Question about the war for everyone

[snaggletooth75]

If people dont think this war is one we should be fighting WHY do you guys think we are over there? Seriously, I would love to hear your opinion. I actually love reading what people have to say!
DO you think its for money? For oil? Cause Bush made a dumb decision? DO you think bush was misinformed on purpose?

[sunnie2004]

All of the above & 1 more originally to "save " the people from their horrible ruler. Now they cant walk away .

[saxon]

I think there are many reasons why we are there. And I say this as the wife of an Air Force man just picked for a 1-year TDY. I disagree with the whole war effort.

IMO there are about five reasons Bush decided to place us over there. 1) He wanted to settle a score for his father and Hussein was a problem internationally 2) Oil was a big issue that would ensure a rally of support from the US 3) 9/11 gave him the ability and the momentum needed to pass legislation for an invasion (he played on America's fears) 4) We like to play watch-dog of the world 5) He gambled that a war-time economy would be helpful to the US instead of hurtful - 50/50 chance on that one and he gambled wrongly.

I think that most people would agree that there were horrendous things done while Hussein was in power, and all of them against our own moral code. However, I think what people forget is that not every nation can be a democracy - it just doesn't work. I wish sometimes we could step back and remember that it is the differences in all of us that make the world work.

[Chreamps]

Can I say a combination of all the above?

I agreed going into Afghanistan was the right thing to do. Iraq - no. I'm just very suspicious of this administration's motives; secret meetings (especially Cheney with all the heads of the oil companies - no disclosure of the purpose - other than energy discussions); Saddam Hussein was bad, yes, but not the worst dictator in the world but his country had oil - why not North Korea, etc. if your goal was to spread democracy - not that that would be right either; Haliburton and all it's subsidiaries, Black Water (this outfit is scary to me, too) - no bid contracts. A lot of companies have made huge profits off this war, Cheney's stock in Haliburton has increased 2000% or more. Greed? IMHO, yes.

For me, no one wins in war.

ETA: Can't forget that countries were starting to use the Euro to trade for oil that was always based on the American Dollar; thereby devaluing the American dollar.

[Scorpiosue1102]

Originally Posted by saxon

I think there are many reasons why we are there. And I say this as the wife of an Air Force man just picked for a 1-year TDY. I disagree with the whole war effort.

IMO there are about five reasons Bush decided to place us over there. 1) He wanted to settle a score for his father and Hussein was a problem internationally 2) Oil was a big issue that would ensure a rally of support from the US 3) 9/11 gave him the ability and the momentum needed to pass legislation for an invasion (he played on America's fears) 4) We like to play watch-dog of the world 5) He gambled that a war-time economy would be helpful to the US instead of hurtful - 50/50 chance on that one and he gambled wrongly.

I think that most people would agree that there were horrendous things done while Hussein was in power, and all of them against our own moral code. However, I think what people forget is that not every nation can be a democracy - it just doesn't work. I wish sometimes we could step back and remember that it is the differences in all of us that make the world work.

Saxon...good positive thoughts for your husband and I agree with everything that Saxon said.

[kjbstevens]

Well he was breaking UN sanctions and everyone else in the world for how many years? No amount of sanctions or anything was going to do anything for him. A person that has their own people murdered or gassed is not someone who you need much other reason to go against especially if he really did get some type of intelligence about weapons or anything. He was parading around in his wealth while his people died. I do believe that played a big part in why we went in. Keeping terrorists and people that don't like us from the oil supplies I believe played a big part also. The fact he tried to kill his dad probably didn't help either. If we were being lined up and murdered by our gov't would you want someone to save us from a regime like that? No matter what the reason to go in was, it is humanitarian reasons now.

[[michele]]

(I really, really wish Bush (#41) would have taken care of Saddam the first time around. I truly feel he let the Iraqi people down. )

I think Saxon is spot-on. And my belief is now that Oil is the primary reason. How many regimes, how many atrocities - Darfur, Rwanda, Uganda - has the U.S. basically ignored?

Michele

[Microferk ~ Miki Ferkul]

Originally Posted by kjbstevens

If we were being lined up and murdered by our gov't would you want someone to save us from a regime like that? No matter what the reason to go in was, it is humanitarian reasons now.

Why are we not helping the women, children (and men) that are victims of ethnic cleansing in Darfur then? I can't think their lives are less valuable- or horrific under the attacks of the janjaweed employed by their government.

[kjbstevens]

Originally Posted by [michele]

(I really, really wish Bush (#41) would have taken care of Saddam the first time around. I truly feel he let the Iraqi people down. )

I think Saxon is spot-on. And my belief is now that Oil is the primary reason. How many regimes, how many atrocities - Darfur, Rwanda, Uganda - has the U.S. basically ignored?

And how many other countries have ignored it also? After the flack of going into Iraq basically ourselves I wouldn't be the first to volunteer to go do it alone again. I think the backlash with that will hurt some other countries for a long time coming and we will do much less humanitarian things. Even if it wasn't the primary reason for some it is still big a reason we were there was to bring freedom to them.

I agree though that the first Bush did let them down especially after the Kurds all got massacred for false promises from the us. I really deep down hope that is part of the reason for going back is to make things right for them the best they could. Doubtfull it is the reason, but I hope it played into it.

[Scorpiosue1102]

Funny thing is that Kurdistan in Iraq is the most stable region and has barely had to have a US presence there for a long time.

We cannot be the savior's of the world when we still have areas in the Gulf coast not rebuilt after Katrina.