Why Are we REALLY at war?
446252
In Afghanistan we are at war to destroy the base of operations that Al Qaeda had there. We have performed similiar missions in the Horn of Africa, The Phillipines, The Pankisi Gorge in Georgia, Pakistan as well as countless other locations that we don't know about. \n\nIn Iraq the point is to form a friendly government that will be a force for change in the region. Either by simply providing a monkey on Arab dictators backs (Nobody wants to screw with the US when a regional power is a major friend of theirs) or by actually sparking reforms and spreading democracy (like we saw in Lebanon and Syria.) \n\nOil is a plausible theory but ignores the fact that there are other countries that would be far more lucrative and oil rich targets then Iraq were we to simply want oil (Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Iran, etc.) Why not invade them instead if it's JUST for oil?
144327
the same reason why we are in on the war on terror......\n\n\nbecause we can
196639
Wars happen for two reasons.\n\n1. To expand power.\n2. To protect existing power.\n\nAny other reasons given are what we tell ourselves to make us feel better.
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
754596
war is not new.. and neither is the nazi idea of war.  the thirst for power will certainly always remain in the human mindset, and we will always have a need to keep that in check.
683197
Unfortunately War is a necessary evil. It sucks, and no one wants to go through it. Well let me re-phrase that, normal people don't want to go through it. But that is why it is at times necessary, not everyone is normal. Occasionally you get a bad guy or group who wants to dominate people by fear and torture. These are not reasonable people, and therefore are not reasoned with by peace or the nicer ways to negotiate, they see peace as a weakness, and try to use it as a way to overcome the peaceful. Anyone who thinks peace is the only way is right (in a perfect world). We don't live in a perfect world so at times war is the only way to get rid of the bad people. Yes war also means death to innocent people and harm and danger to the good forces who fight for the pure cause. Well it is either that or everyone around the world die and suffer under tyrannical groups/rule. The US and Allied military forces understand this concept now more than ever, and they are willing to put their lives on the line to fight for the citizen's of the World freedoms and liberties, which is the desired result of the War on Terror (which does include Iraq, whether anyone wants to admit it, the past regime was a regime which supported and committed terrorist activities on it's own people and the rest of the world). I know War sucks; peace is always the more desired path. But go tell that to the terrorists and see how long you stand alive in their presence.
1050715
I'm not sure it's that we lose these wars, we just refuse to win them; leaving the enemies to fight another day.\n\nI want to win so we can get it behind us [for good], but that requires something we [the culture at large] no longer posses: moral clarity, conviction & certainty of purpose.
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.
1029448
there's a war on terror, but we're definetely not doing too well.\nwe're focusing on the middle east. what about countries like North Korea??? they have weapons, and guess what, we're not doing anything about them.\nand then there are the terrorists in our own country. remember the Oklahoma City bombing and Tim McVeigh?
53717
a very, very good question...\nmy best guess is because we're silly and assume that the wars did solve our problems. they didn't, but we do end up getting our way often when we slaughter hundreds or thousands of people, so we overlook that our people were slaughtered and we lost resources and innocent people died. maybe we're hoping in the back of our minds that the kids will be smart enough to realize that if we all lived by the "don't hurt people" rule then the world would be a much better place, but when one person doesn't play fair it puts the others in an awkward position.
851155
first off we are not at war WITH Iraq, we are at war IN Iraq.  There is no established side we are fighting its an idiology.  The combatants arent all from Iraq as most of these people seem to think.  They are muslim extremests from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia and basically all over the middle east.  People are too naive to hear the truth from the govt because it would be skewed.  Fact is we are their for the oil.  but not for us to profit.  for these fundamentalist not to be able to profit.  Oil is funding the assault on the US.  The fact is there are weapons out there that if the wrong people get ahold of them can cause us great destruction.  They need money to carry out that plan.  We stop them from using oil and keep them fighting and exhaust their money they will be held in check to attack in your back yard.  The advancement of weapons has made the idea of isolation obsolete.  Lets use an example.  If Hitler had chinas long range missle capabilities and  one nuclear weapon you think he wouldnt have sent it over here?  ofcourse.  There are leaders in the middle east, and scary enough now in south america that would do the same thing now.  Facts are we will be at war for ever.  Alot of people are going to die and its sad but to allow this country to continue in peace our military is going to have to stomp out this idiology.
806464
Okay! I did not , honestly look at anything you had to say after your first response...War is not best solution..etc..we are all animals that is what we do ...we {most do not like it} but that is what we, in reality do. I hate it..so many lives lost. but only so many of us can stop it or do something about it.. L
526236
War is regrettable in most any circumstance. I am a veteran, and to see my brethren have to lay down their lives is never something that is easy to deal with. HOWEVER, in the world situation today, terrorism is something that must be battled HEAD ON. We can not sit back passively and wait to be struck again. While war is something that is hard to look at, many times it is necessary. In battling for preserving our safety, it is necessary in today's world that we battle those who would commit terrorism, and those who would openly support it to strike at the United States. While I hope the war ends as quickly as possible, I do not wish for our troops to leave until stability is achieved to a large degree in Iraq. The best hope for more stability in the Middle East is to have a functioning government that is by the people and for the people. Freedom is contagious, and hopefully those in other Middle Eastern countries see and feel the benefits, and strive towards a free and open government in the other countries they reside in. The tide of freedom is a strong one, and much like the ocean it is hard to hold back.\n\nSo support the war effort, and hope for it to continue as long as it needs to, but not longer than it needs to. Pray for the concept of free government to spread like wildfire in the Middle East, so that the entire world is a safer place, and a better place for all peoples.
426752
We were never AT war.  We invaded a destitute country. Relative to Saddam's crimes, why was so little attention paid to the desperate state of the Iraqi infrastructure? What was/is the connection between the country's advanced dilapidation and its capacity to fight a war? Before we stepped foot in Iraq, there was sporadic electricity, water and sewer systems on the fritz, poor nutrition...If America had realized Iraq's level of life, it might have been understood that they could not have let fly with missiles minutes after given the order.  I don't think we won the war because I don't think there was a war.  I live in the USA.
1074205
If our actions in Iraq are not a war then that event in the Pacific in the 40s was not a war. Japan attacked without declaring war.\n\nA war is a war....and we should face up to the fact that we invaded Iraq...not for the people of Iraq but for america
716663
No  sane person wants a war .\nUnfortunately , as now , it sometimes becomes necessary to fight in order to survive .\nThere are some truly evil people out there , who would force their will and their religion down our throats .\nTheir stated goal is to rule the world as an Islamic State .
635172
Well, I guess in a way if youre fighting war than that means youre starting a war against war, which means you are already contradicting yourself. The point im trying to make is it doesnt really matter what context it is in, it takes a war to start yet another.\n\nI applaud you for asking this question, but I am a lil confused as to why you did it since your ideology seems so thrown together and a little clumsy.\n\nI dont believe evil has a face. Its only a word we've constructed to seperate each other. But even if it did, are you saying that war exists because of "evil"? If thats true, than why do you feel that saying "war is wrong" is any different than saying that it is necessary?\n\nO i get it, we call that atitude nihilism - a belief that there is no point in caring because to care would mean that you think it is possible to change. But dont you think that in already saying it is impossible to change than you have already disqualified yourself from ever changing anything in the first place? \nDoesnt that whole idea go back to the "takes a war to start one" thing?