War On Iraq

My summary:

Saddam Hussein was a psychotic tyrant.
He did not live up to the UN Resolutions he agreed to at the end of the previous Gulf War.
He deserved to be assassinated by his own people.
But he was not an imminent threat to the US or his neighbors. Containment was succeeding.
The George W Bush administration lied to the US people to justify its Neo-Con-fantasy-based desire for Regime Change. Information was filtered through that desire.
The War On Iraq made the US less safe in terms of Dealing With Terrorism. It only further inflamed Islam-ic Fundamentalism and made us more exposed to continued FourGW attacks.

Some pre-war backgrounds:

EthnoReligious map from 1992.

Perspectives of various UN Security Council members:

the USA: Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction, is failing to cooperate with weapons inspectors and is violating its obligations under U.N resolutions. Washington says it already has Security Council authorization to use military force to disarm Iraq.
France: Says inspections are starting to work and sees no justification for military action now. Paris has hinted it could use its veto to block council authorization for military action at this stage.

The UN Security Council imposed comprehensive Economic Sanctions against Iraq on August 6, 1990, just four days after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. When the coalition war had ousted Iraq from Kuwait the following year, the Council did not lift the sanctions, keeping them in place as leverage to press for Iraqi disarmament, return of prisoners of war and other goals... The US and UK governments made it clear early on that they would block any lifting of sanctions as long as Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein remains in power.

After the Gulf War, Security Council Resolution 687 (fulltext via http and gopher )([661?](http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/Iraq Kuwait/Iraq Sanctions Comm Eng.htm) ) (1991) Section C, decides that Iraq shall unconditionally accept, under international supervision, the destruction, removal or rendering harmless of its weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missiles with a range over 150 kilometres, and related production facilities and equipment. It also provides for establishment of a system of ongoing monitoring and verification of Iraq's compliance with the ban on these weapons and missiles.

overall http://www.un.org/Depts/unscom/Chronology/chronologyframe.htm |chronology The United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) was set up to implement the non-nuclear provisions of the resolution and to assist the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the nuclear areas.

George W Bush speech in Sept'02 summarizing history of UN sanctions and Iraq's compliance failures.

Article (2001) about Economic Sanctions.

Good little summary of frustrations from Nick Denton

PBS News Hour http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/iraq/index.html |area I'm still (Feb'03) ambivalent.

I think it's pretty well-established that Iraq has WMD capability, and continues to increase it. And they do their best to hide this from UN inspectors. I think it's reasonable to believe that they may use such weapons in an offensive action in the future. I think nothing will be gained by putting more inspectors in there (unless you really think a higher level of proof of the above is necessary to justify some action).

But I'm not sure that's sufficient to justify war. Iraq didn't surrender unconditionally at the end of the previous Gulf War (vs Japan and Germany at the end of WW2). Exactly what did Saddam agree to at the end of the war? Bush said To suspend hostilities, to spare himself, Iraq's dictator accepted a series of commitments. The terms were clear, to him and to all. And he agreed to prove he is complying with every one of those obligations. The UN's page says 6 Apr 1991 Iraq accepts resolution 687 (1991) (S/22456).. OK, now I'm convinced he agreed to disarm to save his position of control. So Saddam deserves to invaded.

And one could argue that the UN is crazy not to go in there to enforce that agreement. Saddam is basically calling their bluff.

But that's not a good enough reason for the US to act alone, I think. I'd rather isolate/contain him. Another Cuba?

I don't think the United Nations can just impose rules on any country. I'm a big believer in local Sovereignty: individual freedom is best, local laws are next-best, then state, then national... etc. I don't think there's any basis (e.g. shared values) for a World Government.

Post-war followup

Robert Byrd on George W Bush's post-war show.

Alter Net on "Ten Appalling Lies We Were Told About Iraq"

Time for an Iraq Exit Plan

Hmm, from the previous War On Iraq, here's Ramsey Clark's claims of War Crime actions of the US Government against Iraq.

i am a 12 year old girl from west yorkshire and i think that this war should not go ahead i know you have alot of reasons to go to war but there are lots of reasons why not to go to war! i hope we don't cause i fear for the people i love!!!

i am 13 and im from west yorkshire. i believe we should go to war . i think this because Sadam Hussain is so evil and he wont give up Bin laden. i feel deeply sorry for the people whos relatives or friends were killed in the september the 11 attack. This man should be stoped.

i have just one main word to say DON'T!

i am sad for the people of iraq! i am sad that thousands of children have been tortured there, by their evil dictator in order to retrieve information. how would you like to live in a country in which this takes place daily? im not sure a full out war is necessary, but, a regieme change is!

i think that this was sucks

this shit blows

this sh blows

WHY NOT? YOU HAVE NERE BEN IN THE LINE OF FIRE

DONT GO SOMEWERE YOU HAVE NOT OR DONT ERVER HAVE TO

THE BEST WAY TO SAY NOT TO GO TO WAR IS NOT EVER HAVING BE THERE

BUT WHEN YOU ARE THERE YOU DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE AT THAT TIME TO STAY IN THIS WORLD

SO TO ALL THAT THINK THIS IS BAD MAYBE MAYBE NOT BUT IT IS DONE GOD BLESS ALL HOPE AS MANY CAN COME HOME AS WHERE SENT

gggjgggggfgggggffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffgggggggggggg

I hope youn win the war of Iraq and.YOU get back safely

BUSH IS A MURDERER! HE SHOULD BE ON SADAMS SIDE, BECAUSE HE'S KILLING ALL OUR PEOPLE.............

NO COMMENT (FROM CRYSTAL)

kill the bastards!

Mm, the main issue is acting alone. US went to war against the UN resolution and without any support from other countries. There might be lot's of reasons for the war, might be not, BUT this fact underminds all of them.

STOP WAR ON Iraq NO ONE WANT THIS WAR ?

For the life of me I see no benefit to CNN or anyone in the U.S. to TELEVISE all those "waste of time" protests we see on your station. I think if you did not televise them, they may stop it. I think if they want more attention, they might consider going to Iraq to protest.

Fed up in Tennessee go to Iraq & protest. That would be good. NOT helping our troops moral.

Don't swear on world wide internet and i think we should so we can be free and the nice Iraqi people

boom the shit out of iraq bush

What a pity excuse for a website! looks like my 6 year old brother made it!

un desastre, y un fracaso del dialogo de los hombres, una farsa y un engaso que esconde otras cosas, jose de valencia (espasa)

The war on Iraq --2003/06/19 18:59 GMT
With all that is going on. we should stop to thank God for our blessings, and pray that He would provide safety and a quick return to all of the troops. May the Lord use the events to bring peace to the world.

2003/10/22 14:58 GMT
I think you are stupid b/c you dont know what you are taking about thay did not have WMD b/c if thay did than we would have found them when we blow the smoke out of them so email me at shawnglaser2003@yahoo.com

??? --2004/01/24 01:09 GMT
i WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT OUR MEN AND WOMEN OVER IN Iraq ARE FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING THOUGH MANY OF US DISAGREE WITH BEING OVER THERE. THEY DESERVE RESPECT AND CONGRATULATIONS WHEN THEY RETURN

Edited: 2010-07-09 00:00:00 | Tweet this! | Search Twitter for discussion

Bill Seitz