Ultimate cause of the Iraq War

[Thunderbird is the word]

vote!

[Green Line]

Saddam Hussein

[dead0man]

Bad intel played a role, big oil and the Israel lobby did not.  Saddam did his part, our politicians did theirs (even the ones you've since forgiven because "SPECIAL").

[Bigby]

Dubya lost a bet with Dick Cheney.

[ScottieF]

Bad intel, Saddam, big oil, imperial hubris

[Zioneer]

Bad intel, Saddam, big oil, imperial hubris

This, and also Dubya wanted to do what his dad never did; take down Saddam for good..

[The Dowager Mod]

Bush and Cheney overcompensating for having tiny dicks.

[Blue3]

Bush wanted to finish the job. And probably did sincerely want to spread democracy too.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Bush thought a war with some despised middle-eastern country would boost his approval numbers by prolonging the post-9/11 "rally around the flag" effect. Plus, unrealistic expectations about "spreading democracy" fueled by neocon idiots.

[Mr. Smith]

Opts. 1, 2, and a Wilsonian desire to nation-build.

[WVdemocrat]

I simply think that Bush's neocon administration believed in the policy of regime change. Saddam was someone who they wanted out of power, and after 9/11 I think they saw an opportunity. Mike Morrell said that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld knew that Saddam Hussein had not reconstituted nuclear weapons, but they ran on that talking point anyway. And, by innuendo, they tied Saddam to 9/11.

In sum, I think they wanted Saddam out of power, and although they knew the WMD intel was bogus, they believed in the policy of regime change and nation building.

[Dirk]

Saddam Hussein

[Cory]

I simply think that Bush's neocon administration believed in the policy of regime change. Saddam was someone who they wanted out of power, and after 9/11 I think they saw an opportunity. Mike Morrell said that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld knew that Saddam Hussein had not reconstituted nuclear weapons, but they ran on that talking point anyway. And, by innuendo, they tied Saddam to 9/11.

In sum, I think they wanted Saddam out of power, and although they knew the WMD intel was bogus, they believed in the policy of regime change and nation building.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

A combination of Bush's grudge against Saddam for the attempted murder of his father, and Saddam really not knowing when not to poke the bear.

[Nutmeg]

I simply think that Bush's neocon administration believed in the policy of regime change. Saddam was someone who they wanted out of power, and after 9/11 I think they saw an opportunity. Mike Morrell said that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld knew that Saddam Hussein had not reconstituted nuclear weapons, but they ran on that talking point anyway. And, by innuendo, they tied Saddam to 9/11.

In sum, I think they wanted Saddam out of power, and although they knew the WMD intel was bogus, they believed in the policy of regime change and nation building.

Agreed, intel had nothing to do with it; Bush would have used any excuse to support his quest for war.

[ElectionsGuy]

Neoconservatism

[Murica!]

Capitalism.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Big Oil.  I don't think Israel had anything to do with it.

[Republican Michigander]

The first gulf war, the push for nation building (biggest mistake), and bad intelligence.

The biggest problem was no viable plan for the peace after Saddam. "Meet the new boss, as bad as the old boss"

[Storebought]

The fact that Iraq is an absurdity that should have never been created.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I think that 9/11 genuinely shocked the Bush administration, and made them realize that America's relationships with certain Middle Eastern regimes (read: KSA) were too problematic to rely solely on in the Arab world for both economic terms (i.e. oil) and for political reasons - after all, most of those states/societies are neither liberal nor democracies.

I also believe that Saddam's regime was in decline at the time of the invasion from years of war, sanctions, and additional American bombings, and that a civil war and/or influx of jihadists was almost inevitable in that region. What the Bush administration did - and this is being charitable, granted - was get America involved in (I believe) an attempt to influence the aftermath of the collapse of Saddam's regime, which was likely to happen anyway. They may have had ulterior motives, granted, and they botched the aftermath of "liberating" Iraq....but this has become my view of it.

[Republican Michigander]

The fact that Iraq is an absurdity that should have never been created.

World War I combined with its aftermath was probably the most costly war in world history.

[ingemann]

I don't think there's a big mystery in why USA invaded Iraq, it was because the American administration wanted to. As for the reasons Bush & co. saw this as a good idea. Well there was the personal enmity toward Saddam, there was rather good strategic reason (strengthen the American position in the Middle East and ensure a stable supply of oil to the world market) and at last there was the deep naivity of Bush administration which imagine a democratic domino effect and ignored tribal, ethnic and religious difference in the region.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

"Are you proud of me, daddy?"

[Higgs]

Mainly bad Intel, but also Bush's desire to take down Sadam and change the regime. I disagree with his decision wholeheartedly, but really doubt he had bad intentions or because of all the conspiratorial nonsense.