Hi boys and girls:

So, why'd we go to war in Iraq. In the shifting sands of the mid-EAst, and/or Republican politics, nothing seems to be what it is or was.

WMD - nope. Al Queda - Nope. Imminent Threat to US - Nope.

Now we hear that he abused the UN Food for Oil Program as an excuse. Probably true - but he was probably helped by Exxon or BP or one of big oil companies - maybe even KBR!

So, let's figure it all out.

Whomever posts the best excuse, wins. Prize is a free beer (paid for by me or my grandchildren or greatchildren) at the next Phillyblog party (if there is one) if I show up . . . or if the winner shows up. I kinda left the prize vague :twisted: because I thought it fit the subject matter.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Saddam ordered more than a million dollars worth of thin mint GS cookies, and the defaulted on the payment.

or

He didn't pay his tax withholding to Kuwait on the income earned by Iraqi soldiers during their visit to Kuwait (in 1990).

Next?

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

We went into Iraq because Saddam Hussein had defied numerous UN resoultions concerning his disarmament and his refusal to allow weapons inspectors to ensure that all WMD had been destroyed. He refused to cooperate in good faith and therefore after 12 years the United States decided to intervene and remove him from power.

It really is that simple. UN Resoultion 1441 called for him to cooperate or face severe punishment including military action. When time came to back up that resoultion some countries like Russia, China and France which had pushed for the removal of UN sanctions back when Clinton was President refused to live up to the agreement and back the resoultion as they had signed it. But the UK, Spain, Italy, Australia and other countries supported the effort to enforce the resolution.

I don't support any post-war spin. Almost every intelligence unit in the world thought he still had biological and chemical weapons and that he was working on a secret nuclear program. Kerry said that over and over again in the late 90's and up until a few months ago.

The question is how did the worldwide intelligence services get it so wrong. Were they duped by someone other than the Iraqis. Was there a country that wanted the world to get rid of Saddam. If so who? The Iranians? The Israelis? That is the real mystery IMHO.

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"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed." -- David Viscott

Speaking as Dubya, "We went to war 'cuz Sadamn tried to have my daddy killed in a sneaky way. It's gonna be me and him, mano a mano."

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Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian. - Robert Orben

W - "I really miss playing cowboys and indians...Hey Uncle Dick what do you think...Do you think we can play cowboys and indians for real?"

Dick - "Sure Georgie boy....We can play all the cowboys and indians you want...How does cowboys and indians in Iraq sound?"

W - "Why can't we play it in one of those coutries with those indian peoples"

Dick - "Iraq is a country in a land far away with those 'indian' peoples"

W - "Will I be able to get to play pretend again and fly one of the jets like I did when daddy sent me away to military school?"

Dick - "Sure Georgie....you can even push the buttons this time..."

W - "Uncle Dick, Unlce Dick, Uncle Dick....when can we play...I wanna play now...."

Dick - "Soon Georgie....now let's play hide and seek....You go hide and Unlce Dick will try to find you...."

-UC

Its funny you say that. My cousin was in Iraq for over a year as a member of a national guard civil affairs unit. He stayed in one of Saddam's many palaces one night. He was surprised when he went into one of the bathrooms that every tile on the floor had a portrait of President Bush I on it. Supposedly stepping on the image of your adversary is the worse insult you can give to that person in the Arab world. It is why you saw so many people taking off their shoes and beating Saddam's picture with their shoes after the invasion.

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"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed." -- David Viscott

[quote]Teaching Snuggles is turning into a full time avocation -- not job, wish it were a job, I spend enough hours on it it might as well be a job. Avocation.

To say there are innumerable explanations of the reasons for Iraq available on the Web is to painfully smack around the obvious. Of course Chris doesn't really care about the explanations -- he doesn't really care about Iraq at all, except for how fast we can get out of it. It's 1969 all over again for him, I suspect.

But, since he's actually offering some kind of payment this time out, I hunted up the first one that occurred to me, Den Beste. He's writing before the war, but it's still pretty good:

http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/20...ourenemy.shtml

As I said, there are countless others.

Chris, I like high-end beer and am currently besotted with German Hefe-weizens. Ayinger makes a good one -- let me know when you're ready to pay up.

tmcgee

We invaded Iraq because we want peace and democracy throughout the world. :rolling_:

Oil.
It is the only reason we give a crap about the Middle East in general.
Oil is the blood of the world, and just as important as the real thing.

Because they hate our freedom........ oh and they tried to kill Bush's daddy.