No WMDs...So Why The War?

So, we didn't find any WMDs in Iraq. Well, I must say I'm surprised, but also relieved. Now, at least we have an answer. But, all this begs the question; Why did we go to war in Iraq?

We didn't go to war because we thought Iraq might have chemical weapons. Their existence is an historical fact, as is the use of those weapons.

We didn't go to war because we thought Iraq was developing nuclear and biological weapons. That fact was substantiated by Iraq's report to the UN. You can't destroy programs that never existed in the first place...can you?

We didn't go to war because we suspected a link with Al Queda. If there was no link, how could members of Iraq's government have met with Al Queda operatives in Sudan in the 90's?

We didn't go to war because Saddam Hussein had called for the assassination of former President Bush. President Clinton used a cruise missile to express our displeasure with that.

So...why? Why this war? Why now?

Because the United Nations, an organization of which both the United States and Iraq are members, called for Iraq to dismantle its WMDs and any programs it had to develop them.

In fact, the UN issued over a dozen resolutions to that end. The resolutions also called for verification. One even warned of serious consequences if the resolutions were not followed.

But, you say, Iraq issued a 12,000 (approx) page document listing all its weapons and programs and certified they had been destroyed, as ordered. Yes...yes they did.

But...they refused to cooperate with the UN weapons inspectors who were sent to Iraq to verify that the weapons and programs had, in fact, been destroyed. Remember...the deal also called for proof. Mr. Hussien's say-so was not enough.

So, we didn't go to war because Iraq had WMDs or programs to develop them. We went to war because we could not verify that they had been destroyed. Well, since we couldn't find any, now we have our proof that, apparently, they were.

It seems that if Mr. Hussein had voluntarily given the UN's weapons inspectors 1/10th the access that our military took by force, he could have saved everyone a lot of trouble...and saved a lot of lives, also.

The world leader really to blame for this war and the deaths it has caused on both sides is the deposed one awaiting trial at an undisclosed location in Iraq.