The War with Iraq....a retrospective view

[Henry Hawk]

I just want to take a look over the last 5 years at this war....the reasons for attacking and how now everybody seems to forget and jump on the bandwagon that it was a bad idea.....

A CBS News poll:
BUSH'S OVERALL JOB RATINGS
3/2004
Approve
51%
Disapprove
42%

2/2004
Approve
47%
Disapprove
44%

8/2003
Approve
55%
Disapprove
35%

4/2003
Approve
73%
Disapprove
21%

3/2003
Approve
67%
Disapprove
31%

The vast majority of Americans was in favor of this before this thing began....along with the vast majority of congress.

the link below is from snopes, showing overwhelming opinions that Saddam must be stopped and military force is the way to go....mosty by the people today who, for their own political reasons are flip flopping.......saying that it was a mistake.....

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp


another CBS POLL taken:

IRAQ WAS A THREAT THAT...
3/2004
Required immediate military action
42%
Could have been contained
45%
Was not a threat
12%

2/2004
Required immediate military action
44%
Could have been contained
37%
Was not a threat
15%

4/2003
Required immediate military action
58%
Could have been contained
32%
Was not a threat
8%

3/2003
Required immediate military action
60%
Could have been contained
31%
Was not a threat
7%

source: from 2004
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/16/opinion/polls/main606621.shtml

Then when things got tough, and election time rolled around.....funny how this Administration "lied" and misled.....but, they had the same sources as the President did, when the decision to invade was made...

This President knows that a pull out would be devastating to Americans and the people of Iraq....but, because of the Political Game that is being played....it is easy for people to point fingers and act as if they had nothing to do with this decision....

anyway....things is gettin kind of quiet on here and maybe a little somethin, somethin to spice up things....

whatcha  think?

[awol]

This President knows that a pull out would be devastating to Americans and the people of Iraq....whatcha  think?

nope.  he doesn't.  not any more than you know what tomorrows winning lotto numbers will be.

[Henry Hawk]

nope.  he doesn't.  not any more than you know what tomorrows winning lotto numbers will be.

Yes he does awol...it does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out....pulling out and leaving would be a signal to Islamic militants that we don't have the stomach to win and leaving the Iraqi people before they are ready to protect themselves would be like the "killing fields" of Vietnam....

and by the way tomorrow's lotto IS.....oh wait, your a poopiehead...never mind..

[Henry Hawk]

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
    President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998.

[Henry Hawk]

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
    Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.

[IYT]

I think if we pulled out now, it would be more of a stalemate than a loss.  I mean what did we actually lose (besides our integrity over most of the world)?  A bunch of human lives and a bunch of wasted money I guess (and some military equipment I'm sure).  What have they lost?  More lives than us, a few of them being very important people to their cause.  The global war on terror needs to be focused in more places than Iraq, IMO.  I don't mean more wars of course, but more like special ops, navy seals, cloak and dagger missions, and...what the hell was I talking about?  

Anyway, I just hope Bush Jr. doesn't make the same mistake Bush Sr. did (when making love to Barbara) and pulls out in time.

[Henry Hawk]

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
    Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

[IYT]

I thought you didn't listen to what Al Gore said. 

[Henry Hawk]

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
    Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002.

[Henry Hawk]

I thought you didn't listen to what Al Gore said. 

toche'...

but, I thought democrats did..

[Henry Hawk]

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
    Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.

[Henry Hawk]

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years . We also should remember we have alway s underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
    Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002,

[Henry Hawk]

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
    Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

[IYT]

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
    Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.

OK, I would agree about the biological weapons part of that, but is Iraq the only place capable of producing these weapons?  She did say "the leaders of a rogue state," and Iraq is not the only rogue state, just the only one we've invaded.  

[Henry Hawk]

We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction. "[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he has continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ...
    Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.