Is this the real reson we are at war?
114774
Anyone who believes OIL had nothing to do with the Bush Decision is living in a fantasy world.\n\nOn the other hand the author of the second article ,Amir Butler,e xecutive director of the Australian Muslim Public Affairs Committee (AMPAC), obviously didn't realise how unsuccessful  we would be as shown by the quote below, Cetainly $36 billion for exxon is not a short term reduction.\n\n"An American-backed junta in Iraq would also enable the US to smash OPEC's hold over oil prices. The US or its client regime could increase Iraqi oil production to levels well beyond OPEC quotas, driving prices\ndown worldwide and weakening the economies of the oil producing nations,thus lessening their likelihood of abandoning the dollar. It would have the short term effect of reducing the profits of domestic oil companies, but the long term effect of securing America's economic hegemony."\n\nHe continues on "The frequently offered canard of the Left that this war is being fought to secure oil revenues for American oil companies may have some truth to\nit. However, a more plausible explanation may be that the Bush administration is waging war to protect the dollar and smash the OPEC hold over international oil prices. It's a war whose purpose is bigger than Halliburton or Exxon: it's a war being fought to maintain America's\nposition in the world.\n\nIn hindsight it certainly looks like exxon and Halliburton to me as America's position in the world has only taken a beating
746245
The true terrorists are our very own government.  Iraq had nothing to do with this war, if anyone would take the time to think about it.
865346
And it appears as if they found people just like Saddam to run things. I sent this link to my senators and congressmen/women as well as my state house leaders. I asked them if they were aware of this and if so, how we could allow this to stand. Unacceptable.\n\nAnd yes, I think it is past time to commit to this war, no matter if it was right or wrong to start, we are in it now, get it over with. Win it. Given our technology, hardware and numbers, the only thing we are lacking at the moment is balls.
1155700
Sometimes the government tells you what you want to hear. I don't even believe we (USA) are at war anymore but in occupation.
1001061
Yes because until we do we will be trying to win this war by force and we should have learned by now that WE ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DO SO. No one has beaten the arabs and yrs they are VERY VERY strong and VERY well organised.\nIt's our own arrogance that will keep us fighting and dying. For what????????????An Ideal that can never be reality given that countrys political background\n We always think our way is best.\n\nThe idea that by negotiating with them we are helping them or harming ourselves is utter nonsense and and irrational.\nIts in our INTERESTS to negotiate with them Sum ppl just can't see that. What do they think will happen if we do?? More bombings?? NO!!! It will create LESS danger for us and more calm in Iraq  if we give to them LESS reason to fight.\nAnyone who says we should'nt negotiate can't have thought past the whole knee jerk reaction from this. We arent harming ourselves by negotiating. We aren't and I challenge anyone to try and prove how if they think we are.\nDid pride ever get results and end wars? No pride carries them on and yes one might say without pride we would never win anything BUT  our pride is rooted in crushing them and destroying them which, as I have already pointed out, is not the only way of getting what we want out of this. \nWhat do we want? Most ppl don't know and I suspect that is why they can't see that non-negotiation is the equivalent of refusing to be resonable and puts the US and Iraq in more danger.\nTerrorists dont want bad things, they just go about in mercenary ways to get them and they will continue to do so, are we so unbelievably arrogant and self decieved to think we can beat them in their own territory? If it was on US soil maybe we could but not over there. We have an oppoutunity to improve the situation but we seem to want it ALL your own way so carry on trying to crush them. Well as I have said before the US army and terrorists in Iraq are probably two equal forces and so will be fighting for YEARS unless we face up to the reality of the situation.
551105
HOW IGNORANT CAN YOU GET?????\n\nMY Answer To You Is In This Picture\n\nhttp://michellemalkin.com/archives/004869.htm\n\nAs Far As IM Concerned - War Has Been Declared\n\nAgainst ME And My Family\nAgainst My FLAG\nAgainst My NATION And ALL IT STANDS FOR
230727
Fisrt of all this is not "our" war, it is an invasion of Bush. I doubt if anyone would support it noneless an entire population!!
424634
Some people believe we are already involved in World War III.  It is known as "the war on terror".  I believe this is a sort of World War.  Believe that or not, if it gets much bigger, it definately will be World War III.
1030353
DUCK, man, DUCK!!!!! boy are you in for it. You should know by now you can't talk sense here.\n\nTry saying that when we declared war on terror, it meant we are never gonna stop,\n\nor that the government uses the war on drugs to invade our private lives,\n\nYou are so brave:)
802280
we sure are....our country is divided as a whole....i wonder if this just a different type of civil war.....will we find common ground....i honestly dont know....reps and dems right now simply hate each other and it has unfortunately become a tit for tat struggle instead of focussing on what matters....our country...the American people are tired that is for sure and it is just a matter of time what unfolds
252026
I fear we are on the verge of a war like none we have ever seen before. All the modern wars of the world combined into one gigantic battle is on the horizon. Nations are going to rise up against other nations who, at one point, were their allies. And within nations, groups are going to rise against other groups in unparalleled civil war. Allies will rise up to assist, only to turn on their comrades.
74399
I agree with you.  It is a proxy war
733398
I agree 100% with you on this one!!!! There are 20,000 troops in that region, and I have several friends with whom I served with in the past in that region. From e-mail contacts my friends are saying that everything is "hush-hush"!!!! It is the media that has the "lose lips" with bogus reporting, and to win this war against terror most battles need to be kept in the dark!!!
491731
I hear your comment, but not even the 3000 thousand that died in the towers equals the deaths from the American military. No death is valid as far as I am concerned. I really believe that America doesn't have the real story. An attack is a valid reason to sign a "Declaration of War," but the Bush Administration doesn't have one. I am concerned about this, as to it doesn't make any sense. Going into Iraq was unwarranted, and once again no "Declaration of War" was signed. This makes America appear to be just as much of a terrorist nation as the attackers. It's not proper etiquette to our Democracy and policies. The Republicans don't believe in Democracy, it is a Republic type of Government that America is being ruled by at the present. I don't agree with these types of policies and the rest of the World is also appalled by the Bush Administrations actions. All of this could lead to a larger Global War I am afraid. I say voting the Republicans out of office in November is Americas only choice at this point. I don't want to die for a small group of red-necks that stir up problems, and wont play a part in the military. My personal feelings that's all.
719424
You are a fine American!!!\nThis war would have been over long ago, if the frigging' Liberals would let us fight it. Our guys have to be afraid every second, not to stay alive but to not make a mistake. How in the hell can you fight a war and be careful. Gen. Murtha has said over and over we are losing. Well if we are it's because of his mouth. And the journalists have to be protected while they are embedded and causes my son and others the utmost danger.
472915
Yes, it's a war.  You really want to know how and why it began?  Okay, here's a history lesson:\n Many people say it was President Bush who started this war, or that he's continuing his father's work. What started Desert Storm? Iraq invaded Kuwait, a U.S. ally. Kuwait in turn begged the UN for some help in eradicating the threat. The U.S. answered the call. When we pulled out, it was under the condition that Hussein would submit to occasional inspections to be sure that he did not have nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons capabilities. For a little over a decade, we were officially at a stasis. Unofficially though, we were firing on Iraq the whole time. Most of it was retaliation, for Iraqi approved attacks on Americans, or for the mass genocide we were well aware of. Some of it was to rid Iraq of Hussein, for both horrific acts. \nThen September 11th happened, and our policy had to change. The CIA (and other InterPol agencies that I can't recall right now) began receiving intelligence reports of suspicious activity in the Middle East, namely in Iraq. As a result, Hussein was warned that the UN needed to inspect for WMD's. He refused to let them in, and he threatened to retaliate if they tried. Before I continue, why would he do that? Think about it. Moving on. President Bush gave Hussein an ultimatum: "Let them in, or we attack!" Hussein said, yeah right, believe it when I see it. President Bush said, okay, if that's the way you want it...and he went to Congress and asked for their approval to attack Iraq. Once Congress was given the evidence, they voted with an overwhelming majority to go ahead with the attack. Then Bush went to the UN, and asked for their unity in order to rid the world of what was deemed a huge threat. Of course, they refused, all except Great Britain.\nSix weeks after the first inspection was refused, we attacked. SIX WEEKS. If Saddam had something to hide, is six weeks long enough to do so?\nGoing back just a little. The attack on Iraq had already been approved by the Clinton administration. Let me repeat that: ALREADY APPROVED, before Bush. President Bush asking Congress for approval on something they had already passed was only a formality, which he did not have to do.\nOkay, so what's the current situation in Iraq? No one knows, except those that are there. Again, NO ONE KNOWS!  I am a military spouse, so we have friends that are there now, and who have already served in the past couple of years. Some say it's awful, others say we're doing good. How do the Iraqis feel? Well, how many voted in their election? Their first REAL election in over twenty years. If the Iraqis were truly against us, wouldn't they be attacking U.S. soldiers? Not the insurgents, but regular Iraqi citizens?  Wouldn't more be aiding the insurgents? The fact that Iraqis are turning in the insurgents, saving many lives, says something doesn't it? \nOkay, as for the claim that this war is all about oil, it's half-right. Yes, it really is about oil...but not in the way that the people who make that claim think. I've had reports from people in Iraq that Saddam lived in opulence you can't even imagine. Gold and marble and ivory everywhere, 20 room palaces (note, I said PALACES, plural. He had several.)...meanwhile, down the road, maybe a mile away, there was a ten person family living in a one room shack. In absolute and total squalor. The U.S.'s homeless live a lot better, trust me. Hussein was starving his own people, making them go without electricity...and using the money from the oil to build his palaces. Yeah, that's fair. Sure. So we go in, and we seize the oil factories to turn over to the emerging Iraqi government. The Army is working to rebuild schools that have been damaged (many were damaged WAY before the U.S. occupied the country), repairing power lines, restoring clean drinking water...\nSo there you go.  Now you know.  I don't beli
54059
We are in a global war on Terror. \nWe are taking action.  \n\nUnfortunately our president thought it was best to "Sell" this war piecemeal "war in Iraq, followed by war in Afghanistan" etc.\n\nHad he been more forthcoming, more people would be in support. \n\nThe truth is: we are in a global war on terror that will last decades or until every Islamic country has a stable government that can police their own fringe radicals.\n\nIt needs to be done, and it is being done.\n\nThough I'm not so sure it is being done the right way.  I'm a bit more cynical.  \n\nI say:\n\nInstall friendly dictators in every nation that poses a risk (They know how to deal with these problems) Democracy is beyond the abilities of most of the populations we're talking about.\n\nDevelop an alternative form of Energy and embargo all mid-east oil.\n\nGive Israel free reign to defend themselves as they see fit. \n\nYou'll see a mid-east that begs for our presence, our moderating effect on Israel and our $$ !