Why was the Iraq war started?

[moe.ron]

Looking back, I've concluded and no I won't do citing cause it's too much work for a msg board, that it was rehashing the old domino theory, in reverse. Just like vietnam war started because of domino theory (scared to death that communism was going to take over southeast asia), the Iraq exercise was a reverse domino theory, once Iraq goes democratic, so too the other middle east countries.

Well, at least that was the intellectual rationale behind the neo-con.

[DaemonSeid]

Moe


Are you not looking for causes? Are you looking for an effect due to the war? That if democracy becomes a norm in Iraq, that the rest of the Middle East would follow along?

I just want to see if that is where you are going....

[moe.ron]

I'm more looking at the cause of the war. It was under the assumption that once Saddam was overthrown and democracy blossom in Iraq, other Middle Eastern nations was going to follow them. Very much the domino theory.

The result of the war is one of stalemate. Democracy in Iraq has risen, though it's very much fragile and anything can happen in the near future. Also, will the US accept anyform of government voted in by the Iraq, ala another Hamas type of government taking over Iraq? Or will the government of America go to the Southeast Asia and Latin America route, propping up dictatorship to ensure it's interest is protected at the cost of democracy?

[AGDee]

1. Dubya said it best "Saddam tried to kill my daddy"
2. Oil

if it mattered that much to us to ensure that all countries are democracies, then we would be taking far more action in other places of the world.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by AGDee

1. Dubya said it best "Saddam tried to kill my daddy"
2. Oil

if it mattered that much to us to ensure that all countries are democracies, then we would be taking far more action in other places of the world.

Amen AGDee...

Let's remember, the US never finished in Afghanistan (finding a tall dude on dialysis) and pow...right on into Iraq based on faulty intel.

Does anyone ever remember our gov't getting a memo from Iraq that they needed democracy?

[CrackerBarrel]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Amen AGDee...

Let's remember, the US never finished in Afghanistan (finding a tall dude on dialysis) and pow...right on into Iraq based on faulty intel.

Does anyone ever remember our gov't getting a memo from Iraq that they needed democracy?

Yes, but it was in the first Gulf War. Kurds wanted us to go ahead to Baghdad and overthrow Saddam, but we just told them we wouldn't have a problem with it if they did instead of actually helping.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by AGDee

1. Dubya said it best "Saddam tried to kill my daddy"

lol lol

[agzg]

I'll give one reason and one reason only (although there are many):

Low hanging fruit. It was much easier to take on Iraq than Iran, and by going into Iraq we were "sending a message" to Iran. I wonder how that message has changed in the last 5 years?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by moe.ron

Looking back, I've concluded and no I won't do citing cause it's too much work for a msg board, that it was rehashing the old domino theory, in reverse. Just like vietnam war started because of domino theory (scared to death that communism was going to take over southeast asia), the Iraq exercise was a reverse domino theory, once Iraq goes democratic, so too the other middle east countries.

Well, at least that was the intellectual rationale behind the neo-con.

I think this is clearly the Occam's Razor solution, at least from a foreign policy standpoint - the domino effect or not, it's clear there was a geopolitical motive, sort of a "tearing the hole out of the donut" of the region, to stop the rise of some of the Islamic-centered political movements that are particularly against American interests.

Oil/cronyism and revenge, while catchy motives, are likely just happy bonuses, sort of the cherry on top.