OPINION: Was Iraq war worth it?

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OPINION: Was Iraq war worth it?

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Staff Writer

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Friday, September 10. 2010

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Combat troops have officially left Iraq, but Americans still wonder if that war was worth it.

Is there a single rock in Iraq worth the lives of several thousand American soldiers who died there? Was it worth the billions of American tax dollars spent there? A dictator was removed from power, but what now?

It will be many years before a final judgment can be given. Military success in subduing that country may be short-lived. The dream of having Iraq as a democratic country in the Middle East has yet to be realized. A military victory doesn’t automatically translate into a long-term win.

And then there are the unintended consequences. In warring with Iraq, the U.S. took a counterbalance to Iran out of the picture. Did that contribute to Iran’s current move toward acquiring a nuclear arsenal?

It may be that history will judge the American venture into Iraq as having been the right move at the right time.

Or maybe not.

More likely, this costly war will be just a footnote to history, a short-term conflict that will, in the long run, make little difference to the security of America.

That over 4,000 American soldiers gave their lives for that should give us all pause.

Auburn handles new tax the right way

Although we have some qualms about the new stormwater tax Auburn officials imposed last week, at least the city handled the issue the correct way.

Unlike Winder, Auburn’s process toward implementing the new tax was done in the open and with invited public input.

That’s the way a city government is supposed to work. Governments are not kingdoms where a small group of people rule by decree; governments are supposed to represent the interest of those who elected them and who pay the taxes. That includes listening to the public.

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#1 steve s on 09/10/10 at 06:47 AM [Reply]

what a worthless article sorry i wasted my time reading that and who is the staff writer? are you afraid to post you name so we can take you to task for writing a terrible piece.

#2 Conscientous Objector on 09/10/10 at 09:32 AM [Reply]

Of course it was not worth it. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, and Bush and his lying flunkies lied about Saddam having weapons of mass destruction (which was the "official" reason for going to war). Thousands died, billions of $ wasted, all so a drunk frat boy could look good for his daddy -- and a draft-dodging DUI-ed up old codger could play warmonger.

#2.1 Jack Legg on 09/10/10 at 10:36 AM [Reply]

You have got to be kidding.While I do think that Bush failed the american people beginning about 2005, it was a failure of leadership and maybe it was caused by some deep character flaws, no other reason seems to make sense.
That said , we absolutely had to be in Iraq,There wer weapons of mass destruction and they are still over there somewhere in the region buried in the sand.The biggest reason we were there was to carry the fight to radical islam and create a second front where we could kill as many of those nuts as possible OVER THERE not over here.
The so-called peaceful religon of islam hates America, they hate our freedoms ,they hate our people and will stop at nothing to bring about our destruction.
Have you noticed the islamic reaction around the world to that tiny nut infested church in Florida who wanted to burn korans? Does anyone really think that if some nutty little imam wanted to burn a stack of bibles over in a province in iran that the worlds christians would have reacted in a similiar way?
Most islamers are radical and if they havent blown up a building yet or killed someone in the name of their phony religion then its only because they havent had the chance to yet.But rest assured that they will.
Thats the reason that were over there, give them a target close to home so that they wont have to come over here .
The tructh hurts.

#2.1.1 Sa Vant on 09/10/10 at 11:49 AM [Reply]

Why don't you burn a Koran tomorrow, you bigoted fool? And, while you enjoy your wienie roast, look for some fictitious WMD. Rove, Bush's chief liar, has ADMITTED there were no WMD. Can you grasp that?
Rove said Bush "made an honest mistake." So, it doesn't do your pitiful little argument any good to continue to perpetuate the falsehood under which Bush waged war on a sovereign nation. You seem to want to re-fight the Crusades -- in your desire to establish a theocracy.

#2.1.1.1 Jack Legg on 09/10/10 at 02:23 PM [Reply]

You are an idiot savant , Rove an not admit to that which he does not know, have you seen him lately on t.v. he's a has been hack trying to make a living in obama land.I dont want a theocracy loke they have over in islam lands ,Im fine with our republic and I wish we could get back to what this nation was founded upon.I didnt say anything about burning a false regious book,that wouldnt accomplish anything and Im no t abigot, I just call em like I see em.maybe you should learn how.
Di d you kno that for all of your defence of islam that they see you as a infidel cur and would like to blow you up if they got half the chance? Thank God(not allaa)for america.

#2.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 09/10/10 at 03:10 PM [Reply]

Hey, Jack - one thing you need to do is get your facts straight. Allah is the Arabic word for God. Christian Arabs refer to God as Allah, because Allah means God, the same that there are French, German, Spanish, Russian, and many other languages where they refer to the Almighty in some manner other than "God".

#2.1.1.1.1.1 Jack Legg on 09/10/10 at 07:52 PM [Reply]

Actually amigo, allah was the name of a locally worshipped moon god for thousands of yeasrs before mohamad in the vicinity of the arabian peninsula. It was a stone idol and mohamd threw it out with all the rst of the stone idols when he made up his own counterfir reliogon and he just liked hte name. so you can get yoyr facts right befor you go on a public forum pretending that you know something.moron.

#2.2 Jacquelin Twiss on 09/11/10 at 07:13 AM [Reply]

Actually 9/11 was the reason for going to war. We were suppose to be hunting down Bin Laden in Afghanistan. Bush decided this would be the opportune moment to vindicate his daddy.

If you remember your history, then you will remember the threat against Bush Sr. Clinton was in office at the time and he bombed some little off the wall place in retaliation.

We never should have gone to Iraq. We should have stayed in Afghanistan. We should have gone after Bin Laden. We wasted money, and lives in a country we never should have been in all just so Jr. could vindicate daddy!

I SUPPORT the war in AFGHANISTAN, but not IRAQ. We could have, should have gotten Bin Laden by now.

I have a REAL vested interest in getting Bin Laden. My husband worked at the WTC until 9/11. I had to call that morning just to hear his voice so I knew he was okay. I sat before the TV watching places that I knew, crumble.

The one vivid memory was when the 1st tower fail. I was sitting in the conference room at world watching on TV with my co-workers. I sitting there saying OMG, that's the tower my husband worked in -- it's gone. And a co-worker trying to comfort me saying -- no-no it's just smoke, and then we realized it wasn't smoke. It was gone.

He lost friends and co-workers that day. I lost my sense of security.

So no, we shouldn't have gone to Iraq, we should have stayed in Afghanistan.

#3 Joe Christmas on 09/11/10 at 05:53 AM [Reply]

Jack spellcheck is your friend.

#4 J.B. Moore on 09/11/10 at 07:39 PM [Reply]

If you are a genious that thinks Bush went to Iraq over retalliation you have your head somewhere it shouldn't be. The weapons were there and the Special Forces used those weapons for training for disarmorment. Saddam funded terrorist and assisted them in attacking us. You Ms. Twiss need to get your facts straight before you speak of what you do not know. We fought and some of us died fighting for the Freedom for the Mosque to be built and for the rights for the preacher to burn the koran. Let him burn it and let Ms. Twiss go pick up a shovel and look at the mass grave in NY while she helps the Imam build his mosque. If you have never served and seen what the media does not show and see the truth from over there then shut up and go bow to terrorist like Barack Obama Bin Laden. I guess you think 70% of Americans are wrong.

#4.1 Jacquelin Twiss on 09/12/10 at 07:43 AM [Reply]

there were no weapons -- they never found any. Get your facts straight.

I support the Muslims wanting to build a mosque, but I question why they want it so close to where the WTC stood. There already is a mosque a few blocks away.... walking distance actually.

I support our military. They are trained to do a job and they do it well. Supporting the military and supporting the job they do are two different things.

Bin Laden is still out there. He is still planning on attacking American. Make no mistake about that! Had we "stayed the course" in Afghanistan, we could have gotten the mastermind.

As far as "picking up a shove" some of my friends were in that "mass grave." If not by the grace of god, my husband would have been in that "mass grave!"

#4.1.1 d on 09/12/10 at 08:40 AM [Reply]

Saddam himself was a weapon of mass destruction...He killed thousands of people with nerve gas...His sons tortured and raped and killed innocent women..even fed them to their dogs while they were still alive....You question why they want it so close to to the WTC...Check the history...The radical muslims do that as a monument to what they have conquered...Check out what the "cordova" house means....you split hairs over supporting the military....When you sound like you don't respect them....Bin Laden would have been caught a long time before Bush came into office but Clinton was too busy getting his groove on with a stupid female in the oval office closet....

#5 Kevin on 09/12/10 at 09:35 AM [Reply]

I can tell you first hand being over there , what you hear and read in the press is not 100% accurate!!!

#6 Edwin Gravitt on 09/18/10 at 08:52 PM [Reply]

Simply stated: Neither Afgbanistan nor Iraq have ever attacked the U.S. on its mainland, which would have to be the only reason for a Congressional declaration of war. , not an authorization for the president to prosecute a war of his own volition. Haven't the American people had enough of this nonsense? I know I've had way more than enough, even all the way back to Abe Lincoln in 1861, which is where the idea that such unconstitutional activity can occur. Bring our troops home, secure our borders and to hell with all this namby, pamby.

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