Difference between revisions of "US-Iraq/war/invasion"

Latest revision as of 22:45, 19 March 2014

the President
he's got his war
folks don't know
just what it's for
no one gives us
rhyme or reason
you have one doubt
they call it treason
- Roberta Flack, 1969
"Compared to What"

About

This page is about the 2003 United States-led invasion of Iraq ordered by George W. Bush and beginning on 2003-03-20, which officially started the US-Iraq War; the invasion phase officially ended on 2003-05-01 with the toppling of Saddam Hussein's government, Iraqi infrastructure in US hands and with Bush's arrival on the USS Abraham Lincoln and the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner. The US has continued to occupy Iraq despite mounting costs in both dollars and lives and despite growing opposition both within the US and internationally.

Conclusions

The invasion was sold to the citizens of the United States on false pretenses led to the US occupation of Iraq, which has become both a logistical and political quagmire of unprecedented expense.

The one positive effect was to get rid of Saddam, but it should be noted that his rise to power was originally supported by the US. It's fair enough to say "when Saddam went the wrong way, we took him down again -- we keep our house clean", but then why did we stand by and allow him to be executed? Why did we stop short of continuing on to Baghdad during the original Gulf War in 1993, when the citizens there rose up against Saddam at our request and trusting in our promise to keep them safe? It would seem, in the absence of satisfactory answers to these questions, that the US's behavior with respect to Iraq has been substantially less than honorable.

Events

2002-10-16 Iraq Resolution: the official "declaration of war" required before military force can be used

Related Pages

The invasion and occupation of Iraq are part of the Bush administration's "war on terror".
US justifications for invading Iraq
Balkans vs. Iraq: a day-and-night comparison of the two interventions

Links

Reference

to file

2005-07-18 Report: invasion of Iraq provided boost for Al-Qaeda
2003-03-31 President Updates America on Operations Liberty Shield and Iraqi Freedom: Remarks by the President at the Port of Philadelphia
2003-03-29 President Discusses Iraqi Freedom Progress in Radio Address: Radio Address by the President to the Nation
2003-03-23 President Discusses Military Operation: Remarks by the President in Press Availability Upon Return From Camp David
2003-03-22 President Discusses Beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom: President's Radio Address
2003-03-19 U.S. President George W. Bush has announced that war against Iraq has begun.
2003-03-08 War on Terror: President's Radio Address

News

2009/04/02 [L..T] Fake Faith and Epic Crimes «Spain's celebrated Judge Baltasar Garzon, who indicted Pinochet and the leaders of the Argentinian military junta, has called for George W. Bush, Blair and former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar to be prosecuted for the invasion of Iraq – "one of the most sordid and unjustifiable episodes in recent human history: a devastating attack on the rule of law" that had left the UN "in tatters." He said, "There is enough of an argument in 650,000 deaths for this investigation to start without delay."»

Trivia

"Drat Saddam, a mad dastard!" is a palindrome.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{| align=right style="background: #ffeedd; font-size: smaller;"
+<hide>
+[[page type::article]]
+[[thing type::event]]
+[[thing type::invasion]]
+[[start date::2003-03-20]]
+[[stop date::2003-05-01]]
+[[title::US invasion of Iraq]]
+</hide>
+{| style="float: right;"
 |-
 |
-the President<br>
+{{nav/US-Iraq}}
+<br clear=both />
+{| style="background: #ffeedd; float: right; font-size: smaller; border: solid 1px red;"
+|-
+|
+<i>the President<br>
 he's got his war<br>
 folks don't know<br>
@@ Line 9: / Line 22: @@
 rhyme or reason<br>
 you have one doubt<br>
-they call it treason<br>
+they call it treason</i><br>
 - Roberta Flack, 1969<br>
 "Compared to What"
 |}
-==Overview==
+|}
-This page is about the '''{{USA}} Invasion of Iraq''', which took place during [[George W. Bush]]'s [[2000-2007 US Presidential Administration|presidential administration]].
+==About==
-==Reference==
+This page is about the 2003 '''{{USA}}-led invasion of [[Iraq]]''' ordered by [[George W. Bush]] and beginning on {{date|2003-03-20}}, which officially started the [[US-Iraq War]]; the invasion phase officially ended on {{date|2003-05-01}} with the toppling of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s government, Iraqi infrastructure in US hands and with Bush's arrival on the USS ''Abraham Lincoln'' and the infamous "[[George W. Bush/mission accomplished|Mission Accomplished]]" banner. The US has continued to [[US occupation of Iraq|occupy]] Iraq despite mounting costs in both dollars and lives and despite growing opposition both within the US and internationally.
-* {{wikipedia|2003_invasion_of_Iraq}}
+===Conclusions===
-* [http://dir.salon.com/topics/iraq/ Iraq editorials at Salon.com]
+The invasion was sold to the citizens of the {{USA}} on [[US justifications for invading Iraq|false pretenses]] led to the [[US occupation of Iraq]], which has become both a logistical and political quagmire of unprecedented expense.
-* [http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/ AfterDowningStreet.org]: "nonpartisan coalition ...[working]... to pressure both Congress and the media to investigate whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war"
-* [http://www.iraqbodycount.net/ Iraq Body Count]
+The one positive effect was to get rid of [[Saddam Hussein|Saddam]], but it should be noted that his rise to power was originally supported by the US. It's fair enough to say "when Saddam went the wrong way, we took him down again -- we keep our house clean", but then why did we stand by and allow him to be executed? Why did we stop short of continuing on to Baghdad during the original [[Gulf War]] in 1993, when the citizens there rose up against Saddam at our request and trusting in our promise to keep them safe? It would seem, in the absence of satisfactory answers to these questions, that the US's behavior with respect to Iraq has been substantially less than [[honor]]able.
+==Events==
+* '''2002-10-16''' [[wikipedia:Iraq Resolution|Iraq Resolution]]: the official "declaration of war" required before military force can be used
 ==Related Pages==
-* [[Balkans vs. Iraq]]: a comparison of the two interventions
+* The [[US invasion of Iraq|invasion]] and [[US occupation of Iraq|occupation]] of [[Iraq]] are part of the [[43rd US Presidential administration|Bush administration]]'s "[[war on terror]]".
-* The [[US invasion of Iraq]] is part of the [[43rd US Presidential administration|Bush administration]]'s [[War on Terror]]
+* [[US justifications for invading Iraq]]
-==Justification==
+* [[Balkans vs. Iraq]]: a day-and-night comparison of the two interventions
-In justifying the invasion of Iraq, Bush claimed:
+==Links==
-* (a) that there was strong evidence of WMDs when it seems clear that there was none and that this was well known to Bush and his closest advisors at the time the claims were made
+===Reference===
-* (b) that Iraq had refused to allow UN inspectors (see [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030714-3.html], final paragraph) to confirm the lack of WMDs, when in fact Iraq did allow the inspectors in ("In 2002, the commission began searching Iraq for weapons of mass destruction, ultimately finding none." {{wpref|Hans Blix}} and "The Iraqi government did what it was required in the 1441 resolution and presented a report of its weapons. The US government claimed that the report was false for not recognizing having the WMDs. It announced the invasion in the Spring of 2003." {{wpref|2003 invasion of Iraq}})
+* Wikipedia:
-* (c) that Iraq was connected to the 9/11 attacks (for which there is no evidence):
+** [[wikipedia:2003 invasion of Iraq|2003 invasion of Iraq]]
-** 2003-03-21 [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030321-5.html Letter to Congress]: "The use of armed forces against Iraq is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001."
+** [[wikipedia:Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq|Legitimacy of the 2003 invasion of Iraq]]
-** 2006-03-20 [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060320-7.html President Discusses War on Terror and Operation Iraqi Freedom]: "First, just if I might correct a misperception, I don't think we ever said &ndash; at least I know I didn't say that there was a direct connection between September the 11th and Saddam Hussein."
+* [http://www.indybay.org/antiwar/ Anti-War and Militarism News]
-** 2001-09-12: [[Richard Clarke]] says that on September 12, 2001, President Bush "testily" asked him to try to find evidence that Saddam Hussein was connected to the [[9/11|terrorist attacks]]. After an initial denial, the White House has since conceded that the meeting took place. In response he wrote a report stating there was absolutely no evidence of Iraqi involvement and got it signed by all relevant agencies, including the FBI, and the CIA. The paper was quickly returned by a deputy with a note saying "Please update and resubmit," apparently unshown to the President. ({{wikipedia|Richard A. Clarke}})
+===to file===
+* '''2005-07-18''' [[wikinews:Report: invasion of Iraq provided boost for Al-Qaeda|Report: invasion of Iraq provided boost for Al-Qaeda]]
-[http://www.beingism.org/evidence/pages/war.html Many people believe] this is an impeachable offense.
+* '''2003-03-31''' [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030331-4.html President Updates America on Operations Liberty Shield and Iraqi Freedom]: Remarks by the President at the Port of Philadelphia
+* '''2003-03-29''' [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030329.html President Discusses Iraqi Freedom Progress in Radio Address]: Radio Address by the President to the Nation
-==Effects==
+* '''2003-03-23''' [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030323-1.html President Discusses Military Operation]: Remarks by the President in Press Availability Upon Return From Camp David
-* '''2006-10-12''' [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6040054.stm 'Huge rise' in Iraqi death tolls]: "An estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died since 2003 who might still be alive but for the US-led invasion, according to a survey by a US university."
+* '''2003-03-22''' [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html President Discusses Beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom]: President's Radio Address
-* '''2006-03-20''' [http://www.juancole.com/2006/03/top-ten-catastrophes-of-third-year-of.html Top Ten Catastrophes of the Third Year of American Iraq]
+* '''2003-03-19''' [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/03/19/sprj.irq.int.bush.transcript/index.html?_s=PM:US U.S. President George W. Bush has announced that war against Iraq has begun.]
-* '''2005-07-18''' [http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Report:_invasion_of_Iraq_provided_boost_for_Al-Qaeda Invasion was boost for Al Qaeda]
+* '''2003-03-08''' [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030308-1.html War on Terror]: President's Radio Address
+===News===
-The [[US Republican Party|Republicans]] largely continue to stand behind the war effort, a position which is now in stark disagreement with their [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/conventions/republican/features/platform.00/ 2000 Party Platform]:
+{{links/news}}
+==Trivia==
-:"When presidents fail to make hard choices, those who serve must make them instead. Soldiers must choose whether to stay with their families or to stay in the armed forces at all. Sending our military on vague, aimless, and endless missions rapidly saps morale. Even the highest morale is eventually undermined by back-to-back deployments, poor pay, shortages of spare parts and equipment, inadequate training, and rapidly declining readiness."
+* "Drat Saddam, a mad dastard!" is a palindrome.
-==News Articles==
-* '''2006-10-18''' [http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/18/iraq.baker.reut/  Baker: No 'magic bullet' for Iraq]
-* '''2006-10-17''' [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/10/17/iraq.reality.check.1/  Iraq reality check: The cost in lives lost]
-* '''2006-09-28''' [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15022363/ Heralded Iraq police academy a 'disaster'] by Amit R. Paley, ''The Washington Post''
-* '''2006-09-17''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/16/AR2006091600193.html Ties to GOP Trumped Know-How Among Staff Sent to Rebuild Iraq] by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, ''Washington Post'' Staff Writer
-* '''2006-06-07''' [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13190993/ Officer says he won’t fight in ‘unlawful’ Iraq war]
-* '''2005-11-17''' [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/politics/17text-murtha.html?pagewanted=1 Representative John Murtha of Pennsylvania calls for a change of direction]
-* '''2005-09-19''' [http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article313538.ece $1 billion missing from Iraq's defence ministry]
-* '''2003-10-02''' [http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/international_security_bt/102.php Misperceptions, the Media and the Iraq War]: Study Finds Widespread Misperceptions on Iraq Highly Related to Support for War
-==Reports==
-* '''2004-09-29''' [http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=72659 Wall Street Journal reporter Farnaz Fassihi reports from Baghdad]
-==Opinionated Very Brief Summary==
-* Got rid of Saddam, but resulted in a very expensive quagmire and harmed global opinion of America
-* The current occupation of Iraq, with no timetable (much less a plan) for exit, is an example of an [[endless crisis]]
-==Other Opinions==
-* '''2006-08-13''' [http://www.ornery.org/essays/warwatch/2006-08-13-1.html Lies and Catastrophes] by [[Orson Scott Card]] in defense of the Iraq war and Bush; synopsis:
-** A Democratic congressman recently used the word "catastrophic" in reference to Iraq, "but catastrophe is a word that requires there be widespread sudden damage" so the congressman must mean something else (first 12 paragraphs)
-** This is because "he was selling something", i.e. "He was trying to persuade the American people that the Iraq War was a dire mistake, a disaster" which can only (and must) be ended "by withdrawing our troops by the end of the year." (2  short paragraphs)
-** Withdrawing our troops in that manner, however, ''would'' be a catastrophe because:
-*** "all the people who have taken bold action for democracy in Iraq would be left high and dry in the tribal and religious war that would certainly ensue. The citizens of Iraq would be slaughtered by local enemies who think nothing of blowing up each other's mosques, weddings, and funerals."
-*** "all our enemies would be greatly emboldened by such a proof of our irresolution." Our enemies would learn that "If you kill American citizens and soldiers long enough, they give you everything you want. Since they were killing Americans before we liberated Iraq, it is hard to imagine that they would stop."
-** People who favor withdrawal from Iraq only do so because "they think we are somehow the cause of the war. We were bad, and so they hate us; if we become good, then they will be nice to us." ''([[straw man argument]] &ndash;[[User:Woozle|Woozle]])'' This is not at all true; they hate us because we are prosperous.
-** The rest seems to be devoted to exploring the meaning of "lying" with regard to [[Bill Clinton vs. George W. Bush]]; further fisking needed.
-* '''2006-08-10''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/09/AR2006080901514.html The Guns Of August] by [[Richard Holbrooke]]
-* '''2006-07-23''' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/22/AR2006072201004.html In Iraq, Military Forgot Lessons of Vietnam]: also makes some comparisons with the [[1994 Balkan Intervention|Balkans]]
-* '''2006-07-17''' [http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/38986/ Iraq's Reconstruction a Boondoggle by Design] by Joshua Holland, AlterNet
-* '''2005-12-01''' [http://mediacitizen.blogspot.com/2005/12/lying-about-war.html Lying about the War]: "truth became the first casualty in their campaign to whip up support."
-* '''2003-01-21''' [http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig6/pinter1.html One of the More Nauseating Images] by [[wikipedia:Harold Pinter|Harold Pinter]]
-* '''2003-01-19''' [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,877652,00.html Saddam will not be deposed by sweet reason or sanctions]: pre-invasion opinions from a number of prominent Britons
-===David Brin===
-From http://www.davidbrin.com/neocons.html :
-* Over a thousand Americans lost, with more dying almost daily and no end in sight.
-* Uncounted (and secret) numbers of Iraqi civilian deaths.
-* Scandals; poorly supervised thugs ruining our reputation for decent behavior.
-* A Western Alliance in shambles.
-* Relentless lies; intervention justified by fabricated evidence reminiscent of Tonkin Gulf.
-* Plummeting [[US military readiness|readiness]] levels &mdash; our military is being used-up.
-* Utterly divisive of American public (possibly a desired goal), repeating the social effects of Vietnam ''(Editor's note: further enhancing Bush's existing [[The Red-Blue Divide|divisiveness]])''
-* Clever incarceration tricks overused as bludgeons, wrecking credibility and undermining due process.
-* Incompetent preparation and handling of the aftermath, featuring rapid deterioration of political, economic and social life in Iraq
-* Worldwide acceptance of US moral leadership plummeting.
-* And the '''fundamental strategic outcome''' &mdash; provoking a radicalized Islam, further stirred by Saudi-funded Al Jazeera Network and Saudi-funded religious schools, from Morocco to Mindanao, threatening a pan-Islamic coalescence into Jihad mentality for the first time in a thousand years.
-==Quotes==
-* "I thought they were out of their minds, once I realised that they weren't kidding. The most inappropriate, the most counterproductive thing we could've done would've been to invade Iraq and I rather thought that was self-evident." &ndash; [[wikipedia:Richard A. Clarke|Richard A. Clarke]], former US Counter-Terrorism Advisor [http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2006/s1738419.htm]