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Originally Posted by cryptowonderdruginvogue
why would anyone think the war in iraq was a good idea???
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I'm not sure it was a good idea, but I also can't say it wasn't. Nobody, except people in possession of crystal balls or psychic powers, will really know for several years. History will eventually tell us if more good or more bad came from this.
But consider this:
1. Saddam Hussein used force to invade Kuwait, thus leading to the first gulf war.
2. In the wake of the first gulf war, the UN (not the US) imposed sanctions on Iraq, which included submitting to weapons inspections.
3. For years, Iraq refused to comply with these sanctions while making an effort to convince the world it had weapons of mass destruction. This is the same country that had committed acts of genocide and torture.
If we had allowed the status quo to remain in the Middle East, then what would have happened? (I have no idea.) Aren't we responsible for the result of our inactions? To at least a certain extent, I believe we are.
This is a long term problem with no simple solution. My belief is that the middle east needs to become prosperous. At least some of this religious fanaticism would disappear if these people had jobs and lived comfortably. Maybe democracy can be the first step towards making that happen.