals that were hidden in scientists homes.

There is little doubt that Saddam was playing a dangerous game, and he lost.

Answer 4

The source below is the link to the Congressional Authorization for Offensive Military Operations against Iraq which was passed in 2002. The reasons for it mirror those which appeared in the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998. The second link is to that law. You will see there is precious little reference to WMDs. That issue was used at the UN to try and convince the UN Security Council to pass a new Peace Enforcement Resolution, under Chapter Seven of the UN Charter, citing Iraq's not being in compliance with previous Security Council resolutions and therefore "all necessary means" should be used to bring Iraq into compliance.
Unfortunately the "mainstream media" seem to be incapable of distinguishing between actions by the Congress and actions by the UN, preferring to blend both into one amorphous blob because their heads begin to hurt when they have to deal with difficult truths and issues.

Answer 5

Of course the war in Iraq was unneccessary unless you consider the aspect that Bush & Cheney wanted to pocket more money from Halliburton, etc. Everyone knows that, but not all will admit it and they never will. What amazes me is some of these answers. Don't these people who are talking about ridding the World of Islam and Muslims realize that our own US Constitution protects them in this country. We have and practice freedom of religion including President Bush. So are they saying we can safekeep Muslims as long as they are in the US, but they are fair game on foreign soil? That's extremely contradictory. And I'm not insulting anyone Wiz; I'm just totally confused with some of these answers. And I want to ask that one guy if we're about truth and justice, etc. then why aren't we in Darfur?

Answer 6

Ok no cookie cutter answer................
We are the country the world looks at for protection,hands down.We always defend democracy,truth justice.
When trouble comes,whom do other countries ask for help?
It aint China,It aint Britain,Spain etc.It us!
By the way,Momar Qaddafi gave up a bunch of weapons in the first week of war against terrorism.Why? and where did they come from?Syria was attacked by Israel 4 months ago because of missile armaments placed along their border som,e with Nuclear components/capabilty. By Hesbollah, where do you think these weapon originally came from?
Ill bet you have a cookie cutter answer to these questions.

Answer 7

oh... I would definitely vote for conrange.. he got straight to the point and was very informative.. I could only put my opinion into this pot that is stewing and that is we were placed on this earth to help others not put our heads into the hidey hole and ignore a cry of help from others.. and if someone harms someone I love or care for then I would want to see the other party punished.. so if we the USA need to go to war and help out other countries then that is what we will do. one more thing for the cookie cutter answerers way to go I am all for 9 out of 10 of your answers.. here is a star, keep our blood running hot

Answer 8

No all that it has accomplished is get more people to join the ranks of people who are at war against us.

They call us Hitler and we try to prove them right. We shouldnt be talking about action in Iran. We cant go to war because other nations are finally learning things that we have known how to do for 70 years We need to stop policing the World and focus on how to become less reliant on Oil and Gasoline so we can reduce the dependence we have in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern COuntries.

Net jir in 1978 we had the same foreign policy as we do today. The longer we keep Policing the World and drawing boundries for countries along lines that ignore hundreds of years of history we will continue to foster resentment . We have been giving billions in military aid to people who are corrupt dictators. I mean we gave aid to hussein and how many people did he gas and oppress .

Answer 9

I think all the real reasons have already been articulated by earlier contributors. It is a pity that both in Australian and the US, prior to the commencement of the war, instead of being carried away in some patriotic fervour we were not all more questioning of the rationale and evidence to justify the war, that our governments were not more open - interpret this as there was likely an agenda, and that the media were so captive to a political polemic and their ownership, that they failed the public totally in their duty to by failing to question, analyse and inform.

Answer 10

Yes, and I believe the US did not start this second engagement into Iraq. As it was not new to have three waring factions engaed in Civil War there. Saddam Huessin was the man we chased thru the Persian Gulf War. He had been reported to have WMD and potential for nuclear weapons. President Clinton believed. As did the then Senator Clinton as she among many authorized the use of force in Iraq under Bush.

Saddam was killing thousands of innocent Kurds. He also wiped out many of his political enemies. He was ruthless. And a threat to the United States. Clinton bombed during night time raids with many casualties. Bush declared War. You can Google these. I find it helps to have people find the research to learn it.

Necessary, yes for location. Iran & Syria are still influencing the extremists. Al Quada is now on the run moved North and out of Bahdad. We built the largest Embassy there. The Kurds have a terrorist party of their own causes unrest with Turkey. If the United States has one secure democracy in the region to work from we have a strategy we can not do without. In my opinion, therefore, necessary. Not for oil or odd reasons. Stability in a war torn region. Hope that helps. Thanks.
http://freedomagenda.com/iraq/wmd_quotes
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/iraq1.html

edit: Sarin gas I was told by a recruiter first wave our brave soldier's endured, IED's have been the #1 killer and to me makes it a WMD, inspector's were removed then came back very announced... Iran is now supplying many of the IED as this past week proved (check the TV shows) and Syria if flying into Damascus suicide bombers for missions in Iraq. They move as bedouins. As usual. Between nations and quickly. That's why if we are in the Middle, democracy has some chance.