Spring Break
Six years later and still the right decision
Paul Hawkins
Issue date: 3/24/09 Section: Opinion
On March 20, 2003, the United States began the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Few ordinary American citizens could foresee six years of conflict. As time goes on, it will be left to historians to go back and put into context a conflict that has had such an impact on our modern history. Every March, we should think about how we got into this conflict, and see what we can learn. If you will indulge me, I will put forth my humble opinion that a world without Saddam Hussein is a better one.
All of the arguments about ties to 9/11 and weapons of mass destruction have been argued and re-argued, but here are the facts the way I see them. Hussein was a brutal dictator who threatened his neighbors and our allies in the region. Our military had been engaged for over 10 years since the end of the Gulf War in operations to contain him. He used weapons of mass destruction in the past on his own people. He was allowing the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam safe haven in northwestern Iraq, and he was offering payment to the families of Palestinians who would commit suicide bombings against Israelis.
Hussein was a thorn in the side of the United States in such a strategically important part of the world. Finally, a democracy in place of a brutal dictatorship in the Middle East would be good for the United States' long-term goals as well as the betterment of human rights in the region. I believe these to be sufficient reasons for regime change.
So many tragedies, however, have ensued our invasion of that country. First of all, intelligence agencies around the world failed in their assessment that Hussein currently possessed WMD capabilities. Whether or not there was wrongdoing in pressuring intelligence officials should be looked into; however, I do not believe that intelligence was "fixed" in a sinister fashion to predicate war.
The greatest tragedy, though, was the gross mishandling of the occupation after the invasion was over. I feel that much of this blame falls to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and military leadership who was ill prepared and too inflexible to confront this new enemy. Despite these setbacks and the many casualties suffered, we as Americans should want success for our efforts there as well as an honorable peace in the end.
All of the arguments about ties to 9/11 and weapons of mass destruction have been argued and re-argued, but here are the facts the way I see them. Hussein was a brutal dictator who threatened his neighbors and our allies in the region. Our military had been engaged for over 10 years since the end of the Gulf War in operations to contain him. He used weapons of mass destruction in the past on his own people. He was allowing the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam safe haven in northwestern Iraq, and he was offering payment to the families of Palestinians who would commit suicide bombings against Israelis.
Hussein was a thorn in the side of the United States in such a strategically important part of the world. Finally, a democracy in place of a brutal dictatorship in the Middle East would be good for the United States' long-term goals as well as the betterment of human rights in the region. I believe these to be sufficient reasons for regime change.
So many tragedies, however, have ensued our invasion of that country. First of all, intelligence agencies around the world failed in their assessment that Hussein currently possessed WMD capabilities. Whether or not there was wrongdoing in pressuring intelligence officials should be looked into; however, I do not believe that intelligence was "fixed" in a sinister fashion to predicate war.
The greatest tragedy, though, was the gross mishandling of the occupation after the invasion was over. I feel that much of this blame falls to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and military leadership who was ill prepared and too inflexible to confront this new enemy. Despite these setbacks and the many casualties suffered, we as Americans should want success for our efforts there as well as an honorable peace in the end.
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Mr. Jones
posted 3/25/09 @ 5:02 AM EST
Here is a number I have heard a lot today: 4258. Nothing wrong with the number itself. But now, just by adding the phrase, "number of fatalities in Iraq," the anti-war crowd is trying to spin that number into the negative. (Continued…)
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