May 5, 2008
 
COMMENTARY: Why the War in Iraq?
 
By Tom Proebsting
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
 
A U.S-led coalition of armed forces invaded Iraq in March of 2003, ousting its cruel leader Saddam Hussein, and which has since attempted to bring security to the oil-rich nation.
 
America has so far lost in excess of 4,000 military personnel and spent billions of dollars on the war effort. Have the costs been worth it? Moreover, why are troops still occupying Iraq? This poses questions to which there are no easy answers.
 
After America was attacked on 9/11, a military coalition was immediately sent into Afghanistan, the reputed hideout for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The goal was to capture bin Laden, whose extremist militia was behind 9-11 and other terrorist attacks that dated back to the 1990‘s.
 
The Western troops ousted Afghanistan’s government, the Taliban, which was anti-West, but friendly to al Qaeda. A pro-West government was installed and elections were held. Troops remain in Afghanistan to stabilize the nation from outside attacks by the Taliban and other Muslim groups.
 
Prior to the military occupation of Iraq, the Bush Administration gave several reasons for the invasion. It was reported that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, that Saddam Hussein had colluded with al Qaeda on the 9/11 attacks; that terrorist groups were given free rein to train in the little nation; and to bring democracy to the Middle East, beginning with Iraq.
 
None of these reasons bore out. To logically conclude the true purpose for attacking and occupying Iraq, we must take a closer look at an earlier conflict: the Cold War.
 
After World War II ended, two world superpowers rose from the ashes-America and the Soviet Union. The quest began for world domination and battle lines were drawn. America held West Berlin, West Germany, and Western Europe. The Soviets snatched East Berlin, East Germany, and Eastern Europe. While America guarded Japan, the Soviets provided military aid to the Sino-Maoist insurgency and China went Communist.
 
The first war for world domination started when North Korea, backed by Communist China, invaded South Korea in 1950. America came to the defense of South Korea and drove the invaders back. A ceasefire was called for in 1953, ending the Cold War’s first proxy war.
 
After both superpowers developed atomic weapons, direct confrontations between America and the Soviet Union became suicidal. Millions of lives were at stake to risk open war between the two nations, so the conflict was fought by either defensive military lines, such as those drawn in East and West Germany, or by proxy, such as the Korean War.
 
The next proxy war was fought in North and South Vietnam during the 1960s and early 1970s. Communist North Vietnam, backed by Chinese military and personnel, invaded South Vietnam. America fought the northern invaders and the South Vietnamese Communist insurgency for about 12 years before bowing out in 1975.
 
The third and final proxy war started when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. America helped arm and fund the Afghan ‘Freedom Fighters’ and the Soviets were expelled by 1989. Thousands of lives were lost during the three proxy wars. Billions of dollars were spent to keep the militaries on both sides going.
 
The primary reason that America got involved in South Korea and South Vietnam was to prove its credibility to friend and foe alike. The U.S. wanted to ensure its allies that they will stand by them until the job is done. America also wanted to send a clear and direct message to the Soviet Union: What America accomplished in Korea and Vietnam will be repeated if the Soviets attempt to invade West Germany, Western Europe, or any other U.S. interest.
 
If America had not intervened in either Korea or Vietnam during the Cold War, there would have been serious consequences. The Soviet Union would have picked off every major and minor country in the Eastern Hemisphere and made them Soviet Satellite nations. America would have then stood alone, isolated from the rest of the world in trade, communications, and alliances until the U.S. fell economically. America would then be ripe for the pickings. Millions of lives would be at stake if nuclear warfare ensued.
 
Thus, America’s involvement in the Korean War and the War in Vietnam were not options we could turn down.
 
Today, the Cold War is officially over. However, the world is enmeshed in a new conflict, the War on Terror. Radical Islamic groups in many nations have cells, self-sufficient groups which are ready at a moment’s notice to kill anyone for their stated purpose.
 
Some of the groups are large, such as al Qaeda and Hezbollah. Others, such as a British extremist Muslim cell which bombed the London subways, are small. Their primary purposes are to completely oust the nation of Israel from the Middle East and to eradicate all Western influence and presence in the Arabian Peninsula. Many "moderate" Muslims throughout the world agree with these radical goals.
 
One of the reasons America is leading a coalition of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is to eliminate the radical Islamic enemy. Another is to prove America’s credibility by sending a message to friend and foe alike that the U.S. will take military action to protect its borders and to protect its friends. These messages will be received loud and clear by the radical Muslims as long as the U.S. stands her ground and allows our troops to accomplish their military missions.
 
Another reason our troops are in Asia is to secure the region’s oil. Like it or not, the Western nations need oil to keep their vehicles going, to heat homes and businesses, and for use in manufacturing products. Until the world finds an energy substitute for oil, we must drill where we can find it and protect our overseas oil interests.
 
The oil-rich regions today are embroiled in unprecedented conflicts involving most major nations. There is military conflict in the Middle East, trouble in northern Africa, problems in Central Asia, and angst in South America. Some of the most volatile nations in the world are buying weapons from nations which are rich weapons brokers.
 
America, Russia, and China are in desperate straits for oil and precious minerals today. The demand for these resources far exceeds the supply. All three nations are selling weapons, anything from small arms to nuclear facility construction to such troubled nations as Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Taiwan, Burma, Nepal, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Chad, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Nigeria, Djibouti, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Philippines, and Serbia, among other nations. These countries are either rich in oil, rich in minerals or are strategically located.
 
Undoubtedly the weapons sold to troubled nations will be used for offensive and defensive purposes. If conflict ensues, America hopes the nations they back win so that the U.S. may freely buy oil or gold there, or may place their military installations there.
 
Likewise, the nations that Russia or China back would richly pay their wealthy benefactors if they won a future conflict. The Cold War is a thing of the past. Few historians, commentators, or politicians expect for America to go to war with Russia or China.
 
However, many experts state that oil is a finite product and that its supply is dwindling. The second worldwide war today is an economic war which basically pits America against Russia and China.
 
The three nations arm their allies and often place military personnel in the countries they wish to buy oil or gold from. Today’s major world war is a two-fold conflict. Its first stated objective is that the West must beat down the Islamic terrorists throughout the world. The second involves a conflict to dominate the oil- and mineral-rich nations of the world. Failure of both objectives is likely to lead to military weakness and economic distress for the Western nations.
 
Tom Proebsting is a writer living in Moberly, Missouri.
 
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