Why invade Iraq?

[macnpat]

Many of you think that we only invaded Iraq due to our suspicion of Saddams continued development of WMD's. Then when none were found, Bush expediently said we invaded to liberate the Iraqis. In other words, Bush had no intentions of going in to do the Iraqi people any favors.

But, here is a quote from his remarks to the U.N. General Assembly about his request for the U.N. to back an invasion, before the U.S. invaded.

The United States has no quarrel with the Iraqi people; they've suffered too long in silent captivity. Liberty for the Iraqi people is a great moral cause, and a great strategic goal. The people of Iraq deserve it; the security of all nations requires it. Free societies do not intimidate through cruelty and conquest, and open societies do not threaten the world with mass murder. The United States supports political and economic liberty in a unified Iraq.

No one who truly seeks the "truth" for its own sake can say with a clear conscience, having read this, that Bush changed his reasons for invading Iraq when no WMD's were found.

[Dieval]

As I said in another thread -

Originally posted by Dieval,

Look, it was called "Operation IRAQI FREEDOM" not "Operation REMOVE WMD's FROM SADDAM".....it was not an after thought, it just wasn't pushed as hard as the other reason.

[OberonDOtherseid]

If he said that to the UN, obviously it was before they found no WMDs. It was his first pitch boys. I think Dieval is right on this one.

[Gorgo]

Doesn't matter what he said. All you need to know is that to attack another country is a violation of international law. The Constitution makes treaties law of the land. The UN Charter is the law of the land. The UN Charter says that there is only one way that this would have been a legal attack. To remove an imminent threat. Shooting down a plane or bombing a missile site that was about to send a missile to the U.S. That sort of thing.

To attack Iraq was a violation of U.S. law and international law.
Your other details are irrelevant. If there was an imminent threat, international law allows the shooting down of that plane, and no more. Where was the imminent threat? Didn't exist. Everyone who was paying attention knew that before the first shot was fired. Spies on the ground, planes in the air, inspectors on the ground, sattelite photos.

All of this spells crime against humanity.

Why do you continue to support these criminals?

[Dieval]

Originally posted by Gorgo,
Shooting down a plane

Apparently you didn't watch the news much, pre-war.
Our planes were shot at on a DAILY BASIS.

[Zeebadee]

Originally posted by Dieval,+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Dieval,)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-Gorgo,
Shooting down a plane

Apparently you didn&#39;t watch the news much, pre-war.
Our planes were shot at on a DAILY BASIS.[/b][/quote]

Please provide some evidence of the "daily basis" claim. In any case, "Iraqi gunners have been unable to down a single U.S. or British manned aircraft since separate no-fly zones were created in Iraq in 1992." (http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...l/iraq/1817943)

In addition, such activity hardly qualifies as an "imminent threat" to the U.S. that would justify an invasion.


Edited for typo.

[Gorgo]

Because those planes were illegally invading another country. They were never shot. They were shot at. By defense systems. Are you saying that a country should not have defense systems in such a hostile territory with hostile neighbors who are all allowed to have weapons of mass destruction?

[rhod01]

"Free societies do not intimidate through cruelty and conquest"

I see some hypocracy here. Bush used conquesest, not peaceful means, to persue WMD disarmenant.

[Dieval]

Why do I even bother?



Press Conference on Iraq Air Strikes

Q: There&#39;s a real important trend that has been going on here. Can you describe the trend of their increasing ability to go after American aircraft? Have there been more missiles fired in January, for example, than there had been in the months before?

Gen. Newbold: It&#39;s a good question. Yes, is the answer to both of those, in January and up to this point in time in February, frequency, meaning how many systems fired - a broad arrange of systems - and on a daily basis how many times they&#39;ve fired. And, of course, they were getting closer and closer to our aircraft.

Bush: We&#39;ll Bomb Iraq Again if Necessary

U.S. and coalition fighter aircraft police the no-fly zones on an almost daily basis and are frequently targeted by Iraqi artillery and missiles, which in turn draws U.S. attacks. No aircraft have been lost in such incidents.

Tornado squadron&#39;s first bombs destroy Iraqi air defence site

Since their arrival, pilots have reported coming under almost daily attack from Iraqi anti-aircraft fire

www.globalsecurity.org

FOLLOWING THE AIR STRIKES, THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT BEGAN TO CHALLENGE MORE AGGRESSIVELY WESTERN PATROLS IN THE "NO-FLY" ZONES OVER NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN IRAQ. SINCE THEN, CLASHES HAVE OCCURRED ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS BETWEEN WESTERN PLANES AND IRAQI DEFENSES..

United States weighs strikes against Iraq

In the latest incidents, Iraqi forces have intensified their challenge, lighting up radars to shoot down patrol aircraft on nearly a daily basis.

[Rainbow]

Originally posted by macnpat,
Many of you think that we only invaded Iraq due to our suspicion of Saddams continued development of WMD&#39;s

No, I never took WMD under consideration as the real reason.
(It was a set up, as what politics is all about. Saddam gambled, swallowed that bait and lost).

The main reasons for entering Iraq :
- revive U.S. economy (oil and marketting)
- U.S. military and intelligence presence in Middle-East region
- "Made in Iraq" (as the potential and final outcome)

The story about WMD, "freedom", "democracy", ect. is good for kids, and only.

[macnpat]

Originally posted by Rainbow,


The main reasons for entering Iraq :
- revive U.S. economy (oil and marketting)

Look up how much oil we use from Iraq and then look up South America and Canada. or remain fucking stupid.

- U.S. military and intelligence presence in Middle-East region

We got intelligence in the middle east every surrounding Nation of Iraq gathers intelligence from Iraq and advised Bush, remember?

- "Made in Iraq" (as the potential and final outcome)

Can you be more economically specific or are you grasping straws in the dark?

The story about WMD, "freedom", "democracy", ect. is good for kids, and only.

You are the most igorant poster I&#39;ve ever read.

[Mia]

I don&#39;t understand the title to this thread. Why do something long over and done with? It&#39;s an illogical question.