The Iraq war was a mistake. It was a mistake when the United States government was planning it. It's a mistake to be there now. It will continue to be a mistake for years to come. It was not necessary, there are no tangible benefits, and the cost is too high. The American people allowed fear and vengeance to cloud their judgment. The following is an argument as to why the Iraq war was a mistake.
The Illusion
In order to have a real discussion on the topic of the Iraq war it is important to establish why the U.S. is there in the first place. On September 11, 2001, 19 Arab born members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda boarded United Airline flights 175 and 93, and American Airline flights 77 and 11. They proceeded to hijack the 757's using box cutters, and fly them into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and an unknown target that the passengers of flight 93 courageously thwarted. Over 3,000 people died that day. However, this is not why the U.S. is in a war with Iraq.
The U.S. is in a war with Iraq for other reasons. First, intelligence on Iraq said that Suddam Hussein, the President of Iraq at the time, was developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD's). Second, political hawk's, such as Paul Wolfowitz, pushed for a regime change that would install a U.S. friendly government. Third, Suddam was seen as a future threat to U.S. interests through the use of terrorism. Finally, the U.S. was going to liberate the Iraqi people from a tyrannical dictator. All of these are intelligent and noble reasons for war, but were based on assumptions and faulty intelligence.
Weapons of Mass Destruction
The main reason given by President George W. Bush for the need to go to war with Iraqwas that he was developing, and had, WMD's. President Bush sent his Secretary of State Colin Powell to the U.N. to present evidence of Suddam's weapons program. He presented satellite photos of trucks and R.V.'s that were supposedly portable labs on wheels. It turned out they were just R.V.'s. The intelligence was wrong.
United Nation inspectors led by David Kay and later by Hans Blitz had 10 years to find evidence of Suddam's weapons program but never did. It seems ridiculous to think that inspectors, with access to military and industrial sites, would not have found some evidence that they existed. The argument that Suddam was able to play a game of cat and mouse with inspectors by moving his development labs does not make sense. A nuclear bomb can not be built without a permanent base of operations. It's just too dangerous. The same goes for chemical weapons. Hindsight is 20/20, but the intelligence at the time should have been taken with a grain of salt, rather than as fact.
Fear won out though. The American people and government made Suddam Hussein the poster child for evil in the world. It didn't seem to matter that a leader like Hu Jung Il, the President of North Korea, actually has nuclear capabilities and is just as tyrannical. Add to this the fact that it was the terrorist group Al-Qaeda, led by Ussama Bin Ladin that pulled off the attacks of 911and the U.S. has yet to capture Bin Ladin because the U.S. has taken its eye off the ball.
The Hawk's
The Hawk's, as they are referred to as, were led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz supported a policy of regime change in countries that were perceived as threats to U.S. interests. On top of the list was Iraq and Suddam Hussein. Almost
The Iraq War 5
immediately after the 911 attacks they were pushing for regime change in Iraq. Mr. Wolfowitz had developed this policy after the first gulf war when it was perceived that
the U.S. led coalition of President Bush's father Ex-President George H.W. Bush didn't finish the job by taking Saddam out of power in Iraq.
President George H.W. Bush was able to foresee the problems that would arise from taking Saddam out of power; Sectarian violence, tribal feuding, ethnic differences and resentment, an unstable Iraq, and the cost in American lives and money. His view to contain Suddam and limit his capabilities through sanctions and constant pressure from the U.N. would have been a more advisable policy than regime change. By forcing regime change in Iraq the U.S. has done nothing more than stir up a bee's nest.
Suddam the Terrorist
In the days following 911 an urban legend was born, Suddam Hussein had something to do with the attacks. To this day many Americans still believe this although no confirmable connection has ever been made. In the 911 Commission Report this is addressed” Rice's chief staffer on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, concurred in its conclusion that only some anecdotal evidence linked Iraq to Al Qaeda. The memo found no “compelling case” that Iraq had either planned or perpetrated the attacks.” The report is referring to a memo, “Survey of Intelligence Information on Any Iraq Involvement in the September 11 Attacks” written by Presidential advisor Richard Clarke. In fact, Ussama Bin Ladin and Suddam Hussein were on opposite ends of the political spectrum as the 911 report points out “the memo pointed out that Bin Ladin resented the secularism of Saddam Hussein's regime.”
