The reason for Iraq

[therealUT]

Iraq agreed to a very simple treaty at the end of the Persian Gulf War, and in doing so, kept us from taking Iraq in the early 1990's.

Basically, all Saddam had to do was allow UNSCOM unabated access to the country and to all facilities. It was pretty simple. He could not even abide by such simple terms.

A United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) on weapons was established, to monitor Iraq's compliance with restrictions on weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. Iraq accepted some and refused other weapons inspections. The team found some evidence of biological weapons programs at one site and non-compliance at many other sites.

In 1997, Iraq expelled all U.S. members of the inspection team, alleging that the United States was using the inspections as a front for espionage; members of UNSCOM were in regular contact with various intelligence agencies to provide information on weapons sites back and forth. The team returned for an even more turbulent time period between 1997 and 1999; one member of the weapons inspection team, U.S. Marine Scott Ritter, resigned in 1998, alleging that the Clinton administration was blocking investigations because they did not want a full-scale confrontation with Iraq. In 1999, the team was replaced by UNMOVIC, which began inspections in 2002.

So, in the words of St. Augustine:

This punishment was neither excessive nor unjust. Anyone who thinks otherwise merely proves his inability to measure the magnitude of this sinfulness in a case where sin was so easy to avoid. Surely, then, the malice is incalculable when the creature defies, in a matter so simple and in the face of so fearful a penalty, authority.

 

[smokedog#3]

didn't need to happen, W's main agenda before he was elected president. he scared the american people into thinking we were all going to be killed every week. now he looks like a fool and isn't fooling anybody. will go down as one of the worst presidents in US history. iran is 100 times more of a threat than iraq ever was, now nobody will follow W so they will get there nukes. what a patriot.

 

[overseasorange]

didn't need to happen, W's main agenda before he was elected president. he scared the american people into thinking we were all going to be killed every week. now he looks like a fool and isn't fooling anybody. will go down as one of the worst presidents in US history. iran is 100 times more of a threat than iraq ever was, now nobody will follow W so they will get there nukes. what a patriot.

The record player is stuck again!! :bad:

 

[therealUT]

didn't need to happen, W's main agenda before he was elected president. he scared the american people into thinking we were all going to be killed every week. now he looks like a fool and isn't fooling anybody. will go down as one of the worst presidents in US history. iran is 100 times more of a threat than iraq ever was, now nobody will follow W so they will get there nukes. what a patriot.

Well Smoke, Iraq broke the terms of the sanctions prior to 43's election. Therefore, where is the problem with having an agenda to take Saddam out?

 

[smokedog#3]

Well Smoke, Iraq broke the terms of the sanctions prior to 43's election. Therefore, where is the problem with having an agenda to take Saddam out?

if you don't see the problem with that, there is a bigger problem than i thought. :bad:

 

[therealUT]

Nope, I have no problem with the U.S. enforcing treaties.

 

[smokedog#3]

Nope, I have no problem with the U.S. enforcing treaties.

i think the indians would disagree with you.

 

[therealUT]

I don't care smoke.

 

[smokedog#3]

I don't care smoke.

i wouldn't care either if we were not killing people for no good reason except for one man's agenda.

 

[westtnorangeman]

2,500 American Dead-thousands of Iraq dead makes no sense

 

[CSpindizzy]

Well Smoke, Iraq broke the terms of the sanctions prior to 43's election. Therefore, where is the problem with having an agenda to take Saddam out?

It's called UN domain. If he broke UN sanctions let the UN enact punishment. Who gives the US the authority to enforce UN resolutions? Does the US go around the world and enforce German law? No. The UN chose not to form a military force to impose any of the previous resolutions. A good comparison is the resolutions going into the Gulf War and the resolutions in 2003. The US acted on their own and without UN approval to enforce UN resolutions.

 

[CSpindizzy]

Nope, I have no problem with the U.S. enforcing treaties.

What treaty was being enforced?

 

[therealUT]

I could care less about the UN, CSpin. Of course they were not enforcing the resolutions, two of the nations on the security council were being paid off by Saddam in the oil for food scandal. Therefore, I feel we can step in and enforce the resolutions.

 

[jwells]

As the largest donor to the UN, and a permanant member on the Security Council...I think we have a right and a duty to step up and enforce UN sanctions when they are broken.

We warned them that they'd better comply with the sanctions, Iraq did not, we help up our end and occupied the country. We never would have gone if Saddam had just let weapons inspectors back in.

IMHO, there were weapons and illegial production facilites, else Saddam would have agreed to our offer, and in the first place, would not have expelled UN weapons inspectors.

 

[therealUT]

Careful Wells, you are upsetting the international community with those remarks, and well, that just doesn't fly around here...

 

[smokedog#3]

It's called UN domain. If he broke UN sanctions let the UN enact punishment. Who gives the US the authority to enforce UN resolutions? Does the US go around the world and enforce German law? No. The UN chose not to form a military force to impose any of the previous resolutions. A good comparison is the resolutions going into the Gulf War and the resolutions in 2003. The US acted on their own and without UN approval to enforce UN resolutions.

you got him dizzy, he likes to follow the laws of the land till there not on his side.

 

[utvolpj]

I could care less about the UN, CSpin. Of course they were not enforcing the resolutions, two of the nations on the security council were being paid off by Saddam in the oil for food scandal. Therefore, I feel we can step in and enforce the resolutions.

Which resolution was he going to follow? I think we were in the teens for the number of resolutions that Saddam ignored. We pay for the UN and prop up the UN and all we get for it is abuse. There's more anti-US sentiment there than in the ME. Personally we should pull out and force evey one of them to pay off their parking tickets and fund our own humanitarian efforts with the proceeds. The corruption even reaches to the SG's own family! Where does it end?

 

[volnuts]

better watch out volnuts even though i could not agree more, w's nazi boys may come get us. :biggrin2:

i think there knocking on my door right now :biggrin2: :biggrin2: :biggrin2:

 

[volinbham]

I could care less about the UN, CSpin. Of course they were not enforcing the resolutions, two of the nations on the security council were being paid off by Saddam in the oil for food scandal. Therefore, I feel we can step in and enforce the resolutions.

Two other tidbits to add - Iraq was shooting at our aircraft on a daily basis (generally consider an act of war or at least not very nice) and regime change in Iraq was the official policy of the US even prior to W being elected.

 

[volinbham]

It's called UN domain. If he broke UN sanctions let the UN enact punishment. Who gives the US the authority to enforce UN resolutions? Does the US go around the world and enforce German law?

Well we are not part of the German government but we are a key part of the UN (we are the UN the UN is us in a sense) so this analogy doesn't quite work. We are part of the creation of the resolutions (not sure law is the appropriate word either).

Just trying to help you hone your arguments... :hi: No need to thank me :biggrin2:

 

[therealUT]

you got him dizzy, he likes to follow the laws of the land till there not on his side.

Laws of the land? Last time I checked I didn't pledge allegiance to the UN or swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United Nations.

 

[smokedog#3]

Laws of the land? Last time I checked I didn't pledge allegiance to the UN or swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United Nations.

one in the same UT. you follow the blind then you are blind. :blink:

 

[OrangeEmpire]

one in the same UT. you follow the blind then you are blind.

Smoke, you lost me, what are trying to say.............? :cross:

 

[smokedog#3]

Smoke, you lost me, what are trying to say.............? :cross:

when you sign up to fight for the good ole USA, your also signing up to fight for the police actions within the UN. they are one in the same. he was just talking about iraq violating UN provisions and we had every right to invade. remember iraq expelling the inspectors.

 

[therealUT]

I (insert name), having been appointed a (insert rank) in the U.S. Army under the conditions indicated in this document, do accept such appointment and do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter, so help me God.

Didn't see anything in there about my allegiance to the UN smoke.