Entering+Iraq

=**Was it necessary for the U.S. to enter Iraq militarily? ** = // "We have more work to do, and there will be tough moments that test America's resolve. We are fighting against men with blind hatred — and armed with lethal weapons — who are capable of any atrocity. They wear no uniform; they respect no laws of warfare or morality. They take innocent lives to create chaos for the cameras. They are trying to shake our will in Iraq — just as they tried to shake our will on September 11, 2001. They will fail. The terrorists do not understand America. The American people do not falter under threat — and we will not allow our future to be determined by car bombers and assassins." -Former President George W. Bush //  **A Brief History of the US Entering Iraq**

September 11, 2001 (9/11) was a day imprinted into the minds of Americans. Contrary to popular belief, this tragedy did not start the War on Terror. There were, in fact, many events leading up to our liberation of Iraq. The enmity between the US and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein started in the 1990 Gulf War when Saddam invaded Kuwait. Since then, Saddam violated the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Agreement (BTW) forcing America to take action. 9/11 was merely the trigger point to America’s War on Terror (Feith, 181 and McGovern, 27).

On March 22, 2003 in Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait, an all-volunteer military strike force made it possible for Operation Iraqi Freedom to begin. This military operation that consisted of 40 cruise missiles and strikes led by the 8th Fighter Squadron, was designed to remove the current Iraqi regime from rule and discover and remove all weapons of mass destruction (WMD) found within the country (“Operation Iraqi Freedom” and CENTCOM briefing).

This act of war was the United States’ last option. Agents in the Pentagon conducted a study, given the name “Dark Winter,” to prove the destruction that another terrorist attack would wreak on America. This research provided a scenario in which a biological weapon (BW) containing a virus was sent to the US. The results predicted over 3 million people infected and over 1 million dead. Obviously, we could not wait for Saddam to construct a BW or chemical weapon (CW) to send to us (Feith, 217).

Although we had our eye on Saddam, the chances of him securing the necessary material to build such a weapon was highly probable. Countries like North Korea were likely to provide Al Qaeda and Saddam with the ingredients needed to construct BWs or CWs. If Saddam acquired the substances required, the United States of America would be his first target (Feith, 224, 225).

Despite the security concerns for America, there were other reasons provoking us to attack Saddam. After the Gulf War ended in 1991, Saddam never accepted the cease-fire terms provided by the US. He also refused to renounce Kuwait, which he had invaded, causing the United States’ armed forces to intervene in the Gulf War. Saddam continued to shoot down so-called “enemy” planes, like those from the US. In short, Saddam Hussein was asking for war. He continued to test America, even though he knew the consequences (Feith, 223).

The United States’ government did everything to avoid war with Iraq. We attempted diplomatic actions and protests and Council resolutions, neither of which had any effect. Eventually, we were forced to enforce no fly or drive zones, weapons inspections and small-scale military strikes. Even these new methods proved to have no effect, as Saddam continued to ignore the US and our efforts at peaceful solutions (Feith, 223). **//(LL-SOTH)//**

 On the morning of September 11, 2001, two 757 planes crashed into the two World Trade Center towers in New York City that collapsed less than an half-hour later after each crash. One other plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and a fourth plane plummeted into a field near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For about two years, America was in tears, shocked, terrified, and not knowing what to do….until March 19, 2003, where President Bush, with Congress, declares war on Al Qaeda and all terrorist groups in the Middle East.

Since the start of the war, the military forces of the United States, along with some alliance assistance from over 12 countries, fought in the war on terror against Al Qaeda and other terrorist forces, willing to defend and protect their country. The battle was mainly in the Middle East region of the world, including the countries of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Up to this day, most Americans protest and strongly encourage the government to pull out troops out from the war and bring them home. [|But over this past year, only 28% of Americans are correctly and fully aware of Iraq War fatalities, causng confusion about the war.]

Mainly the big question is: Can we really stop all terror around the world?

President Bush, during his time in office, deployed over 1,050,000 troops into the Middle East. Nearly 4,300 (about .4% of total) American soldiers lost their lives up to this day. Many more were wounded or missing. President Bush also met with Iraqi government officials since the Hussein dictatorship was overthrown to improve, train, and help the country of Iraq. Iraq, over time, has been trained and well-equipped by the U.S. However, the American people responded to this ongoing war by wanting their loved ones home. Yet, President Bush continued to deploy more troops in Iraq by the thousands, even though terrorist forces were slowly shifting eastward toward the country of Afghanistan.

So even though terrorist forces retreated eastward into Afghanistan, the threat is still high for terrorism to attack at any moment. However, Iraq’s military forces are back on track; Iran, Afghan, and Pakistani forces are continuing to help in the war on terror in Afghanistan; and, finally, U.S. troops are coming home to their families and also able to be ready to DEFEND this country here at home and throughout the world. **//(DH-OS)//**

Why is this important to U.S. history? **  Ever since March 19, 2003, the day that (former) President Bush declared war, the war in the Middle East has been too long because over 1,300,000 people, civilians and soldiers have been killed. We should have only been in Iraq for only a couple years while we improve our defense at home (in US territory). Five years is TOO LONG. //**(DH-OS)**//   Most people believe that the War on Terror is a waste of money and troops and also that the war has been going on for more than five years. There are lots of protests around the war. Many people will see this war because it should be remember and all wars should be remembered because of the loss of life in every war and also the hardships that people must go through to keep this country free. **//( JW-SOTH)//**
 * 

Pulling out of Iraq at this stage would be a terrible mistake. If President Barrack Obama recalls our servicemen and women, it will send a message to everyone in the world. This message will not be positive. It will tell our fighting men and women that we are not serious about our mission in Iraq. The civilians of the United States and the rest of the world will see that Americans give up when things get more difficult. The worst implication this action will send is to the Iraqi people. These men and women need to know that we will stand with them through anything and help their country get back on its feet. Withdrawing our troops will inform Iraqis that we do not care what happens to them (Bush, George W.).  Setting a deadline for recalling our armed forces may have even worse consequences. When the remnants of terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda hear this news, they will know that all they have to do is wait us out. In turn, if our fighting men and women leave Iraq at this stage, we will leave the door open for Al Qaeda to step in and take over Iraq once again. Iraqi innocents will be murdered on a massive scale just as before, and this will place a huge moral burden on the United States. The War on Terror is __not__ the Vietnam War, and we __cannot__ abandon the war effort without penalties (Bush, George W. and McGovern, 268). <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> <span style="font-size: 140%; color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Videos <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> media type="youtube" key="YqEgd3InILA" height="368" width="442"

**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Fallujah, Iraq **

media type="youtube" key="c2jk1-my0oo" height="364" width="445"

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);">Fallujah is a city in Iraq, forty miles west of Baghdad. Fallujah, along with Ramadi, were two of the most violent cities in Iraq, mostly for the reason that the population of both are comprised of mostly Sunni extremists. Bombings, murders and violent mob incidents have all taken place in this center for Sunni rebellion. US forces have been a strong presence in the city of Fallujah ever since four soldiers were killed on March 31, 2004, by in improvised explosive device (IED). Since that date, the mission of the Marines and soldiers in Iraq has been to "win the hearts and minds of Fallujah by killing the enemy" (quoted: squad leader in Iraq, 1st Platoon, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment).

SOURCES (LL-SOTH) **<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> __War and Decision__ by Douglas Feith (a former agent at the Pentagon writing about his time there) __All-American: Why I Believe in God, Football and the War in Iraq__ by Capt. Robert P. McGovern (a US Army captain writing about his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan) "President Bush Addresses Nation, War on Terror" at Fort Bragg (Presidential speech) __Operation Iraqi Freedom__ (military publication) __CENTCOM briefing__ (official military brief/press conference before Operation Iraqi Freedom)
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

[|//http://pewresearch.org/pubs/762/political-knowledge-update//] [|//http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/01/25/sprj.irq.powell/index.html//] [|//http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/04/12/troops_numbers/index.html//]
 * SOURCES (DH-OS) **
 * //__ Primary Sources __//**
 * //__ Secondary Sources __//** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">SOURCES (JW-SOTH **) <span style="color: rgb(45, 62, 185);"><span style="color: rgb(23, 21, 178); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**__//<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128);"> Primary Sources //__** __<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/docslinks/primary_iraqwar.htm http://projects.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/ __
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: Comic Sans MS;">

__**//<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Secondary Sources //**__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">__<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://srinisitaraman.wordpress.com/category/iraq-war/ __ http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq03212003-archive,1,604943.story


 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">PAGE BY: **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">LLrunnergirl103 **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Hoopsmusic4life **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">JWANIMEFAN **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">ndDucati **