Why are we at war at Iraq? Is it really a war?
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
156573
First, your question is flawed by assuming the war is for oil.\n\nSecond, I have done two tours in Iraq. The vast majority of Iraqis love Americans. The kids love us and want to shake our hands. The adults love us and regularly invite us to dinner and special occasions. They love us when we build schools. They love us when we build roads. They love us when we rid villages of insurgents.\n\nDon't believe what the liberal media is spinning. They have an agenda just like you.
37401
It's not really a war on ideology. It's more of a war to keep them from killing us.
434260
I truly think that the war is very violent and there is no reason for any of it.What happen to peace and thy shall not kill.So many people died in Iraq and what was the real purpose of the invasion in Iraq.May god forgive all those who were in Iraq and for all the Innocent people that were killed do to the stupidity of people that think the war is always the solution.
730331
I really appreciate your sentiment for it is what we were all brought up to believe is good about this country.  But may  I suggest that this is not a war.  It is an occupation by the United States of another country.  We were told that the people of Iraq were being held in oppression by the horrible dictator Saddam Hussein, and that they would be throwing flowers at our troops for setting them free, we would be welcomed with open arms.  Why do you suppose we have had to stay for three years, fighting door to door with citizens who desperately wanted us to enter their country and set them free?  If our policy was so concerned about their human rights, why are they fighting us to the death?  I offer this thought for discussion, for it sounds to me like we were not told the truth about what we are doing there, and the Iraqi people have made it very clear with the sacrifice of the own blood, that they do not like what we are doing?  If we were oppressed by a dictator and someone came in to set us free out of the goodness of their heart, would we fight them door to door for doing so?  I think not.
907090
Bush is a hypocrite, who said we were at "war" with evil doers, so when we invaded Iraq, which was peaceful towards us, he said we were at "war" with evil doers who were drawn to Iraq to rid that area of our invaders.. Yes, he said we were at war, but never with Iraq, and yet when the widows and families of our wounded and dead speak, they say their loved ones died fighting in the "war" in Iraq..\n\nRead Animal Farm by George Orwell, if you want to see what Bush is doing.. \n\nKarl Rove has read it and mastered it and we are the animals being manipulated and Rove and Bush and Cheney are the Pigs running the farm, for our own good.
69335
This is a difficult question. Even though President Bush is a bungling fool who started a war for profits, we are now part of the war. Although I believe we need to get our troops put, we can't yet. This is because of the fact that Iraq still does not have a stable government. If we left now, another dictator could take over, and do more damage than has already been done to Iraq.
696850
I'm against the war in Iraq because the reason we went in has proven to be false.  I'm against the war in Iraq because 100(!) young brave American soldiers were killed just this past October.  I'm against the war in Iraq because like it or not it's becoming another Vietnam.  We should be putting our time and energy into protecting the borders of America.  By putting those billions of dollars into our transportation systems, our school systems, our cities and States.  And our brave soldiers should be here at home where we need them.  We've done all we can in Iraq.  It's time to come home.
686959
Look at the 9/11 attacks. Was that necessary? Was it necessary to attack London and Spain? Was it necessary to attack us back in 91? That is why we are at war.
716665
Iraqis are killing each other.  The only thing President Bush is guilty of is trying to keep us safe on our own soil.  All is fair in love and war.  It's a war and I should know---my husband is deployed there.
623477
In no way war is life.We should take all the available step to avoid any sort of war.b'cozwar is cause of immense destruction.But when war becomes inevitable then we should not  take a back seat and come up to protect our right.
509519
The Korean Conflict back in the '50s was not OFFICIALLY called a war. It was called a "police action", like we were handing out PARKING TICKETS? If you really want to know whats up in Iraq....talk to a SOLDIER that just came back. THOSE are the only guys whos word counts for ANYTHING anymore.
842014
WE WERE ATTACKED.  This war is about defending our way of life and defeating a group of people who want to do us harm.
180943
What war?\nThere is a war in Iraq?\nWooow! Dude!
627675
I wholeheartedly agree with your skepticism.  There is no purpose to the war that we are fighting.  It is a quagmire, and the one who got us there in the first place is too proud to admit that.  \n\nSadly, in George Bush Sr's Memiors, he specificially said that it was a bad idea to invade Iraq because something like this would happen.
683694
I think you asked your question wrong,it should be "what are we fighiting for in iraq?" ---we are fighting for oil supply in iraq,this is the primal reason.the second reason is to secure the area (middle east) for isreal.
1030416
There absolutely is no reason 4 the war in Iraq except 4 oil. It is very evident from the fact that in spite of Saddam accepting to step down, the reply from bush was that we shall enter Iraq whatsoever. History is witness beside WHERE are all the weapons 4 which we r loosing innocent lives from both sides 4 the few in the white house. Where are the FABRICATED lies of the CIA about bombs in Iraq????? and so many other questions that logic fails to reply but bush does????