Iraq invaded Kuwait, and the U.S. and a coalition responded and Saddam Hussein was defeated. President George Bush called off the coalition troops, for humanitarian reasons, before they reached Baghdad. The Iraqi military had collapsed and the Iraqi soldiers were being slaughtered, mainly from the air.
Neo-cons have criticized the first President Bush's decision to call off the attack and some believe that the present president invaded Iraq to set things right.
I personally believe that President Bush was correct on his decision to halt hostilities and I believe the quagmire that his son fell into in Iraq is proof of the wisdom of his father's decision.
Muslim terrorists in captured airliners launched suicide attacks against the World Trade Center buildings in New York killing almost 3,000. The Pentagon was also struck with an airliner. The War on Terror had begun.
After the 9/11 attacks, it was quickly recognized that Osama bin Laden was the instigator of the attacks. Bin Laden was operating out of Afghanistan.
Shortly after 9/11, American forces assisted Afghanistan elements in overthrowing the Taliban regime which had sheltered Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda forces. Over six years after 9/11, Osama bin Laden remains at large and al Qaeda remains active. Soon after the 9/11 attack, President George W. Bush identified Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as the "Axis of Evil."
North Korea went ballistic over the "Axis of Evil" accusation and accelerated their nuclear weapons program. Iran also appeared to be accelerating their nuclear program taking advantage of the US preoccupation in Iraq. (North Korea has now apparently suspended their nuclear program.)
Iraq War of 2003
Charging that Iraq was collaborating with Osama Bin Laden and al Qaeda and also, that Iraq was in possession of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), President George W. Bush ordered a American-British attack on Iraq. Iraq's conventional military was quickly overwhelmed, but, an Iraqi insurgency began almost immediately and deadly guerrilla attacks on American troops continue at a rapid rate. Saddam Hussein has now been apprehended, tried and executed by hanging. Saddam's two sons were also killed.
No evidence of WMDs or cooperation between al Qaeda terrorists and Saddam Hussein has been unearthed in Iraq. Much criticism has been expressed in the United States that President Bush and his staff lied about the WMDs to convince American citizens that an attack on Iraq was necessary as part of the War on Terror when the real reason was the huge oil reserves that Iraq possesses.
In summary, it does not appear that Iraq possessed WMDs and the huge Iraqi oil reserves have not been seized by the U.S. largely because U.S. major oil companies, much to their credit, refused to go along with the proposed thievery. The U.S. hasn't received much for its efforts in Iraq!
Saddam Hussein and the Iraq War have been compared to Hitler and World War 2! What a joke! For the truth, see Iraq War & World War 2.
1. Germany World War 2. The biggest war of all time. Cold war foes were on the same side in World War 2.
The next U.S. war may not be a war like World War 2 but a good bet is that it will be about oil.
Eventually, the U.S. and Iran appear headed for a clash on the battlefield.
The War On Terror continues. Public sentiment in the U.S. appears to be turning slowly against continuing the War on Terror.
Last Updated: 06/03/10
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