Very well SV.
This is VERY complex issue, so forgive me if I ramble a bit. This might be disorganized and I want to give you fair warning. I will touch on Middle East turbulence in general because that is a big part of the picture.
Saddam has been a continuous nuisance to America. He was a cruel dictator. He had killed his own people, and invaded another country. His reputation is more than enough reason to overthrow him.
There is the possibility that he didn’t have WMDs when we invaded, but he sure as hell had them in that past. And he had used them too. It is a proven fact. When we invaded we even found materials that can be used to make WMDs. When the UN was doing inspections a few years back, it would have been easy to move them around so that the inspectors couldn’t find them. The UN wasn’t exactly doing a surprise inspection, Saddam had advanced warning that people would be poking around. He also could easily have moved the weapons out of the country for that matter, or sold them off. Bush had reports from American, British, and Russian intelligence that suggested that Iraq possessed WMDs. With a reputation like Saddam’s, would you honestly ignore that? The fact that it was false intelligence is irrelevant because the action had already been made by the time it was exposed. Regarding WMDs, I believe Bush made the right call. Common sense, if a guy like Saddam had those kind of weapons, wouldn’t you want to protect yourself, and others for that matter.
Oil is a major factor. Oil is currently the most important natural resource in the world. There is nothing in the world right now that can possibly replace it. I’m not sure about you, but I think its better off belonging to the US and not a guy who has had people killed for looking at him funny. It does no one any good if a person like Saddam has control over such a vital resource.
The Middle East’s political and social climate isn’t a very “user friendly� There is a great amount of anti-American (and Western) mentality for years. Saddam has used this as a tool to aid himself. This is a complex one. The Middle Eastern people that truly do hate us actually hate all of the western world. The only reason America stands out for them is because we are the most wealthy and powerful nation is history. Extremist groups and leaders are the reason for this hatred. These grous all hate the US for one reason or another. And of course the leaders and extremist groups usually hold a lot of influence. There many motives that drive anti-American sediment.
Changing the focus of domestic problems is one reason. That is huge. The Middle East has a comparably low standard of advancement and living compared to the western world. With the economic climate of the Middle East, it is difficult to improve these problems. Many leaders simply don’t have the money to fix many of the problems. Instead of putting effort into improving situations, the cheaper and easier way is to blame the problems of something else. Why would the leader do this you might ask? So they can keep their money and power. And why would leaders ever admit their wrong or that they can’t deliver? The people won’t rebel against you if you can unite them against a common enemy. People will support you more if you are a “hero� rather than average Joe, or a sly rat. This common enemy they use is the United States. Many leaders tell their people that their lives can’t improve because the US wont let it happen. Now the ball gets rolling. Since the US is so different they came blame us for many things, wealth, technology, religion, and oppression. We are used as a scapegoat for many of their own problems. It’s much easier to blame someone else for problems rather than take responsibility. No question about it. You could also do what Saddam is more prone to do, which is using a fear factor to keep his people in check.
Supporting Israel is currently a very convenient excuse for Arab leaders. This has a relation to three things; homelands, economy, and religion. Our nation supports the Hebrews who now live in “their� region. Many are sore about this because it was their own home, now they have to share it both in economic and land terms. This creates the tension between the Arabs and the Jews. Religion is also a factor. Don’t use that crap that the Palestinians were there first, because historically the Jewish people came into that region before the Muslims. This is very little of the US’s fault. European nations are at bigger fault for starting this. But why is the US blamed now? Because we now support the Israelis. If it weren’t for us backing them up, the Muslims would slaughter every one of them. It’s something that has caused a lot of tension for the region. Many arab leaders (including Saddam) hold it against us. I can go deeper into that, but that is another issue completely.
Aggressive Culture and Religion. Many leaders use religion as a pivotal excuse for conflict. The commoners do not know any better so the truly believe that religion is the true reason. Occasionally religion is the true motive but that is a rare exception. You said so yourself that they pray many times a day. Many Muslims are fanatic about their religion. Religion is such a big thing the Middle East because it is one of the few enduring things that people can attach to. If you can establish the common ground or religion, their in your back pocket. You can now weald religion as a weapon. Historically the Muslims are known for not taking a linking to people of different beliefs. The last time they actually accepted other religions was in ancient Arabia. We don’t need to use Christians as an example, look at the Jews and ancient Armenians. Throughout history they have been kicked around by the Muslim nations. Don’t use the argument that Jewish people were also oppressed by Europe. Most oppression anywhere was purely political rather than religious. Muslims have also fought with the Christians, do I even need to go here? The Moors invaded the Spanish region in the middle ages, and don’t even mention the crusades. They have also fought with the Hindus and other Easterners throughout history. They also make a habit of fighting amongst each other. But this is of course is not so much of a religious conflict. The Middle East is the most war torn region in history. Religion can both be a true reason and a scapegoat. Religion is by far the most compatible “tool� for leaders to use. Leaders can use religion to keep their people in line. Saddam is not excluded from using the religious label, but that is more along the lines of Osama.
Leaders can have great influence over the people, if they use the proper methods. The above reasons can create an almost universal resentment for the US, but some people take it to the next level. Anti-American aggression is given birth. They present a threat and we respond. The leaders use our response to violence as fuel to their fire. Saddam, Osama, and many others have done thins in huge excess. But that doesn’t necessarily matter. They will attack no matter what. Even if we do nothing and they give up on us they may move to a different target, Europe perhaps? That is why the US must respond. We have an obligation to try and stop this. It is for the greater good of the world. It may seem like and impossible fight to rat out terrorism. But it is better to have tried and failed then to not try at all. And even if the US fails, we have made a difference. Who knows, we may find a way to completely stop terrorism.
And no, I am not straying off topic by pulling in terrorism. Saddam has had contact Al Qaeda. Fact, Bin Laden met at least eight times with officers of Iraq's Special Security Organization, a secret police agency run by Saddam's son Qusay, and met with officials from Saddam's mukhabarat, its external intelligence service, according to intelligence made public by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was speaking before the United Nations Security Council on February 6, 2003. Fact, Sudanese intelligence officials observed meetings between Iraqi intelligence agents and bin Laden starting in 1994, when bin Laden lived in Khartoum. Fact, In October 2000, another Iraqi intelligence operative, Salah Suleiman, was arrested near the Afghan border by Pakistani authorities, according to Jane's Foreign Report, a respected international newsletter. Jane's reported that Suleiman was shuttling between Iraqi intelligence and Ayman al Zawahiri, now al Qaeda's No. 2 man. Tell me if you need more.
The US is ultimately trying to make the world a less violent place by taking a stand against it. You may ask why we respond with and army them? Fight fire with fire. How else can you do it? Diplomacy doesn’t always work. Saddam Hussein is a great example. We go into the Middle East because we have multiple interest in the region. There are both global and domestic interests at stake. What kind are you might ask? Economic for one. Like the oil, trade, and helping our own sluggish economy. Social and Political for another. The Middle East is a mess and the US is trying to clean the shit out. The US is both working for the good of ourselves and others. People think we are being selfish. We are to some extent. That is because a nation needs to take care of itself. But if you or anybody else has any foresight, you would see what we are really doing.
When it comes down to it, Iraq was used to make and example that its kind of environment can not be tolerated.
And yes, if it came down to it I would fight on the front lines to retake Fallujah. That is because it is fighting a good fight. I personally would love to eliminate every cruel faction leader in existence. It would make the world a better place. Let me know if you still have unanswered questions because I will address them if I have left something out.
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T-Money: wtf
T-Money: i think the icecream truck just hit a kid
T-Money: brbrb
