Question: Why are we in Iraq

[Rough Rider]

politics aside.. and maybe that's impossible.. Just read another local Louisiana native has died in Iraq. I feel so sorry for their families. I admire those who serve in our armed services, as well as those such as firefighters and police who put themselves in harms way to protect us.

But I honestly have to ask the question.. .WHY are we in Iraq? after spending some 300Billion dollars and rising, some 2000+ dead service men and woman who have died. WHAT will see for our efforts when it is all said and done? besides the likes of Haliburton who are making a fortune over there. and the uncertainty of it all rising gas prices... what will we see as American Citizens ? what will get in return ? The people of Iraq do not concern me, o.k. sure we got rid of Sadam, and he was a bastard.. and he's OUT Of control.. now what ? Will they ever see a true democracy ? I have my doubts, but for sake of argument, say they do ? What do we care ? in a few years they'll be a Coup or something.. I don't see the Iraqi people being forever grateful for our sacrifice. I certainly don't feel "safer" because of what we are doing over there ? I feel there's more dangerous nations on this planet.. Iran... North Korea.. And you can't say we've scared them any because of Iraq.. they just see us "Stuck" over there. So can someone enlighten me.. tell me what we gain for our efforts over there ? So i don't have to feel these young men and woman dying over there is for nothing ???

[rhertz]

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

politics aside.. and maybe that's impossible.. Just read another local Louisiana native has died in Iraq. I feel so sorry for their families. I admire those who serve in our armed services, as well as those such as firefighters and police who put themselves in harms way to protect us.

Roughrider,

Politics aside as you say, why are we in Iraq? I do not pretend to hold all the answers to such hard questions, but I do feel that our individual answers depend on our ultimate belief in our government; its intelligence and military agencies, various branches of government, and their motives. You know, those guys we send 35% of our paychecks to!

Perhaps the answer is as simple, if you are a government cynic. When the “no-bid contracts” finally run out, we will pull out because that’s what the war was all about. Or maybe we are there for “big oil” which isn’t paying off, so we should pull out.

For those less jaded by government, maybe the answer is equally simple. Maybe they got it right. Yes you heard me; they received intelligence of a possible threat and acted on it, only the huge delay in action caused Saddam to prepare by moving the threat to a neighboring country such as Syria or else bury it in the sand. This is very possible, even likely given the “countdown” that we gave him. What would you do in his shoes given a stopwatch ticking downward? Is Saddam evil or dysfunctional?

I have no idea which answer is “the truth”, or if there is a third answer to consider. Imagine being president after 911 and having a second attack occured. This hasn’t happened in half a decade. But it could have. Maybe the question is why haven’t we been attacked on homeland soil in the past 5 years? And if we had, would the number of deaths equal 2000 plus? Or exceed it? Who knows?

[Rough Rider]

Originally Posted by rhertz

Roughrider,
but I do feel that our individual answers depend on our ultimate belief in our government; its intelligence and military agencies, various branches of government, and their motives. You know, those guys we send 35% of our paychecks to!

The "blind faith" answer.. that's always bad news.

Originally Posted by rhertz

For those less jaded by government, maybe the answer is equally simple. Maybe they got it right. Yes you heard me; they received intelligence of a possible threat and acted on it, only the huge delay in action caused Saddam to prepare by moving the threat to a neighboring country such as Syria or else bury it in the sand. This is very possible, even likely given the “countdown” that we gave him. What would you do in his shoes given a stopwatch ticking downward? Is Saddam evil or dysfunctional?

O.K. I'll give you that one for sake of argument... So when Bush stood on the aircraft carrier and declared "Mission Accomplished" why didn't we pull out then ??

Originally Posted by rhertz

I have no idea which answer is “the truth”, or if there is a third answer to consider. Imagine being president after 911 and having a second attack occured. This hasn’t happened in half a decade. But it could have. Maybe the question is why haven’t we been attacked on homeland soil in the past 5 years? And if we had, would the number of deaths equal 2000 plus? Or exceed it? Who knows?

Well if that's the case, why haven't we spent half the time/money/troops in Afganistan and surrounding area looking for BIN LADEN ?? as opposed to our cost in Iraq. Iraq does not = Al Quaida and Bin Laden.. There are people, factions.. nations in this world who want us dead a lot more than the people of Iraq do.

Apparently your answer sounds like .... We have to "Fight them over there" so we don't have to fight them here.. fine, lets freakin' go after somebody like Bin Laden, or Iran. Something we can all get a grip on .

thanks for the reply..

Rough Rider.

[rhertz]

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

The "blind faith" answer.. that's always bad news.

You got it! Blind faith is a hard and difficult thing to deal with. (on all sides of all equations) Blind faith is what separates Christians from Muslims. That is, until God stands up and declares a winner.

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

O.K. I'll give you that one for sake of argument... So when Bush stood on the aircraft carrier and declared "Mission Accomplished" why didn't we pull out then ??

Good point, and I'm sure Bush rue's the day he said that.

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

Well if that's the case, why haven't we spent half the time/money/troops in Afganistan and surrounding area looking for BIN LADEN ?? as opposed to our cost in Iraq. Iraq does not = Al Quaida and Bin Laden.. There are people, factions.. nations in this world who want us dead a lot more than the people of Iraq do.

Hell I don't know. I said I don't have any real answers. Why didn't the earth quake take out Bin Ladin if he is hanging out in Pakistan? He could be in LA for all we know.. Doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies about our multi-billion dollar satellite network. LOL

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

Apparently your answer sounds like .... We have to "Fight them over there" so we don't have to fight them here.. fine, lets freakin' go after somebody like Bin Laden, or Iran. Something we can all get a grip on .

Yep, that's about the way of it, as I see it.

Originally Posted by Rough Rider

thanks for the reply..

Likewise!

[Isaac-Saxxon]

With all the lines in the sand drawn they do not set the boundary for good
and evil. These people (Arabs, Russians, N. Koreans and China) all do not
like the western civilization. Never have never will. I might add that when
Cain left the garden he went and took wives and spread his evil seed thru
Russia, Mongolia and China. This is the same fight that started in the garden
and will not end until Christ comes at the second advent. We must take the
fight to them before they take it to us. We should have let George Patton
at the end of WWII go thru Moscow and kick some Russian butt and we
would not be dealing with this problem as it is. The answer is still the second
advent of Christ and no one knows the day or time but the season is ripe !
Isaac-Saxxon

[Isabella]

Because we have a stupid president! He gets an F for going to war with Iraq.
Before this I was all for him. I liked how he handled the economy after his election the first time and how he handled things after 9/11, but then he blew it!