Invasion of Iraq - opportunity, not a goal

Submitted by Boris (United States), Sep 13, 2005 at 17:57

I don't think getting rid of Saddam and liberating people by invading Iraq is a goal of this war. I also don't believe the real goal is controlling oil or other cynical or pragmatic reasons. The fact the invasion is a direct result of 9/11 makes me believe the objectives are very simple:

1. Create a foreign-based battlefield for fighting terrorists. The fact of terrorists acting in Iraq in larger numbers than before indicates to me not a consequence but a direct intent of this campain - to attract as many terrorists as possible in one place to make fight more efficient and far from civilized places.

2. Send clear message to the Middle East that the western world will not tolerate another event of 9/11 magnitude or even smaller. Invasion also demonstrated that the US can and will use all their forces to fight the war, including ground forces. Many people in the region had doubts about the latter.

3. Why Iraq as a playground for number 1 and 2? Because there was a legal and practical opportunity. Legal, because Saddam was in violation of international laws to his eye balls. Practical, because Iraq is located just in the middle of the troubled region, very convenient for building military bases with maximum geographical coverage necessary.

Is it fair to peaceful Iraqi people to place them in the middle of this mess? Absolutely unfair! Was it necessary? Absolutely necessary! This is a global war, for G-d sake, you cannot rationalize events which are irrational from the start. If you think you can clean your house and not get your hands dirty, good luck. If you think you can protect american people by making friends with the rest of the world - more good luck!

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