- Aug 4, 2009
- 281,557
- 143,955
- 2,615
I wouldn't have gone into Iraq in 2003 based on what I knew then
We were tied up in the war on terror
Iraq had been contained for ten years
They were no threat outside their borders
We had better things to do in our war on terror
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Over 90% of US military combat units were not actively involved in the war on terror in 2002. Most US military forces were available for deployment anywhere in the world for any reason at the time. Iraq was no longer contained given that most countries that were bordering Iraq were violating the sanctions and embargo which allowed Saddam to sell several Billion dollars of oil per year on the black market. China was aiding the Iraqi military with new equipment for its air defense system. Both Russia and France were violating the sanctions as well. Saddam was now in a position to start rebuilding his prior military capacity.
In 2002, the Iraqi military had over 400,000 soldiers, 2,700 tanks, 300 combat aircraft, and 2,000 artillery pieces, along with dozens of short range ballistic missiles. Kuwait by contrast only had 30,000 troops, a few hundred tanks, several dozen combat aircraft. Only idiot would claim that Kuwait was under absolutely no threat from Saddam at the time.
Saddam was no threat
We wasted 5000 Americans in this strategic blunder. They will treat us as liberators ...my ass