Why The Iraqi war will be remembered as a brilliant strategical decision., A mental exercise. Options

[sadolakced acid]

Of late it has become popular, almost fashionable, to criticize the Iraqi war. However; facts are facts, and if you look at the facts of the Iraqi war do point to the fact that it is a brilliant strategical decision, if only slightly unpopular.

So, let us look at the facts.

1. Saddam was both developing WMDs as well as storing WMDs from before the first gulf war. The United States cannot allow any of the axis of evil to aquire WMDs, and it is in our strategic interests to make a show of force and stop Saddam's defiance of UN regulations. By making an example out of Saddam, we show enemies of America that we mean business and there are consequences for defying the law.

2. Wars stimulate the economy. They mobilize the defense industry that employs millions of Americas. This is an industry that has resisted outsourcing, and injects funds into the economy. While the economy appears to be doing badly, it is a result of Clinton's policies, and the war has actually significantly lessened the severity of the recession.

3. Islam is now fractured. The sunni and shia sects are now warring, and countries now contain many different groups each vying for power. In Iran, many students inspired by the democracy in Iraq campaign for democracy.

4. The country has been unified. The war has brought Americans together. We are all unified in the war on terror, and petty issues like gay marriage don't matter much anymore. Americans now enjoy a level of security where terrorism isn't their greatest fear anymore.

[anilfour7]

2. Wars stimulate the economy. They mobilize the defense industry that employs millions of Americas. This is an industry that has resisted outsourcing, and injects funds into the economy. While the economy appears to be doing badly, it is a result of Clinton's policies, and the war has actually significantly lessened the severity of the recession.

I also believe the Iraq War was a well-played move, however; out of all the reasons you listed only one will be remembered, the economic factor.

Here is why it was a tact decision made by the Bush Administration:
(1) By awarding no-bid contracts to US contractors to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure (damages in excess of $7 trillion dollars), the Bush Administration effectively pumped capital into the private sector which created jobs locally as well as internationally.

(2) The United States, in order to feed our massive energy hunger, had to preserve US hedgemony in the region. In the last two decades, the United States has preserved their hedgemony and soft power world-wide through economic means (veto power at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank). By imposing economic sanctions, rarely any country outside of the G8 would refuse the United States. However, despite the number of economic sanctions imposed on Hussein's regime, he simply would not crumble. Thus, in order to preserve hedgemony in the region, the United States had to exercise it's military might.

Thus, the Iraq War has secured our energy supply for the next decade or so, which is more than enough time to find alternate means to feed our energy needs.

[kimmytree]

Here is why it was a tact decision made by the Bush Administration:
(1) By awarding no-bid contracts to US contractors to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure (damages in excess of $7 trillion dollars), the Bush Administration effectively pumped capital into the private sector which created jobs locally as well as internationally.

Hahah. You know one of those companies was Halliburton, right? Cheney still has close ties with them, that's why there were no-bid contracts.

More like dangerous international jobs. Alot of the contractors who have gone over there never make it back home, or end up injured.