I have heard no shortage of reasons why the USA should NOT go to war against Iraq.
1) Iraq is not a threat to the USA.
2) There is no proof that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction.
3) George Bush is making this a personal feud between himself and Saddam.
4) The USA is only after Iraq’s oil, and control of the world’s oil market.
5) If Israel were to acquiesce to its Arab neighbors, Iraq would not be a threat.
6) America should not be the world’s policeman.
Response:
1) Not only is Iraq a threat to the USA. Iraq is indeed a threat to the entire world.
Iraq’s suspected weapons of mass destruction are almost secondary to the fact that Iraq’s military is sufficiently powerful to successfully take on, and defeat any of its Gulf neighbors, with the possible exception of Iran. And given Saddam’s history, there is no doubt, that if the world (USA) would not stop him, he would make war on his neighbors and throw the planet into chaos.
Just imagine what the world would be like with Saddam Hussein controlling virtually half of the world’s producing oil resources. He could drop prices sufficiently or embargo oil against the West to collapse the world economy. And he could use the vast wealth of this much oil with which to build a pan Arabian military capable of anything; including nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Then what does the world do?
Left to his own devices, Saddam Hussein will conquer his neighbors, and he will destroy the world’s economy.
2) Whether the world finds weapons of mass destruction in Iraq or not, is totally irrelevant.
An atomic bomb, is in some ways no less horrific than a biological or chemical weapon which can be inserted into a water supply, or from a crop duster airplane, or from aerosol cans in subways. All of which would create as much death and terror as a nuclear blast.
Not only does Saddam have chemical and biological weapons. He has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that he is very willing to use them. So, if he has used such weapons upon his Iranian enemies, and upon his own Kurdish citizens; why in the world would any right thinking person believe, even for a split second, that he wouldn’t use them on the USA or any other perceived enemy?
Just to illustrate how easy it is to terrify, even a super power such as the USA, all it takes is one gunman with a sniper capability, who will pick-off innocents at will, as is currently happening in the Washington DC area.
It doesn’t take billions, or even millions of dollars to blow up shopping centers, movie theaters, sports arenas, restaurants, schools – etc. All it takes is a few people who are sufficiently trained, adequately financed, adequately determined, ready to die for the cause, and equipped with the right weapons of controlled destruction, which could easily inspire the same panic and terror as any weapon of mass destruction.
We still don’t know who was responsible for the anthrax letters, yet, look how it so spooked the US postal service that it changed the way mail is handled and delivered.
9/11/2001 was more than a year ago, and the USA is still traumatized. Just this past week, it was announced that finger nail clippers will once again be let on board with carry-on luggage. What does that say about fear?
3) Although it is true that Saddam is still around, while George Bush senior is long gone from the White House. And that Saddam tried to get the elder Bush knocked-off, this has nothing what-so-ever to do with a personal grudge between Saddam and the current President Bush.
George W doesn’t like Hussein. But, there really is no reason why George W Bush should be any more pissed-off at Saddam Hussein, than any of the rest of the civilized world. Saddam is a thug par excellence. He has attacked his neighbors. He has murdered and tortured his own people (and still does). He has created the single largest man-made environmental disaster in history by igniting the Kuwaiti oil fields. And he foments hatred and terror worldwide.
Just about any one of these FACTS concerning Saddam Hussein is more than enough reason for everyone who cares anything about world security, democracy and freedom, to hold a grudge against this monster. And anyone who doesn’t hold such a grudge is an idiot.
4) Why should the USA be after Iraq’s oil, when it already purchases Iraq’s oil? And why spend about $100 billion to capture oil fields, when it costs $100 billion dollars LESS, without the bloodshed to buy the production?
There are two way ways to control the price and flow of oil. First: The hard and expensive way; capture, own and control the actual oil resource. Second: The easy way; control the oil resource through purchases.
The only value oil has depends upon demand. If the USA, all of a sudden decides to cut their petroleum energy needs by as little as 10%, and chooses to boycott Saudi Arabia for example; Saudi Arabia would instantly fold its tent into bankruptcy.
5) It’s easy to tie Israel to Iraq’s current position. And it’s even easier for anti-Semites to find the connection. But; what did Israel have to do with Iraq’s war against Iran from 1980 to 1989? What did Israel have to do with Iraq’s gassing of the Kurds in 1989? And what did Israel have to do with Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990?
What is happening today in Iraq has as much to do with Israel, as any of the above mentioned Iraqi atrocities. NOTHING!
6) If I had to choose a Super Power to police the planet, it would indeed be the USA. Left to its own devices, not that long ago, the UN allowed 800,000 people to be slaughtered in Rwanda. The UN couldn’t do anything about the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. The UN can’t stop the war in Sudan. It can do nothing about Pakistan and India. And it is powerless in Zimbabwe. Just to name a few UN disasters. In fact, the UN is nothing more than a self serving debating society for “loser” nations.
It was the Americans who defeated the former Soviet Union and freed the masses. It was the Americans who brought down the Berlin Wall. And it was the Americans who made it all possible for Europe to form its European Union. It is also the Americans who defeated the Nazis and the Japanese Imperial Army to end World War II. And it was the Americans who subsequently rebuilt Japan and Europe.
It is interesting how this planet’s greatest democracy is emulated worldwide. People on every continent listen to American music. See American movies. Dress like Americans. Eat like Americans. And try as best as they can to become Americans. Yet, everyone seems to hate the Americans.
Beside jealousy, there is no valid reason for this USA phobia. And besides the point. Who else would any normal person want to police the world? Iraq?
The only choice that one can have in dealing with Saddam Hussein, is to either fight him now when the free world can win more easily. Or fight him later, when winning could be his option. And that’s why WE, and NOT just the USA, should attack Iraq.