This is a question that has never been answered. Or rather the answers, all the answers, do not make logical sense:
- Stop weapons of mass destruction - They were never there as has been shown since long before the invasion.
- Get the oil- More oil was piped in the oil for food program.
- Kill Saddam - Makes a weird kind of sense considering the current result.
- Democratize the middle east - yet “we” support Musharaf in Pakistan who took over the country in a coup.
The failure to secure the country (not to mention Afghanistan) has replaced a dictator with a puppet government that, while somewhat friendly to the US, lacks authority outside or indeed inside major urban centers. This is actually worse than the Vietnam War where urban centers were under control.
This war has led to nothing but chaos and disorder, and a growing division of the country along religious and ethnic lines where there were none before. Thousands of Americans have died in Iraq and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths have been estimated to be a result of the war and flailing occupation.
Billions of dollars have been spent for outsourced services (from security to reconstruction), but there has been no real sense of progress. Oil supply continues to be choked off by “insurgents” blowing up pipelines and the like. Electricity supply and other basic services have declined.
The results are:
- Iraqi’s living in more restricted and dangerous conditions than before the war.
- A Government with no real authority.
- Billions spent or wasted on outsourced services and military support.
- A decline in oil production.
Who does this help?
Not the Iraqis (in general). Not the average American who is affected by high gas prices, not to mention those affected due to friends or family sent out to the combat zone.
It has helped those at the top of the chain - the major contractors who have close ties with government, major oil companies experiencing record profits. This real sense of crisis in the middle-east has given those at the top of the chain chances to cash in on the failure in Iraq.
I don’t pretend that Saddam was anything but a powerful tyrant, but what has gone on since the first murmurings of war in 2002 (a year before the invasion) has been nothing but a tragedy to those not in power.
That’s my rant of the day. If you have similar feelings or are just wanting to get a better grip on what is going on around you then I recommend reading Armed Madhouse, a book written by investigative journalist, Greg Palast. Armed Madhouse gives an overview of what has gone on (or wrong) and why those in power want it that way.
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