What are we doing in Iraq?

[Undertoad]

It's not just one single objective.

The big one: this was (and probably still is) an attempt to create a lawful, productive, pro-western nation containing US military bases, in the center of the middle east and directly bordering several "problem countries", without seeming in any way to declare war on Islam specifically in any way.

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

It's not just one single objective.

The big one: this was (and probably still is) an attempt to create a lawful, productive, pro-western nation containing US military bases, in the center of the middle east and directly bordering several "problem countries", without seeming in any way to declare war on Islam specifically in any way.

That's the reason that makes the most sense. I've only ever heard that reason given here on the Cellar, and even then it was a year or two after the war began that I first heard it presented here. There's a certain amount of revisionist history going on with that reason, but that doesn't mean it's not true.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

The big one: this was (and probably still is) an attempt to create a lawful, productive, pro-western nation containing US military bases, in the center of the middle east and directly bordering several "problem countries", without seeming in any way to declare war on Islam specifically in any way.

Gotta give you points for that answer.

I'm curious: is Islam the problem?