Was the 2003 invasion of Iraq a mistake?

[Soaring Pikachu]

With the U.S. President elections around the corner, some folks start to remember about the middle east. If someone were to ask me if the 2003 war was a misstep, I would say "not necessarily". Of course with knowledge of the future we could change this or that in the past but it is important to remember the background for this event.

Saddam's regime was a brutal dictatorship but not without reason. It is not to say that the former leader of Iraq did positive things for the region but his actions did help keep the neighborhood in check. Naturally when questioned about weapons of mass destruction they would never admit to not having them because that could provide a chance for Iraq's enemies to strike. So maybe some of Saddam's misdeeds should not be condoned but his regime put a lot of effort into deception and they deserve recognition for that.

I think the mistake was not in the invasion but in the lack of extensive planning for the post war scenario. One objective was to encourage more democracy in the middle east and in northern Iraq that goal was achieved. Iraq as a country had its chance, it is just that it went off the rails. The people of Iraq blew it because they elected corrupted officials and the U.S. led coalition blew it because there were not enough contingency measures put in place for the scope of the operation.

But having said all of that, the mission to liberate Iraq was a success. It is only the aftermath that turned everything into a mess. I think that the only way that the invasion can be labeled a "mistake" is if governments around the world do not remember the lessons learned from the conflict.

(which is still in progress)

 

[ShinyUmbreon189]

I mean it was but it wasn't, but I feel strongly that the government is hiding many things for the true purpose of going over there and it's a matter of time before the people find out. We're fighting a war that cannot be won, you can't convert a country/culture into something other than what they believe. They hate Christians and they will do anything in their power to destroy the Christian religion, you can't exactly do that ya know, just like America can't destroy the Muslim religion. People may disagree with me but we're fighting a war based off religion and if we were to end the war by bringing the troops back it could make matters worse. We're basically in a predicament we can't get out of and with the way things have been escalating lately it's just a matter of time before we find ourselves in WW3, I mean technically it's already started.
Since you brought up elections for the next candidates I will first come off saying that either way we're screwed. Either they're gonna try to end the war (which is a bad thing) or they're going to escalate it (which is also a bad thing) depending on who's elected. Since the wars started it's been a loss loss situation. But I also feel that if Bush didn't take action matters could of even got worse than they are now. Honestly, I don't even like thinking about it, it's that ****ed.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

While I agree that Saddam needed to be taken out of power, I did not agree with the "search for weapons of mass destruction." They never existed. Unless you count Dick Cheney with a shot gun....

 

[Navin]

I mean it was but it wasn't, but I feel strongly that the government is hiding many things for the true purpose of going over there and it's a matter of time before the people find out. We're fighting a war that cannot be won, you can't convert a country/culture into something other than what they believe. They hate Christians and they will do anything in their power to destroy the Christian religion, you can't exactly do that ya know, just like America can't destroy the Muslim religion. People may disagree with me but we're fighting a war based off religion and if we were to end the war by bringing the troops back it could make matters worse. We're basically in a predicament we can't get out of and with the way things have been escalating lately it's just a matter of time before we find ourselves in WW3, I mean technically it's already started.

Ehh yeah...I don't believe America went into Iraq to obliterate Islam. More like to free up the oil reserves, increase ally Isreal's power in the region, and ideally to place an American-backed puppet democracy. Potential WMDs were probably a cause to justify the action, but not the need of why the U.S. went in the first place.

 

[The Admiral]

1. Debates forum

2. It was engaged in on false pretenses if nothing else. Granted, there can still be real reasons to go to war, but the reasons we were given were garbage. But that said: you're right. We needed more planning.

 

[bobjr]

This isn't appropriate for this forum, but most people anyway will say it was a terrible idea, for both bad reasons for doing it, and pissing away America's foreign goodwill from post 9/11.