The Iraq War, Al Queda In Iraq And ISIL

Twelve years ago this month in 2003 President George W. Bush ordered the invasion and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  And today, Iraq and its people are worse off than they were prior to the invasion.  The Middle East, including Iraq has been destabilized, suicide bombings are still a regular occurance by terrorists and other groups entering the country.  Saddam never let that happen while he ruled.

The war created Al Queda in Iraq who inflicted most of the damage on U.S. troops.  They did what Saddam and his military could not do despite President Bush telling the world Saddam and his military was a danger to the security of the U.S. and its people.  The President announced "mission accomplished" 3 months after the invasion and 12 years later the mission has yet to be accomplished and the invasion and death of Saddam did not stabilize Iraq nor was the U.S. welcomed as liberators like V.P. Chaney said would happen.

ISIL is a part of Al Queda with the same goal Bin Laden wanted to achieve, that is to see the middle east as an Islamic state.  The growth of ISIL like the creation of Al Queda in Iraq would never have been possible in Iraq with Saddam in office.  The war gave both groups the opportunity to grow and spread their terror.  Yet we still have those in congress who want to see President Obama make the same mistake and have American troops once again have an active combat role in Iraq and else where in the middle east.

Our men and women in uniform and their family have paid a huge price with multiple deployments because there is no draft.  President Obama does not have to send them down that road again.  So far he has been steady on the issue.  The answer to a stable Iraq and middle east can only come from that part of the world where a united front comes together to destroy the threat and improve relations between all of its various factions.

The U.S. is a nation of values and should never again be so willing to commit our country to an unnecessary war where only our military is asked to make sacrifice.


This commentary written by Joe Lorio