Why Iraq?

[TimeTraveler]

I have compiled this research to the best of my ability to not only try to help myself to understand what is going on but to also share with others. This is more of an informative post than a discussion post but feel free to share your opinions or challenge this information. If you do respond please read all of the material and links contained so you understand the point of view this research is coming from. This is not an attempt to bash Bush, or start a debate between left and right point of views, rather it is an attempt to inform people of the complicity of US democracy and to try to enlist help in striving to reach peaceful solutions to complicated circumstances. The foundations of America's principles are in jeopardy.

 

"Experience hath shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and with slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."-Thomas Jefferson

 

History of our current course.

 

It’s no secret that a great number of the Bush administrations key figures have been advocating for new plans for the American future long before September 11th. In 1992 Paul Wolfowitz, now US Deputy Secretary of Defense, wrote a document (by request of Bush sr.) called Defense Planning Guidance (now known as the Wolfowitz doctrine). In this document he called for the US to take a position of global power now that the cold war was over. He suggested America move to increase its military defense spending and be willing to act pre-emptive in situations where U.S. interests were concerned. This document was shelved as many at the time thought it was far too radical a stance for America to take. It would be later revised by Dick Cheney.

 

5 Years later, when this particular group of Neo-cons were out of power during the Clinton administration, they joined a think tank called Project for a New American Century, (PNAC) where many of aspects of the Wolfowitz’s doctrine can be found in their mission statement. In 1998 they wrote an open letter to Bill Clinton suggesting he make a move on Saddam’s regime.

 

The thing I find funny is that most of these guys (Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz) have been advocating for war in Iraq for awhile now, and their only suggestions have been to topple Iraq and Saddam's regime. No diplomatic solutions or peaceful solutions have been considered. In all fairness, I understand many sanctions were put on Iraq, many diplomatic solutions were considered by the U.N. and most of them did not have picture perfect results. But also we must remember there are many many brutal dictators in the world, much worse than Saddam, why such an interest in getting rid of Saddam?

 

It seems that the history of America's involvement in Iran-Iraq WMD programs goes way back. And the level of secrecy about our interests in the mid-east is nothing new as seen in the Iran-Contra affair.

 

This still does not answer the question of why Iraq? I think its fair to say that The Project for a New American century's 90 pg. Document entitled Rebuilding America's Defenses can provide some of the answers.

 

A basic summary of the document calls for America to build up its military power to basically take control of the globe so no threats to America and it's allies can have a chance to rise to power. To support this it calls to "fight and decisivly win multiple; simaltaneous theatre wars." Two reasons for these theatre wars comes to mind, show the world our strength and military power, and gain control of vital areas of the world to shape situations on that side of the world. It's alot easier to threaten a nation to stand down when you have missles a couple borders away directed at them. Other goals mentioned in this document are to "Develop and deploy global missle defenses" and "Control the new international 'commons' of space and cyber space." They later go on to say that all that is lacking is some "catastrophic and catalyzing event -- like a new Pearl Harbor." That event happened on Sept. 11th.

 

Still why Iraq? The key word here is interests. In order to build up our military power we need the resources to make this realistic. Iraq holds the second largest oil reserves in the world. Iraq also holds the vital position needed to make a strong military presence on that side of the world. Iraq is also between Syria and Iran, both countries which coincidently are marked as countries needing to be eliminated in the Wolfowitz doctrine of 92'.

 

Many members involved in PNAC are now in the Bush administration. Rumsfeld and Cheney are co-founders of the organization. Is the war in Iraq about WMDs, Saddam's regime, terrorists links to Al-Qaeda? Or is this war about America's domination of Earth and space? Now that we know the threat of WMDs was exaggerated , and no major connections have really been made towards Saddam's regime and Al-Qaeda or Sept. 11th, and there are many other regimes worse than Saddam's...

 

Whats your opinion?

 

"The reason we start a war is to fight a war, win a war, thereby causing no more war!"

— GW Bush; First presidential debate