Then why not invade North Korea we knew they had WMDs? We knew Iran was doing everything possible to get them?

Have either of those shown the willingness to use them as Saddam did to the Kurds?

Have either of those shown the willingness to use them as Saddam did to the Kurds?

That would be a big "Nope!"

Then why not invade North Korea we knew they had WMDs? We knew Iran was doing everything possible to get them?

 

Ahhhh, the 'equal protection' argument to fighting wars. "Its not fair unless we treat all other nations equally . . ."

 

As a veteran, you should know that attacking North Korea is whole different kettle of fish than attacking Iraq, and as LBBC points out, they have not utilized them as Iraq did. All nations are not created equal.

 

As for Iran, I would say we have not ruled out attacking them yet . . .

He used mustard gas,while that is a terrible thing it was against his own people.North Korea has test fired missiles aimed at us, to me a big difference.Nuclear explosion kills more than a localized poisoned gas attack which we would have met with total annihlation of the country of Iraq justifyibly so.It like bringing a pea shooter to a gun fight

 

As for Iran, I would say we have not ruled out attacking them yet . . .

As I have pointed out before when the point is made that "Bush had plans to invade Iraq even before 9/11," I would assume that there are contingency plans in handling Iran if they do certain things. I am sure that we have a core plan in place if they attack Israel. I am sure that we have a core plan in place if they invade Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or Iraq.

 

With this close to the 2008 election and the end of Bush's presidency unless Iran does something really stupid like one of the above, I don't think we invade.

 

I think Bush is treading water on this one and going to pass it onto the next President unless Iran forces his hand.

He used mustard gas,while that is a terrible thing it was against his own people.North Korea has test fired missiles aimed at us, to me a big difference.Nuclear explosion kills more than a localized poisoned gas attack which we would have met with total annihlation of the country of Iraq justifyibly so.It like bringing a pea shooter to a gun fight

Please provide the link that shows this. I would be interested in reading it as I have not heard that before.

Maybe Michael Moore can take a float trip over there and convicne Ahmenijad to push the US. before '08 and force a reaction so that Hillary can take the elction.

He used mustard gas,while that is a terrible thing it was against his own people.North Korea has test fired missiles aimed at us, to me a big difference.Nuclear explosion kills more than a localized poisoned gas attack which we would have met with total annihlation of the country of Iraq justifyibly so.It like bringing a pea shooter to a gun fight

 

Well, here you have it, I am a lawyer and I am totally speechless . . .

 

 

 

. . . for a moment. Its O.K. to murder people with mustard gas as long as its your own citizens, but controlled testing of non-warhead ballistic missles is not acceptable?

I thank you all for your opinions, that is the reason I joined this happy fraternity, eveyone really seems to have their own thoughts that run deep, and are intelligently expressed. From one American to another thanks again

All of us is what makes this the greatest country that has ever been on this planet. I hope and pray our leaders will continue to give us the freedom the have these discussions without having someone waiting at our doors, Ireally mean it you guys are good debaters, you will have to give me a few months to catch up with you guys

All of us is what makes this the greatest country that has ever been on this planet. I hope and pray our leaders will continue to give us the freedom the have these discussions without having someone waiting at our doors, Ireally mean it you guys are good debaters, you will have to give me a few months to catch up with you guys

Well dang, if you're gonna go and be all nice and everything, you're gonna to take all the fun out of it! :cry:

 

 

 

I sometimes get so involved I forget we are for the same team be it Dem or Rep we all want whats best for the US, don't get me wrong I'll still complain when W does something I believe to be stupid, But I will still back him if some other country calls him stupid

That doesn't even need to be debated, as the evidence of that dangerous possibility was there. That's beyond question.

 

Now, whether the process has been handled in the best way possible is another question. But to foolishly question the motivation for invading Iraq is just plain wrong. And to suggest it was some kind of selfish ploy at the expense of American blood, is beyond ludicrous.

 

 

Why is it foolish to question the motivation? We now know that we were only shown the intelligence conclusions regarding WMD that supported invading. We now know that the heavily played-up linkage between Saddam Hussein's Iraq and September 11 was based on disputed and extremely fragile claims that have since been thoroughly discredited. We now know that the Administration was warned months prior to invading that a destabilized Iraq could very easily spiral into a chaotic breeding ground for terrorists. And for some reason, a President who claimed to staunchly oppose nation-building before he was elected has now been trying (unsuccessfully) to nation-build for 4+ years.

 

Clearly, we were not told the entire story before our country started this war. Why not? And why is it 'foolish' to ask? Over 3500 of our finest men and women have paid the ultimate price. Do we honor their memory by pretending this war was started for legitimate reasons?

claims that have since been thoroughly discredited. We now know that the Administration was warned months prior to invading that a destabilized Iraq could very easily spiral into a chaotic breeding ground for terrorists. And for some reason, a President who claimed to staunchly oppose nation-building before he was elected has now been trying (unsuccessfully) to nation-build for 4+ years.

 

Clearly, we were not told the entire story before our country started this war. Why not? And why is it 'foolish' to ask? Over 3500 of our finest men and women have paid the ultimate price. Do we honor their memory by pretending this war was started for legitimate reasons?

Okay, what was the nefarious reason that the psychopathic, Hitler-esque, Charles Manson loving, baby-killing, blood-thirsty Bush took us to war? I can't wait to hear all the radical left-wing baloney come flying!

The sad truth is no WMDs were found "NONE" that is the reason Bush gave for attacking Iraq please go back and listen to his speeches, I am a veteran I don't know how many of you are, I feel I have a right to speak, I will wave the flag, and say may prayers but, I will also admit when we (bush) messed up. and I don't bring abortion into this I am very pro-life hopefully by my threads you can see that

 

 

I am a vet also. As a vet you should be as thankful as I am that there were no wmds found. I thank the Lord a lot that there were no wmds found or used against my friends and fellow Marines. And as you know, there was no doubt (even his own senior scientists admitted such) that Hussein was committed to again developing them as soon as he could ( he had developed them and used them in the past). Heck he may have had them at the time we invaded them and shipped them to Syria; Iran etc. It is logically impossible to rule that out. I realize that there are folks who feel that the UN sanctions would have prevented him from ever again developing them. I don't have that much confidence in the UN for reasons that I think most can understand. The man was committed to doing us harm and that's all the justification I needed to removing him. Maybe he was just bluffing in all his anti American rhetoric and he really meant us no harm. If I was the President, sworn to protect this country, there is not a doubt in my mind that I wouldn't have made the same decision that Bush did. Not a doubt. And that is even with the knowledge of what has happened in Iraq since Hussein was removed.

 

As for the willingness to tell some parents that they lost their son or daughter for oil, while I think the removal of Hussein was for reasons much greater than oil, I'd be willing to do tell parents that I appreciated the sacrifice they made even if it was just for oil. We can whine forever about how we need to develop alternative fuels, but the simple fact is that our economy depends on oil for now and the foreseeable future. Given the fact that some of the very groups attacking the war were some of the same groups that scuttled our nuclear energy program, won't let us drill more in Alaska and off shore and severely hamper our ability to use more coal to satisfy our energy needs, while at the same time complaining our manufacturing jobs getting shipped overseas and the cost of a gallon of gasoline in the states when it is actually still a great bargain, I don't put a lot of stock when they state that the war is wrong because its only about oil. Our way of life depends on oil. Our national security depends on it. Our economy depends on it. It is a vital interest of the U.S. that must be protected. And yes, it is worth dieing for and I offer no apologies for thinking that. To argue to the contrary is not being "real world" in my opinion.

 

 

I have both a 18 yr old son and a 16 yr old son. Do I want them to die fighting in the middle east? Nope, and I'm as scared of the situation as you are. But I believe in what we are trying to accomplish. I believe that the only way to defeat terrorism is through democracy, education and a global economy. I believed and still believe that the war in Iraq is all about those things and that the sacrifices being made are worth the costs. Uneducated, poor, desperate, isolated people with nothing to live for are easily swayed into believing the fanatical teachings of the Ismalic radicals or for that matter any despot. Hitler used the crushed economy in Germany and the isolation of the country to fan the flames of nationalism and anti semitism, and the terrorist leaders are doing the same thing today. The way to permanently combat those folks is to take away their followers and that in my opinion is the reason we removed Hussein and what we are trying to accomplish. If we have the resolve to bring democracy and ecomomic stability to Iraq, it can and will spread throughout the middle east. Europe is a much more stable place today because of democracy. Japan is a much less militaristic country today because of democracy. I believe that China is on the path to democracy brought about as a result of their inclusion into the world economy.

 

 

With wealth comes education. With education comes the desire to live freely (folks, is no accident or coincidence that many of the people protesting against dictatorships and lack of personal freedoms are academecians and intellectuals). With the desire to live freely comes the unwillingness to accept the teachings of fanatics.

 

Finally, I applaud you for your past military service. While I am most proud of my family, having served my country is second in line and its not far behind.