Im a 15 year old freshman and when I get out of highshcool i hope to go to the United States Naval Academy(or airforce). I know quite a bit about wars and have been really interested in current events on the military side ever since I was a little kid and today it seems like the economy and war is all we are concerned with. I am sort of confused with the resonings of why people protest the war when it shows that in history usually when you wait to attack, the enemy has time to make supprises, and many other things that can get in the way of what we are there to do. I think people need to realize that it is neccisary to go to war with Iraq as soon as possible to ensure that our national security is safe. Please help me start a little bit of a discussion about this because it is a major issue right now and I think that it effects everyone in the United States and especially if any of you are in the military or want to be.

Hello,

A preemptive strike in Iraq was not entirely justified, nor is it now, and that is the root of protestors arguements.  The rationale to go to war was that Saddam had WMD's, which clearly he did not, and that he was involved with 9/11, which clearly he was not.  While a preemptive strike is the best defense, it must be ethical and globally justifable; as an example, if we felt Canada was a threat, we could invade them, but that doesn't mean anyone else would agree with it, nor does it mean that it would be the right thing to do.  It's the same thing here.. we claimed there was a real threat in Iraq, but upon invading, we discovered that those claims were unfounded.  While it is of course wonderful to bring freedom to those in Iraq who wanted it, was it worth the compromised integrity of our intelligence community, forieng policy, and administration?  Was it worth the billions of dollars, and thousands of American lives?  Moreover, was it ethical, was it globally justifiable?

I would argue that the war in Iraq is justified based on Hussein not complying with U.N. sanctions and the fact there were Al Qaeda cells supported by Hussein's regime. Furtheremore, who is to say the massive amounts of military traffic from Iraq to Syria that was detected by satelites was not a mass movement of WMD's. After all the U.N. gave Saddam 6 months notice before any weapons inspectors were sent in.  Of course, there is the fact of Hussein's regime mass murdering the Kurds, among many other crimes against humanity. 

"All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing"

I agree with lil_wicker 9

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