Whenever I ask this question I get some really unhelpful answers, mainly opinions or why people hate Bush.\n\nAll I need to know is /why/ the war started. Weapons of mass destruction? Freedom for Iraq? When people tell me that it's like they're speaking another language. I really need someone to elaborate...\n\nThanks in advanced,\nAnna
201209
Depending on who you listen to, there are several reasons. I shall attempt to run them down & provide a brief explanation of each, and state my own opinion at the end.\n\n1. Oil. The US needs a source of oil, so we invaded Iraq to get it.\n2. Big Business - The US needed a way to boost the profit lines of big business, and war is the best way to do it.\n3. Freedom - We needed to free the Iraqi's from Saddam's thumb.\n4. WMD's - Saddam had WMD's, he refused to let the UN make inspections, and it's too risky to let Saddam have WMD's.\n5. New Base Location - Iraq makes a great place to project power from in terms of the US military, it is adjacent to the Gulf, and provides ways to reinforce Turkey, as well as keep Iran in check.\n6. Violation of Gulf War cease-fire agreement - Iraq violated the cease-fire agreement of the 1st gulf war, so this war is simply a conclusion of the last war.\n7. Bush's daddy - Saddam tried to kill Bush Sr., so Bush Jr is seeking revenge.\n8. Terrorism - Saddam was conspiring with Osama, so the US had to intervene.\n\nAnd my opinion:\nBush Jr. was obsessed with Iraq, and decided long ago that he was going to end Saddam's rule. He found a reason, Saddam didn't back down, and now we're in Iraq.\n\nHope this helps as a general overview.
209319
we have an idiot in our white house that has no clue what he's doing. None of his "plan" is justifiable. Its a war for oil, not peace. A power hungry village idiot (Somewhere In Texas a Village is Missing It's Idiot, best bumper sticker i've seen about this cause) came up with the brilliant plan that we could dispose of WOMD in iraq. Which basically brings us to good and them to not. It was pointless from the point that we found no WOMD. Anyway, it proved to be damn near impossible so we turned it into a reformation mission. We tried to reform the government yadda yadda yadda. Well we went over there to find WOMD. We didnt. We found a guy in a hole. Big woo. So now there is absolutely no reason for us to be in iraq. We accomplished all the things bush set out in the beginning. Now its just ridiculous. We're over there fighting for some retarded cause that a texan oil junkie idiot decided we absolutely needed to work for. Jay Leno put it right when he said "We are now down to the final 4. I'm not talking about basketball, i'm talking about how many people still think george bush is doing a good job."
90931
Okay. In my opinion he was all bark and no bite. I don't believe there were any weapons of mass destruction to begin with. He didn't know how to deal with the U.S. or U.N. so therefore he threatened and tried to scare people. I don't think he really scared the U.S. I think Bush was looking for a reason to go in there to get ahold of the oil and to get back at him for threatening George Bush Sr. If you are a teenager are you going to go fight a first grader? That's what's happened. The first grader (Saddam) stuck his tongue out at the teenager (George Bush) and the teenager is a bully because the first grader has something that he wants so he's going to use the excuse that the first grader stuck his tongue out at him to get what he wants. So my friend, I can't say anything good about Saddam because I don't know him personally and the news isn't going to say anything good about him, but I can't say anything bad about him either because there is no proof of him doing anything wrong. I hopes this helps.
171231
Bush's big picture? Well you should check out prisonplanet.com quite the eye opening experience. Some people might say it's conspiracy theory, but some of it just seems to fall into place. If none of that is true, just look at what he has done with foreign policy. He's isolated the U.S. not many countries are very happy with us right now. I've had friends who have traveled abroad that have to say they're from Canada just to not get yelled at and ridiculed. Pro Bush people (I live with one) believe that he is doing a great job, that the war in Iraq was justified to remove Saddam (who had nothing to do with 911 and no wmds.) So now we sit here with an ongoing war that was declared over by bush with rising fuel prices due to his provoking of foreign nations as well as creating instability in the region we import our oil from. Now venezuela bolivia and cuba have cut trade with the U.S. because of all of them dislike of bush, and his policies. The big picture is to create a world government (democracy) and have everyone live free while big business rakes in the cash. My thought is live and let live. I know that there are countries that opress and ones that don't but you would think that in todays da and age we could use diplomacy to settle disputes instead of threatening them with bombs. We are so set in the past of Vietnam, WWI, WWII, that we for some reason think that the world owes us something when they don't owe us crap. Yes our troops faught and died for other countries, but so did their citizens. We were at one time united against a common enemy, and yes there is a common enemy of terrorism, but bush distorted that idea and crusaded around saying we needed to rid the world of people like North Korea, Iran, Iraq, it was just so easy for him to gain support by blaming it all for 911. Ok so I'm rambling, but I hope that might give you some idea. The big picture isn't for everyone.
626465
I have an idea. Why don't you think of a REAL question. This makes you look verry unintelligent. Like a board child who wants to participate in the grown-up's conversation, but dosn't have enough knowledge to do so. Think of all the reasons why you hate Bush, and instead of just calling him names, pick one of those reasons and ask a question about it.
267828
how's this???? i got offered extra credit if i would go protest the war in iraq.\n\nyes, i have heard bush called every name under the sun in my classes. bush is like hitler. we lost the war. we are lead by a facist regime, and on and on and on. i'm used to it. but i honestly wonder if the previous generation realizes how slanted it is. that we are being "educated" by political activists disguised as teachers.\n\ni even heard once a comparison between the nazis and the confederate army(during the civil war).\n\nfreakin lawyers\n\nanyway...yep i agree with you. hang in their friend. your not alone
575804
Yes, y not?  Bush is trying to rid a country of murderous assholes.  Hes doing the right thing.  and all the people that say the war is bad and all that, just talk to someone in the military that has been over there.  they will all tell you how proud they were to be over there, to see the faces of the people they have helped and to have so many people coming up to them and thanking them, so just shut up about the war.
432528
To shelly and the one who posted just before (Or is it after?) her (The one who posted no name)... I don't see information here from you. I see the talking points of the left. \n\nFirstly, the Iraqi war is not illegal. It was fully supported by numerous resolutions including res. 1441. In addition, NO country should need to ask the corrupt United Nations to defend itself from a maniacle dictator, nor to free 25,000,000 people from a dictator's grasp. \n\nSecondly, NO ONE in this country, either in the administration or in the armed services of this nation support torture. There is quite a difference between that and strong interrogation techniques.\n\nThirdly, anonymous, I resent your statement about people of conscience not fighting in Iraq. I, sir, have family in Iraq, in addition to over 140,000 young men and women who have volunteered to serve this country in its time of need. You dishonor them with your words, and I think you owe an appology.\n\nShelly,\nI know that Bush is not a great orrator. No one denies that. However, considering that he graduated with two degrees, one from Harvard, and one from Yale, I find it a bit unfounded for you to call his intelligence into question, ESPECIALLY considering that he graduated with slightly BETTER grades than 2004 challenger, demoncrat John Kerry.\n\nIn addition, it is the leaders of the left in this country who have demeaned our troops from the beginning. \n\nJohn Murtha, without waiting for investigations to be complete and without giving our men and women in uniform the benifit of a trial accused them of, "murdering innocent civilians in cold blood."\n\nJohn Kerry has accused our men and women in uniform of "sneaking into homes in the dead of night and terrorizing women and children..."\n\nCharlie Rangle, the would-be speaker of the house weighs and means commitee has vowed to cut off funding for our troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.\n\nI have more examples, but for now, I'll let you chew on those.\n\nNow, let me get back to the question at hand. To me, it does not matter one bit whether it was a botched joke or not. The fact is it came out as an insult to our men and women in uniform. And instead of doing what he SHOULD have done and appologizing for the offense it caused our troops, John Kerry came out and ARROGENTLY said that he appologizes to NO ONE. Then he went back to the tried and tired democratic talking points saying that, "Bush should appologize" to our troops... Talk about a childish remark.\n\nEdit: Grist,\nIf the left is supposedly in support of our troops, why have they worked to undermine this war effort from day one? Why do the left-wing leaders in congress criticize them, accuse them, without benifit of trial or even an investigation? \n\nMark,\nJohn Kerry has worked to undermine the military from thirty years ago. \n\nDon't forget, this is, again the guy who accused our men and women in uniform of sneaking into homes in the dead of night and terrorizing women and children. This is the guy who, while criticizing the president for not putting forth enough funding has said, "I voted for the eighty seven billion... Before I voted against it..."
500714
Why do people think Bush is fighting for peace?\n\nThink about it. How can starting a war and killing over half a million people bring peace? You can't force peace with a machine gun.\n\nHow do people think democracy can work in a country divided by religious belief and under local control of armed warlords?\n\nIf your village is under the control of an armed militia, your democratic election vote is simple. Vote for the warlord running your community or be murdered along with your family.\n\nBush hasn't only ruined Iraq, Afghanistan and helped ruin Lebanon. He's also ruined world peace. Most of all he's ruined America's image, economy, military & security (perhaps Posse Comitatus, Bill of Rights & the rest of the Constitution too?)\n\nUPDATE - When you read comments like those from 'peaches' confusing Iraq with the people that carried out 9/11 & 7/7 and assuming every Iraqi death is that of a terrorist, you just feel scared. No Iraqi's danced on 9/11 - it was the Palestinians and the footage is disputed and thought to be propaganda. Some claim it's old footage & as the video of the celebrations was shot in bright sunlight but Palestine is 8 hours ahead of NY and was actually dark at the time, it must be fake.
237469
Iraq isn't the only thing to BASH BUSH about.  Same-sex marriage, immigration, the economy, the list is long and involved.\n\nWeapons of mass destruction?  There was flawed intelligence, but if you think Bush went into Iraq for any reason other than oil, you are mistaken.
676009
Thank you so much!!!! I don't get it either, they still seem to put all of their efforts on being the anti-Bush party. NEWS FLASH: He's not even going to be on the ballot. We are supposed to be a United Nation, yet they seem focused only on dividing. Bush is only human, he got faulty information, he did what he did to protect us, how can anyone not see a connection in Osama and Saddam, also just because we did not publicly announce finding wmds does not mean they weren't there. Thanks to our lovely liberal media, all plans of invasion are broadcast all ove the planet so how hard would it be to move these things. Thank you once agains for your question. I see no proof either. \n\nUNITED we stand, divided we fall.
644144
Bush wants an open ended war. He enjoys pushing people around because he's the "war president".\n\nHe's in the middle of a giant quagmire with no goals set.
90822
The war was based on a lie.  So we got rid of Saddam.  Does this mean we have to overthrow every other dictator who abuses his own people too?  I think not.  There are some angry, angry people here who, like their Republican leaders, hate to hear the truth.  Listen to the bonehead who thinks all liberals should be shot and be afraid.  This is the kind of person who avidly supports the brain-dead George Bush and all he stands for.  Given the chance, these nuts will destroy our country.  God help us.
461627
Winki Pinki must be at that time of the month so just ignore her. Anyway, to answer your question, war is much needed sometimes but when in comes to the war in Iraq, I tooootally agree with you. They have no inclination of whats going on in the world, look at Rummy how he said France and Germany reminds him of "Old Europe", what a jerk to say suh a thing like that. They are our allies for God sake and not our bitch whores. They have a right to an opinion. This administration has no morals and rides the wave of shoving freedom down everyones throats. Thats why the world has indigestion now and its time to throw out the Necon clan from America.
652476
When I read so much hate and disrespect for freedom in some of these answers To all you chest thumpers shouting bravado about all things american.Ask youselves this.Before the liberation of iraq, why did the usa bribe,bully barter and beg to get allies for thier invasion.Not to mention a lot of lying politicians
450785
Before Bush invaded more Americans opposed the war than supported it.\n\nNearly everyone on the planet opposed the war.\n\nMost military people opposed it.\n\nPowell opposed it.\n\nPolitician were, unfortunately, getting their news from the stenographers of the press, who reported lies as truth, and felt they'd be attacked as terrorists if they opposed the war, so they didn't.\n\nEvery HUMAN opposed the war. We still do.\n\nWe've been joined by the ranks of the deluded, who have switched to opposing the war. Too bad they hadn't a clue when it really mattered.\n\nSorry, I don't have a list or link to a list. The Bush administration squelched opposition to their loathsome war.\n\nYou could paw around the archives of Informed Comment, Juan Cole's blog.\nhttp://www.juancole.com/
612587
i strongly disagree with the war. We went there in search of "weapons of mass destruction". We found none. We toppled the government and killed many of there so called insurgence and terrorists. They are not terrorists. In actuality, if a country invaded the U.S. for no reason, beat our military and toppled our government, many of us would take the the streets with our weapons to form and insurgency. I would be the first to get out my guns and fight against the invading country. Would you join me in the fight? Well those people over there in Iraq are doing what we would do. And our soldiers are just taking orders from a corrupt Bush administration. \nI could go on for days and enlighten you all, but many want to remain either ignorant or in denial.