Who is to blame for starting the Iraq war?

[Mark1031]

It has been suggested in another thread that multiple other people other than Bush/Cheney have significant responsibility for the US invasion of Iraq. I believe other candidates for blame wer France, Democrats, China, the world intelligence community. IMO this in nonsense. Bush /Cheney have total responsibility for this war. Do you think that if Gore would have been President we would have invaded Iraq? The fact that some Dems voted for the resolution authorizing force is irrelevant. This was the worst case of politicization of war and has done irreparable damage to this country. The dems were railroaded into voting for this; Rove even announced they were going to railroad them just before the election and on the 1 yr ann. of 9/11 when the wound was still raw for the country. Were the Dems spineless. I suppose, but many opposed the resolution and Bush had announced that he didn't need their vote anyway and that war would be a last resort- outright lie.

Also, on the argument everyone thought they had WMD. If you fall for that you are being manipulated by language. I have WMD in my house. There is a big difference between some old cans of mustard gas and a functioning nuclear weapon. But for the political end of railroading the country to war and providing the cover of "everyone thought..." the administration conflated the two. Everyone thought they might have some old chemical weapons. The whole world did not think that these were a major threat of that they were anywhere near nuclear capable. Also, Saddam was complying with the UN resolutions, Hans Blix was right. Scott Ritter our former guy on the ground was right, the CIA was right although they were pressured and manipulated to shade their assesment. We had to order the UN inspectors out of Iraq so we could start bombing for god sake.

EDIT: Reasons for your choices:
GWB: obvious
Cheney: Theory that he is the puppet master.
Dems: Some voted for resolution and of course it is all Bill Clintons fault
Supreme Court: Indirectly by installing Bush over Gore
France: It was suggested in another thread that war could have been averted if France,Russia, China would only have supported a resolution for force.


WHERE IS SADDAM?? Sorry I am not going to give you the feel good "the bad guy did it" choice. Being bad does not equal "starting a war", this requires overt actions with bombs and guns.

I could have put Saddam in but seeing as he did not initiate any attack on the US and had not significantly altered his goverments policy other than capitulating to UN demands I chose not to offer him as a choice.

 

[Tycoon101]

The terrorists started this war. We are not at war with Iraq, we are at war with terrorists. Where is the option for that?

 

[JohnRM]

Other; Congress

 

[ybbor]

that guy who butchered a great number of his political dissidents might be a cnadidate at least worthy of some discussion.

just a thought.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

The terrorists started this war. We are not at war with Iraq, we are at war with terrorists. Where is the option for that?

You invade a country to capture a bunch of terrorists send the CIA ffs. IMO you shouldn't invade a country to capture a bunch of guys.

 

[Mark1031]

The terrorists started this war. We are not at war with Iraq, we are at war with terrorists. Where is the option for that?

Sorry, we are talking about Iraq not Al Queda, the Taliban, or Afganistan so it would be totally illogical to offer that choice.

I could have put Saddam but seeing as he did not initiate any attack on the US or had not significantly alter his goverments policy other than capitulating to UN demands I chose not to offer him as a choice .

 

[Godwynn]

The White House/Congress

 

[Tycoon101]

Sorry, we are talking about Iraq not Al Queda, the Taliban, or Afganistan so it would be totally illogical to offer that choice.

I could have put Saddam but seeing as he did not initiate any attack on the US or had not significantly alter his goverments policy other than capitulating to UN demands I chose not to offer him as a choice .

Saddam Hussein was an ally of terrorists; and I don't recall America issuing a formal declaration of war against Iraq, only the terrorists. We are in the Middle East to kill terrorists, not liberate Iraq. It got in our way, however, because of a man who had a great deal of hate for my Country.

 

[Endovior]

Well, that's your fault entirely then. If you don't put a proper answer, then the vote will be skewed. Saddam had it coming.

 

[bathsheba666]

Saddam Hussein was an ally of terrorists; and I don't recall America issuing a formal declaration of war against Iraq, only the terrorists.

quoted for incredulity.
there are still people who profess to believe this?

osama-baby is currently being shielded by the sugar plum fairy, btw.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

It's all Bill Clinton's fault. If he had the courage to invade Iraq back in 96, we'd be out by the end of this year!

 

[Tycoon101]

quoted for incredulity.
there are still people who profess to believe this?

osama-baby is currently being shielded by the sugar plum fairy, btw.

If you must resort to personal (although off-to-the-side) attacks to get your point across, then I hope that you find a real reason to oppose my views.

Yes, Saddam Hussein gave shelter and financial aid to terrorists, thus I view him to be terrorist scum.

 

[Mark1031]

Feel free to use Democrats as a catch all for any individual or group of Dems having the primary responsibility for starting this war.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

OK "all Sadam hgussein the terrorist lover" people. Pin point the exact thing he did (I want his order no "created a terrorist haven") that was 100% pro terrorist it could not in anyway be justified. IIRC the Americans supported the Taliban terrorists more during the Soviet-Afghani war than Iraq suported the same group. If you are so keen to hurt allies of the Afghani terrorist movement then Bomb yourselves and Saudi arabia.

 

[Tycoon101]

Feel free to use Democrats as a catch all for any individual or group of Dems having the primary responsibility for starting this war.

But they did not start this. America is only fighting back against a foreign force that is not unified under one flag. Many people try to say that we think that Iraq is a terrorist nation, but is not. Only the people who hide WITHIN Iraq and Afganistan are the ones that we are actively trying to combat.

I refuse to insinuate that any Americans started a War against Iraq, because that would be an outright lie.

 

[Mark1031]

But they did not start this. America is only fighting back against a foreign force that is not unified under one flag. Many people try to say that we think that Iraq is a terrorist nation, but is not. Only the people who hide WITHIN Iraq and Afganistan are the ones that we are actively trying to combat.

So you support a US invasion of:

N. Ireland
Sri Lanka
Syria
Iran
France
Spain
Indonesia

Well it might just be easier to get all the countries in the UN .

 

[eyrei]

The citizens of the USA...

 

[Sidhe]

If you must resort to personal (although off-to-the-side) attacks to get your point across, then I hope that you find a real reason to oppose my views.

Yes, Saddam Hussein gave shelter and financial aid to terrorists, thus I view him to be terrorist scum.

There is no legitimate proof of the links between Al-qaeda and Saddam which is the of the primary reasons for the war and yet you are still willing to use such propaganda? I can see why apparently some people are still willing to buy this.

And did not the US give financial aid to the IRA. In fact a large proportion of financial support for their activities came from America.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1563119.stm

 

[Mark1031]

The citizens of the USA...

That is a very good point. We are in fact responsible but I think that this is mitigated by the blatent manipulation outlined in the OP. It is quite easy to manipulate emotions in a democracy, theocracy or dictatorship.

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

Sound familiar?

 

[Evil Tyrant]

Saddam, if he had just let the inspectors poke around and confirm he didn't have any WMD's, the faulty intelligence would have been exposed for what it was, faulty.