Author Topic: Honest question about Iraq (Read 258 times)

CyranoAH · « **on:** February 06, 2003, 05:21:17 PM »

I'm pretty sure it has been answered before in another thread, but I'm too lazy to do a search.

This has been in my head since the trouble started.

If in '91 troops were surrendering by the thousands in Iraq, its military equipment had been all but destroyed, and the kurds wanted some Hussein blood...

Why wasn't Saddam overthrown, killed, or judged like Milosevic?

Why leave him in power when it was clear he was dangerous?

Please bear in mind that my questions are not rethoric, I do want to know, so keep the flame-level to a minimum.

Thank you.

Daniel

Hangtime · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:24:26 PM »

The Colalitions mandate was the removal or Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

We had no mandate to remove Hussein or occupy the country.

GRUNHERZ · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:31:27 PM »

We wanted his Oil of course, so we left him in power and prohibited him from selling oil to anyone, including us.

john9001 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:34:48 PM »

because the USA was only allowed to free Kuwait, thats why the ground war was stoped at 100 hours.

the USA could have destroyed all the iraq army and taken bagdad and saddam , but ... the "world"* would not allow it.

instead the UN said saddam was susposed to "disarm"....hahaha

*"world" : see UN, arabs, france, etc

funkedup · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:40:03 PM »

Yes George the Elder knew that the oil would become more valuable if he waited until 2003 to finish the job. So he just decided to wait and program his Dubyabot to collect the oil at the proper time.

Furious · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:43:38 PM »

Also, the coalition blundered by allowing SH the use of helicopters.

Batz · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2003, 05:44:35 PM »

Have you see Frontline "The Gulf War".

Powell convinced Bush to end the hostilities before the retreating Iraqis were cut off.

This aloud Saddam to preserve a sizable portion of his troops. It was implied that as the media reported the huge number of Iraqi casulties the US would be demonized in the mideast for killing retreating troops. The coalition would have collapsed.

Schwarzkoff agreed as he saw no reason to risk his troops. So they halted without completely cutting off the retreating troops.

Suddam used these same forces and equip to then put down the shia's and then again againts the kurds.

The US never planned a full scale invasion of Iraq at any point.