Even before the war, the majority of the world realized that the Bush administration was using falsehoods and fear to ‘herd’ the American people into an illegal war. It was clear and had been clear since 1998 that Iraq had no means to wage a war with “weapons of mass destruction” and in fact as a result of the war in 1991 and the continual illegal bombings of Iraq’s air defenses and infrastructure (water, electricity, etc), it was doubted by most that Iraq could effectively fight a conventional war … None of this was secret, just ignored by much of America’s corporate media.
Instead of analysis and investigation, most people settled for being ‘told’ what the truth was or wasn’t … it was so bad in the American press that one had to go to the BBC or Agence France-Presse to get a balanced assessment of what the administration was up to. Even in the days BEFORE the invasion, it was obvious, if you looked at the reporting being done around the world that:
1) There were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
2) The “yellow cake uranium story was based on a sloppy forgery that the CIA, FBI, MI5 and MI6 knew were bogus
3) This was to be a war for profit from which both the oil companies and the military-industrial complex would profit …
Isn’t it interesting that the oil companies made their greatest profits EVER during the height of the Iraq war? Or how about the fact that with two oil men in the White House the price for a barrel of oil went from in the $20 range when Bush was ‘selected’ in 2000 to over $50 now and the price has hovered around $70 on occasion)
As for teaching Iraq a better way … I think it is best to lead by example. Currently America is teaching the world the folly of unwise, unwarranted war, lead by incompetent, small-minded individuals.
Prior to the 1991 war and the subsequent secret war waged by the US and he UK, Iraq was the most western nation in the Middle East aside from Israel. Theirs was the best medical, educational and civic systems on all of the Muslim nations in the region.
More incredible, because Saddam was a secularist and his was a secular rule, even women’s rights were respected and Iraq boasted more female professionals (doctors, attorneys, etc) then anywhere in the region.
As for terrorists in Iraq? Well you can thank this invasion for that. Saddam Hussein ruled with a cruel and iron hand, there was no way for AL-Queda or any other “terrorist” group to gain a foothold in Iraq … that is until the US and it “Coalition” destroyed Iraq’s civil infrastructure, created the insurgency by disbanding the (primarily Sunni) Army (Sun Tzu said to “keep your friends close and your enemies closer) and leaving a huge hole and vacuum into which Al-Queda could enter.
Also here is a heads-up – “fighting them over there” as some have said about the situation in Iraq is a sure recipe for disaster. In Afghanistan, Al-Queda learned the skills and tactics now being used against American troops in Iraq … I shudder to think what they are learning now as they battle the last “super power’s” army to a slow and agonizing defeat in Iraq … all that they learn will battle-harden them and prepare them to wage war against any nation, anywhere in the world.
Finally (because I know I ranted on far too long) I want to leave you with a quote that I found haunting during the run up to the Iraq invasion …
“Of course the people don’t want war. But after all, it’s the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it’s always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it’s a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.”
— Herman Goering at the Nuremberg Trials