This a great post in my opinion where a soldier in our military addresses a civilian (Conde62) regarding our invasion of Iraq. The format it goofy in my doc so it may not paste well, if not I apologize in advance. Anyway just something I think says much we never realize.
Cond62 wrote:
IF the Al quaida masterminds behind 911 are in Pakistan why did we invade Iraq which had nothing to do with it. Iraq didnt even have a radical fundimentalist Islamic governmnet but a secular one which included women. christians, Kurds and Shiites. Iraq had no income taxes. Free Health care and free education through college.We can only conclude that Bush is either a Moron or A Bloody thirsty War and oil Profits maggot.
Don't paint Iraq under Saddam as a glorious paradise, it was far from it. I interviewed dozens upon dozens of Iraqi prisoners during Op Desert Storm and have many Iraqi friends who I have known for years.
Saddam was hated by the vast majority of Iraqi's. Only those who were part of the ruling establishment or otherwise greatly benefitted from the Baathists wanted it to continue. I am telling you the absolute truth, that is the way it was.
No people want to live under a dictatorship nor do they want to live under the terror conditions the people of Iraq contend with today.
The conditions of the Mid East on one hand presented the US with a great challenge and threats as well as a developing opportunity. Nations there who have been friendly to the US have been under two pronged threats for the past twenty plus years, on one hand by the Jihadists and terrorists and threat by Iran, Syria and Iraq on the other.
Take just a moment and imagine Saddam's army once again on the move, this time not stopping at Kuwait but also seizing the oil fields of Saudi, Qatar and the UAE. One would find 80% of the world's oil trade under the control of Saddam. That was one threat.
The other was Jihadists taking over those same nations, the outcome would be Usamah in charge of the oil, rather than Saddam.
The opportunity was the possibility of bringing about peace in that region. Israel under Sharon was ready to trade land for peace but only if its northern borders could be secure. Jordan, Saudi and Egypt were no longer threats, it was Iraq and Syria presenting the greatest threat, through their surrogates in Lebanon.
The deal was cut...not hard handshakes, just a series of maybe this then maybe that, if Iraq were gone, if Syria was out of Lebanon, then maybe land for peace. And more followed. Saudi wanted an end to the Israel Palestine problem as well. They simply cannot afford to let the war and unrest there simmer any longer. It fed the JIhadists, gave them cause to continue the growth of the terrorists that threaten those nations.
Saddam had to go, peacefully or by force he had to go. And he did, and Syria has withdrawn from Lebanon and Israel is withdrawing from Gaza and terror ops in Israel have essentially ended and the Saudi's are making money guarantees to the Palestinians and the other Arab nations are joining in that effort.
The Jihadists have had their foundations cut from beneath them. Al Qaeda is scattered to the wind exept for Iraq where they are fighting their last ditch stand.
For the first time in sixty years we actually stand at a point where we may see peace in that region. Maybe, maybe. But if we don't try, we will never know.
