Nuke - Of course the WMD was a consideration but I think events have shown that the level of risk we were facing was less than we were given to believe. I would be interested in any sources you have where intelligence gathered by other than the UK or US shows the same level of risk that was presented to the UN. I believe that post 9-11 the WMD issue became politically convenient and the administrations of the UK and US took advantage of it.
Pongo - read my post - I never said they
prefered it - just they thought it was possible. Consider you are having to make the decision about war and after - the choices are (1) you install some puppet leaders in a semi military supported dictatorship or (2) you take the assurances of exiled Iraqis that the people want democracy and run elections. As a western leader up for re-election in a few years the you must be seen to be politically correct - the democracy is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, as we are finding out, the Iraqi people have different ideas on democracy.
Steve - I'm a simpleton then ? Read Momus excellent post, read some history and read some current affairs that don't originate in the US and get back to us.
I disagree here. I'm not saying that freeing the Iraqi people was the driving force behind getting rid of Hussein. I am saying that is was one of the considerations.
So if a free Iraqi people was an aim then why are we still there now they have their freedom ?? Why aren't we inviting Islamic freindly forces like Eygpt, Moroco, Jordan etc to take over the role we have there at the moment ? And if Iraq was such a bulwark of terrorist support where are all the insurgent Saudi's, Syrians etc getting there support from now ?? Pakistan is on our side, Afghanistan is under western supervision with friendly government so where ??
Lazs - you are absolutely right about the Sadman regime and it's atrocities so why then do we stand on the sidelines of so many other countries and say "it's internal and we can't get involved" ? Rwanda ? Sudan? Burma?
McGroin - no we invaded to stop it going over $100 a barrel. The rising price is a very good reason to invite Mr Crown Prince to dinner at the ranch ???
Nash - the courage to install or accept whatever kind of regime it takes to stabilize the country and cozy up to it and support it exactly as we have with Saudi Arabia. The key is finding the right people. In Saudi it happenned naturally but may get upset when the new King gets in - hence the get-together in Texas. The democracy experiment looks like failing and civil war is a real probability in my mind. I wonder what the great and the good leaders have in mind then ??
Mine is not a liberal point of view - it's probably more right wing than many of you on here.
