NT - Why are we at War in Iraq? Vol. simple explanations please

Originally Posted by PrurientSole

To all of those people who think that we're in Iraq because of oil, please explain.

Because we already got oil from Iraq. If we needed more, we could get more.

The international community would never accept the United States controlling such valuable commodity, nor would the Iraqi people stand for us controlling the lifeblood of their country.

It's not like we'd be getting it for free even IF we were able to seize control of the oil fields and operate within a peaceful environment. You'd still have to pay for the drilling, pay the workers, pay to have it shipped here...

And then there's this pesky little problem of having to circumvent OPEC.

Just curious as to why people say that we're in Iraq for oil, other than the overly-simplistic "America needs oil + Iraq has oil = WAR FOR OIL!!1!"

I don't particularly know the reason why we're still there myself, but, thinking pragmatically, I don't believe that it's for oil.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, what other choices do the people living in Iraq have if they dont want to stay cause imperialism took place? I know some will want to move but things could go differently.
 
to save the world from the terrorists!!!
smh.gif
indifferent.gif
 
By the looks of it, there were three factors that drove the Bush Administration to War.

There was the President's friends who are in the business of contracting services that are used by armed forces. The invasion and the prolonged occupation have been a boon to them and a loss to everyone else.

The second factor was genuine idealism on the part of some neo conservatives. Neo conservatives are big government conservatives. They usually started as leftists when they were new to politics, they became conservative as they got older but retained the left wing notion that societies can be socially engineered for the better. They believed that our military could completely remake the society of Iraq and it would cause many other Muslims counties to become more Democratic, pro Western and less likely to produce terrorists.

The third factor was the broader, geopolitical implications. Is is common knowledge, among those who look at the map of the World, that the Middle East and its oil reserves are important and Russia, China, India and local rulers (especially Iran, whose leaders want regional Supremacy through a combination of nuclear weapons and control of Islam militant groups from Palestine to Pakistan) all want to dominate it. Therefore, so goes the hawkish conventional wisdom, Iraq and Afghanistan must be controlled and Israel, Pakistan and the nations of the Caucus Mountains (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan) and Central Asia (every country that ends in "-stan") must be as pro American as possible in order to minimize Iranian power and to keep out Russian and Chinese influence.

As far as the issue of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD's) is concerned, most of the World's intelligence agencies over estimated Iraq's capibility in producing WMD's and even Scott Ritter, the former UN weapons inspector who opposed the war, said that Iraq's ability to produce a nuclear, chimical or biological weapon could never be completely contained. I do not think that George Bush intentionally lied about WMD's. However, even if the WMD situation was as bad they believed, WMD's were always a fig leaf Causus Belli and it is clear that the war was fought for the financial gain of certain special interests and for the Realpolitik goals of maintaining hegemony in the region.
 
dog are you serious? im an active duty marine. we havent been at war in iraq in years? despite what the media feeds you, were barely at war in afghanistan. all we are doing for the most part is training each of these countries military's so they can handle their own BI
 
Originally Posted by Hazeleyed Honey

The Iraq war was mainly an agenda of conquest by greedy and evil powerful leaders and governments that push their ideals and principles into the Middle East in order to make it a "democracy".So they go in and go head and make wars where they send soldiers to their death beds and kill of thousands of innocent civilians along the way to "democratize" the Middle East. "Democracy"?B.S. It is more like the continuation of an imperialist quest that the U.S. government is doing in order to dominate and control the Middle East region for their own self-interests and benefits. To build a democracy, you go in by invading with a pre-emptive strike,making a war,killing thousands of civilians, and occupying Iraq? You want to exercise democracy on other countries when you try to enforce it through violent means and masking it for or other intentions?That is a democracy?

As predicted, Iraq is a mess and it is worse now than it was under Saddam. I just hope justice is served for those who died in vain and that there are war crime charges, which I doubt will happen.
Click to expand...



Pass whatever you're smoking on babay
 
a) why are we at war?

We were told that Iraq was a grevious threat to our security here and to our allies abroad. (i.e. Israel) To ensure that the public supported what it's government was doing, newspapers across the country pushed this view as the only option. They made us believe that Iraq was a serious threat because at the time our government had intelligence that supported the argument. From my experience, the New York Times also published a number of Op-Ed pieces from prominent Israeli figures stating the dangers Iraq posed to not their country and ours.

We're in Iraq for a few reasons that all tie into a main reason. The main reason is oil reserves. We're already allies with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The next in line with a large amount of oil was Iraq and we couldn't ally with Hussein. Instead, with our bad intelligence, we went to war to oust him from power. The fact is, Saddam Hussein was not a good man, and was not a good leader, but he did hold that country together with a strong sense of fear. Also, after 9-11 it was clear that we needed to remove our military bases from Saudi Arabia because that was a serious offense to the minority of Muslims who practice Islam strictly, and it was also a nuisance to every day Saudi's who lived around them. We needed somewhere else to put large military bases, so where better than a country that would be so happy we just "freed" them from a tyrannical dictator.

b) when will the war end?
The war is over. We need to remove our troops soon, but only when the country is stable. We can't pull out too fast and risk having more innocent people there killed and having it fall to pieces.
c) what is the big picture of our current status as a country?
The majority of the world hated the policies of Bush and should soon realize that Obamas foreign policy is not much better. Unless he pressures the Israeli's to make peace and gets a serious response, we'll still be looked at negatively. Also, with the risk of a more Conservative President coming to power in 2012, there's no telling what kind of damage will further be done to our image as a country.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
As predicted, Iraq is a mess and it is worse now than it was under Saddam.
Many people dont realize this. Saddam ruled with an iron fist. Anyone caused trouble, they'd be imprisoned or killed. There was order under Saddam. Ever since the U.S. arrived it's been every man for themselves and the country is on the brink of a civil war.

The 'democracy' reason is a bunch of crap. This is the same U.S. government that had good relations with Musharaf, have good relations with Qaddhafi and have excellent relations with Mubarak and other Arab leaders who have no regards for human rights.
The international community would never accept the United Statescontrolling such valuable commodity, nor would the Iraqi people standfor us controlling the lifeblood of their country.
Who can stop the U.S. from doing what they want? The international community you speak of is the same international community that overwhelmingly opposed the war but could not stop the U.S. from invading the country. And the Iraqi people? How the heck are they going to stand up against the U.S.?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I think its a lot simpler than what a lot of people are making it out to be.

Sadaam wanted for oil to be sold with euros, and not the U.S. dollar. A move which would have literally bankrupted the country overnight.

*shrug*
 
the man behind the "man"
believes that the egyptians had technology that was out of this world
and that it was lost in the desert
they want this power
*shrug*
 
Originally Posted by derrty6232

Iraq... Afghanistan... I don't even know where the US is anymore.
Click to expand...

we are everywhere, and for what?  After WW2 we are in Japan and Germany, all over Europe except France.   soon we will permanently have troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq just like we did everywhere else.  We still have nuclear missiles only because Russia does, hopefully Obama makes a new START treaty for that situation to reduce the numbers.  I think the War for Oil argument is dumb and just gives people something to shoot for.  I think the War on Terrorism will take forever because it is very difficult to defeat similar to Vietnam where we don't really know who we are fighting and they are hard to find.  It's not like the first Gulf War where Iraq had an army.  Afghanistan is on a whole different level, that is why Russia left there in the 70's
 
Originally Posted by popcornplaya

I think its a lot simpler than what a lot of people are making it out to be.

Sadaam wanted for oil to be sold with euros, and not the U.S. dollar. A move which would have literally bankrupted the country overnight.

*shrug*
Click to expand...
don't forget Saddam was an evil dictator as well.  He did some pretty horrible things.  So did we when we tortured I guess.  people need to check out a good documentary on ole Saddam before making opinions
 
Originally Posted by PrurientSole

To all of those people who think that we're in Iraq because of oil, please explain.

Because we already got oil from Iraq. If we needed more, we could get more.

The international community would never accept the United States controlling such valuable commodity, nor would the Iraqi people stand for us controlling the lifeblood of their country.

It's not like we'd be getting it for free even IF we were able to seize control of the oil fields and operate within a peaceful environment. You'd still have to pay for the drilling, pay the workers, pay to have it shipped here...

And then there's this pesky little problem of having to circumvent OPEC.

Just curious as to why people say that we're in Iraq for oil, other than the overly-simplistic "America needs oil + Iraq has oil = WAR FOR OIL!!1!"

I don't particularly know the reason why we're still there myself, but, thinking pragmatically, I don't believe that it's for oil.
Click to expand...
Actually you're wrong Pruierent. Have you watched the move W? There is a great scene where the Bush administration is discussing invading Iraq and the reason why they wanted to. From what the public was told and what was the ulterior motive by Cheaney.
 
We'll never completely leave Iraq... we NEVER just leave... there will be troops there forever.. count on it
 
Originally Posted by smoke ya later

Originally Posted by popcornplaya

I think its a lot simpler than what a lot of people are making it out to be.

Sadaam wanted for oil to be sold with euros, and not the U.S. dollar. A move which would have literally bankrupted the country overnight.

*shrug*
Click to expand...
don't forget Saddam was an evil dictator as well.  He did some pretty horrible things.  So did we when we tortured I guess.  people need to check out a good documentary on ole Saddam before making opinions
Click to expand...
Documentaries are cheap and one sided. Read a book.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

The ultimate sneaker enthusiast community.

NikeTalk was created as a way of giving back to both the sneaker enthusiast community and to the greater global community of which we are all a part.

NikeTalk is NOT affiliated with Nike Inc. in any way, shape, or form. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Nike, Inc.

© 1999-2024 NikeTalk.com

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom