War in Iraq, is there a point?

I'm against the war in Iraq. For many reasons. But mostly, because I honestly don't know what the war is for, what it's about. I mean, I get all sorts of rationalizations, but never any concreat motive.Can anyone explain to me what the war is about, and why is it worthwile to fight?

Regardless of what you think of the rationalizations of why we went into Iraq in 2003, Iraq is now facing an insurgency. The War in Iraq is a just a theater in the War on Terror. The terrorists know this and that is why they've gone to Iraq. What is at stake here is a free, democratic Iraq. If the terrorists lose the battle in Iraq, they've lost a huge foothold. Democracy and freedom are the bane of extremist Islamics. If people have something to live for (they can support their families, have a say in government, basic freedom), they won't go kill themselves for 72 virgins.President Bush

---

Tired of the opposite sex? Want to turn your favorite football player into a raging homsexual? Then purchase your Gay-Gene Cattle Prod! One Zap from the GGCP will turn the Gay Gene off or on at your whim. So if you want your wife to get some hot girl on girl action, the Gay-Gene Cattle Prod is for you! *not intended for use on children*

But aren't the majority of fighters in Iraq former regime members, groups vieing for power, and disgruntled citizens?Last I checked terrorists are coming into Iraq precisely because of our presense, they weren't there before. And how on earth does this effect the presence of terrorists in phillipenes, africa, and other nations were ranks are swelling?Such an action seems to be making more terrorists than eliminating them.

Say the war is over, they get a democratic govt. we pull out. All's done.What are the effects of this? How will terrorism be affected?What's to keep Iraq from being another empovrished failed state like every other country the US has attempted to "nation build". Such failed states still harbor terrorists.So, what's the point?

I think your problem might be in looking for one clear reason for a war. Have a look at some older wars, WWI for example, why did the countries go to war? Sometimes there are many answers and the full answer is a book long mix of reasons.

Well, WWI was a mess. Another dumb ass war IMHO But I understand your point, and I agree. I don't think we went to "war for oil" or that we wen't to war for "democracy", I think that's all BS. I think we are there because some people really belive this is a good thing.I don't for a second deny ecomomic intrests playing a role, but I think there is more an ideological interest driving the whole thing. So ya.... anyway....Why do we think Iraq in particular will help the terrorist sittuation?Affghanistan didn't stop it, and there are still terrorists there. Bombings and attacks still go on. I just don't see what sort of change we are effecting by being in Iraq.

quote:

---

Can anyone explain to me what the war is about, and why is it worthwile to fight?

---

I think when America first went in it was about WMDs. There were none.Now the administration focuses on installing "democracy and freedom".Which is wrong in its own right. But that is why some consider it a worthwhile fight.The reason that the whole WMD scare was given credibility was because in the 80's the Reagan administration gave Saddam Hussein biological and chemical weapons. Which he used to genocide (can I use that as a verb?) the Kurds. Tragic isn't it.Well in any right we (America) now has license to go into Iraq, drop bombs on innocent people and kill people and get innocent soldiers killed for what?To give the Iraqi's freedom and democracy?Sure Suddam was an evil man. But it seems to me more people die by trying to install democracy rather than letting the people of Iraq decide they want democracy and then we could help them achieve this.And is democracy for every nation? Should it be forced? Isn't the principle of democracy to have the people decide and not force anything.And even if the politically correct statement of "installing democracy and freedom" sounds nice, is this what the war is really about.Or is it about America's priorities, or should I say American Corporation's priorities.Donald Rumsfeld recently said this war is going to last at least 12 years.How many more dead innocent people, how many more cripples and handicapped men and woman will there be in 12 years?Howard Dean recently criticized the administration for not having a plan to pull out. He wants the troops out.I sympathize and agree with his and other statements like these.War is never right. War is never justified. Finding out the "reasons" for why we are in this war will never suffice the amount of ruined lives it causes.And that is, if this was a justified war, which it isn't.When "we went in" the insurgency was a minority, now the insurgency is the majority. And is the insurgency as evil as they say?
Yes the insurgency is wrong and evil. But mixed in the insurgency, aren't there desperate men and women whose houses got bombs dropped on them and children killed by gunfire and "extremely accurate" surgical strikes.The reasons for why there are men dying to kill Americans is not as simple as how Tal put it the 99 virgins or whatever. It's also for justice and real fredom, isn't that ironic. Because we are an occupying force that won't leave.Both sides are wrong though. There is no right.But who has the better reasons the insurgency or America?Now we see why our representative republic (not a democracy) is flawed.

I don't think the US is particularly interested in the terrorist situation. Sure it would be nice if a side effect of the war was a reduction in terrorism, but that can't be the main aim, otherwise they wouldn't have deliberately exacerbated it.PE

Why?Spain is a democratic country yet there are Basque terrorists there.Ireland is a Democratic country yet there has been a long history of terrorism there.The US is a democratic country yet there is a long history of terrorism there.Is there any reason to think there is any link between democracy and a lack of terrorism? Why?The funding for 9-11 did not come from Iraq. The people involved in 9-11 did not come from Iraq. The training for 9-11 was gained in Wales, and Spain, and Phoenix and Orlando, and London. The planning took place in France and the US and England and Germany and Indonesia and Canada.There is nothing in the quote you provided that seems related to reality.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

It wasn't do do with terrorism.It wasn't to do with WMD'sIt wasn't to do with Sadamm Husseun's tyrannical ways.IMHO the most likely explanation it was to do with the fact that the situation with Iraq was a mess even before the invasion. The oil-for-food program was being abused, problems within Iraq were being blamed on the sanctions and the weapons inspectors were meeting delays and obfuscation. It had an air of "unfinished business", too. The chance of oil money may have been a consideration but I don't think it was the primary reason.

I work at Safeway as a checker. We have a security guard, a nice man from Sudan by the name of Tariq. He is a good soul, and he is honest and personable. One day he told me a story about his cousin. It seems that his cousin once worked as an interpreter for the u.S. Marines. The stories that this man had were incredible. He spoke of times when, on patrol, the marines would see a young man stick his head around a corner (Just a youth...a local) and the Marines would blow up the entire building without further verification or question. Think about how you or I would feel if our brother were killed. Imagine for a moment that 50% of Iraq is under the age of 20. Think about the indoctorination and mindset that this terrible war is putting into the minds and hearts of the young people.
Forget radical Islam ideology. The poison that is changing the hearts of the young people of the Mid East is the terrible War that everyone knows is primarily all about Capitalist greed.Tariq does not hate Americans, but he says that his cousin will never again help the Marines...even if asked.This is just one story so I am not making a generalization. I am sure that many such as Tal are honestly doing what they believe to be right.There are probably many "evil" people on the other side as well.War is a consequence of human deification. When we ignore God, we raise up and kill one another.

Public figures differ on this. Some say there aren't that many foreign fighters, some say they compromise the majority.The figures I have read that are not publicaly available say the majority of fighters are foriegn. If you ask an Iraqi living in Iraq, as I have, he will tell you they are all foreigners.Here's how the insurgency happened: It was started by Ambassador Bremer when he disbanded the Iraqi Army. His intent was to get rid of all things Bathist, much like Germany in WWII only they got rid of everything Nazi. The problem is that the regular army held no love for Saddam. They were looked up to by average Joe Iraqi. So Bremer said, "Ok, you no longer have a job, and don't bother applying for any of the new ones if you were a Bathist."This created the the pool of bodies that foreigners came in to recruit and exploit. What is the insurgency now?Let me quote General Casey: We have SF teams in all those placed. It made more insurgents (who are terrorists) for sure, but see the quote by General Casey above. If the regular Iraqi Army wouldn't have been disbanded, the insurgency would not have had any support.

---

Tired of the opposite sex? Want to turn your favorite football player into a raging homsexual? Then purchase your Gay-Gene Cattle Prod! One Zap from the GGCP will turn the Gay Gene off or on at your whim. So if you want your wife to get some hot girl on girl action, the Gay-Gene Cattle Prod is for you! *not intended for use on children*

Freedom. Last I checked Germany and Japan were doing ok. We don't want Iraq to be like Iran. We want Iraq to be like Jordon. If the constitution passes Iraq will far surpass Jordan. Let's look at why: Let's look at Article 12 in Chapter 2. Article 13 F If this Iraq takes off, the citizens of middle east will see what the citizens of Iraq enjoy and will want that too. That's why hardline Iranians and Syrians send people to fight in Iraq.

---

Tired of the opposite sex? Want to turn your favorite football player into a raging homsexual? Then purchase your Gay-Gene Cattle Prod! One Zap from the GGCP will turn the Gay Gene off or on at your whim. So if you want your wife to get some hot girl on girl action, the Gay-Gene Cattle Prod is for you! *not intended for use on children*

The war was about OIL, nothing more, nothing less.

Say Saddam is in back in power. How do you propose to accomplish your last sentence? Wrong. The insurgency isn't the majority. It is very, very much the minority. Less than 0.001% of the population of Iraq, and most of them aren't Iraqis. Then why are they killing Iraqis?

---

Tired of the opposite sex? Want to turn your favorite football player into a raging homsexual? Then purchase your Gay-Gene Cattle Prod! One Zap from the GGCP will turn the Gay Gene off or on at your whim. So if you want your wife to get some hot girl on girl action, the Gay-Gene Cattle Prod is for you! *not intended for use on children*