Page 1 of I`m not against war but can someone remind me how all of this suddenly kicked off a few weeks ago?

Don`t get me wrong, I believe that if there is no alternative to war then it is right that we prepare and support our country and our allies all the way.

It`s just that I must have fallen asleep when this all first kicked off one minute were bombing afghanistan the next we forget about that and go in to kick iraqs ass.

Did I miss something, what are the reasons for all this ??

I`d be grateful if you could fill me in !

(NOTE: This is not a debate about should be go to war or the like just wanted a place where we can put all the actual known facts together)

Ta

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America`s anti terroism campaign was starting to lose momentum, so they thought they would kill two birds with one stone and get control of the oil fields and keep up the wonderful pretence of giving a damn!

Cant get rid of pesky Osama`s? Use new improved Saddam!!! Makes all known bad news about your inability to deal with Al Quaeda magically vanish!!!

Now comes with extra added Anthrax!

Brave men are still fighting in Afghanistan, lest we forget. Operation Mongoose saw the destruction of a reformed band of Taliban/Al Queda in late January. Kind of makes the previous posts sound dumb doesn`t it.

You bloodthirsty b*stards have to show a little patience. I know you`re anxious but we`ll get to N Korea soon enough, I think 2 wars is enough for time being.

Now, as for Iraq, it all started up again when weapon inspectors were allowed back in to the country last year but were continually fudged and lied to. Remember?

Ok, I remember the weapons inspectors going back in, and I know they are still fighting against Al-Quaeda in Afghanistan, something that I applaud all the guys and girls out there, and the last thing I want is for a full blown war unless there really is no alternative.

But my question still remains, how come they suddenly decided to get the weapons inspectors back in Iraq ?

It just seems to me that they have evidence about this and that, but by not showing/declaring what it is, many people are against the allies.

One thing I can`t understand is why do we go in now to stop the tyrannical leader, when we wouldn;t go in to help save the lives of thousands of Iraqies killed by this man.

Maybe I should give up trying to get my head round it all, at the moment I just don`t know, even though I listen to the news, see the reports etc etc..

Am I the only one or does anyone else feel like this ?

"Am I the only one or does anyone else feel like this ?"

You are not the only one.

After Sept 11, the number one enemy was supposedly OBL. Given that Iraq played no part in these events (no proof exists today) or Iraq has done no terrorist activities outside of Iraq immediately prior/during/after Sept 11, it is a bit much that the USA is gunning for him.

True, Saddam has been as issue since he invaded Kuwait but after the Gulf war he hasn`t been capable of attacking anyone or massing large quantities of WMD as the USA/UK would like you to think. With the constant no-fly zones, economic sanctions, embargos, Iraq is actually weaker now than it was when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Then he had the weapons but didn`t exactly use these in the gulf war apart from a few scuds here and there in retaliation.

So given this, how come everything has gone from going after OBL - who should be the number one enemy - to going after Saddam. It`s easy to explain. The USA has `hawks` (or whoever you want to call them) who for their interests want to take out Iraq as unfinished business. They are using the "war on terror" to legitimise this.

These `hawks` knew people would not buy if they had no evidence to link Iraq with Spet the 11th so they carefully begin to change/orchestrate the media agenda towards Iraq. First it started off as `iraq` should have inspectors back in for non-compliance", then the media started printing Iraq not only has weapons but these are `weapons of mass destruction` (funny how this term was never used before Sept 11). Then it was the people/Kurds of Iraq needed protecting, then there needs to be a regime change, and so forth. Gradually but surely, the priority has changed over to Iraq.

You cannot help notice how America wants the war with Iraq. Look how it all started out.

USA : Iraq must allow inspectors back in (or else...)
Iraq eventually Agrees

USA : This is about freeing the people of Iraq

USA : There needs to be a regime change
People cry foul as this is an issue with the Iraqi people

USA : Saddam has WMD
Inspectors state no-such found (except empty shells)

USA : We know he has WMD (...we`ve got all the receipts to prove it)

USA : Not job of inspectors to confirm if Iraq has WMD but Iraq must prove it does not have so. (Kind of defeats the purpose of requesting inspectors back into Iraq in the 1st instance)

USA : There is an Iraqi - Al-Qaida link
British Secret Service state this is very unlikely.

And so on....

The N Korea issue has thrown a spanner in the USA works as most people now see N Korea being a bigger threat than Iraq at this point. But the USA want diplomatic solution to this. This shows the USA`s intentions on Iraq and kind of makes mockery of the USA administration

Well said sultan!

and now......

the inevitable contradictory post from you know who!

would that be a certain boy who needs cheering up ?

So I should just STFU straightjacket? Allow your intimidation to keep me quiet?

Iraq is under sanction for dismissing weapons inspectors over 4 years ago. Discussion took place in september last year for the return of the inspectors - the only established route whereby the confirmation of Iraq`s disarmament can occur and sanctions removed.

Now Iraq is accused of misinforming and lieing to the inspectors and the US wishes to fall back on the original UN resolution to disarm Iraq. Simple enough?

Have you even look at the evidence available?

USA had 60,000 troops in Kuwait alone before the UN Inspectors even went back, they had no real intentions of ever letting the inspectors do their job, they were on a war footing long before they tried to use the UN route to give it a hint of legitimacy. Ever since the "Axis of Evil" speech the US hawks have been squaring up for a war against Iraq, the whole WoMD pretext was a sham from the beginning, the "we really care about the people of Iraq" an even bigger one. The best part of it is of the Iraqi weapons destroyed since the beginning of the Gulf War the vast majority (over 4 times as much) were destroyed by UN inspectors, the rest were destroyed in the war itself by Allied bombing. So obviously going by that sort of figure the UN Inspectors are completely hopeless aren`t they! *Sarcasm Alert: especially for you GB*