More imperialist rhetoric. How was the invasion of Iraq in the interests of working people?

Finally, a logical argument that perhaps could be made. . .but this administration doesn't dicuss or research anything and we can all see where the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East is headed. . .

Yeah,good luck.You see where THAT is heading....

Please members of RIA, consider history! Are there any free governments in any part of the Arab world? For that matter, with the exception of the flawed situation in Turkey what about the rest of the Islamic World? All our meddling is going to do is bring something worse. We dumped the Shah in Iran and got the Ayotollah. We dumped the King in Libya and got Quaddafi. In Egypt the King gets dumped and we get Nasser and the rest. What about that rat's nest in Yemen? In Iraq the king got dumped and guess what? I'm sure all the peoples of Sudan are enjoying democratic rule. In Algeria the authorities had a democratic election, and the army had to overthrow the extremists. We can go on and on. Please leave well enough alone!

Whether this was intended or not, it has begun. It is hard to see this as a negative development.

Probably closest to real reason - as outlined in the neoconservative manifesto - google PNAC and read all about it.

This is the greatest reason to plant the seeds of freedom in the Middle East - so that our children won't inherit the world as it is today. There will never truly be world peace (which many opposed to the war claim to want) without drastic changes happening in this region. A free Iraq is the beginning of a long, long domino effect toward stability (and safety) in this area. (also, we did not force democracy down the throats of the Iraqi's - it was THEIR decision and polls indicate that it is what the vast majority of the country wants)

This is not a good reason for war. It's not a good reason for anything. In fact, it is the most arrogant thing I've ever heard. Who in the HELL do the Bush administration think are? What gives anybody the right to decide what's best for 200 million people on the other side of the world? It is not America's role because America shouldn't have ANY role over there. Contrary to the most deep-seated and intractable beliefs of most Americans, the US is NOT the ideal society and it is NOT perfect, and not everybody in the world wishes they were us, and they certainly don't want our 'values' forced upon them at gunpoint. Attempting to alter the political and cultural dynamics over there will only breed millions of more terrorists and only the most fanatical right-wing maniacs have trouble with this concept. I feel so strongly about this issue that I can't even listen to the other side, because I feel that there is no way to possibly justify what we're doing over there. Not that conservatives are well known for logical reasoning and faithful exposition of the truth. Their position is completely indefensible.

This was another prime motivation on the part of Handjob's brain-dead "brain trust," that cadre of warped and crazed behind-the-scenes players who actually give the Marching Orders to the Supreme Court-appointed Pretender-in-Chief. I can't, for the life of me, figure out what these a**holes were thinking when they concocted this retarded justification, as military intervention is a very, very poor means to alter geopolitical dynamics in an enduring fashion, or truly win the hearts and minds of anyone, anywhere. Did these birdbaths think Islamic extremeists were going to knuckle under to Uncle Sam's might this time, when our government's flawed and constant policy of aggression against the Arab world hasn't worked very well over the past two decades? Did these turdbrains think that mere U.S. military presence in Iraq would be enough to coerce continguous countries into docility, to serve as a deterent to agggression and repraisals, the old "Hall Monitor Effect?" Hardly, since civilians in Iraq itself are taking potshots at our troops. And isn't such a motivation perilously similiar to "nation building," a practice that was considered dread and anathema by the right side of the political fence when Bubba Clinton was considering this a handful of years ago? Once again, the hypocrisy of the political right revealed, and the sad thing is the droolers don't get it, despite the fact it's all so very obvious. Or is this a display of the typical rightwing double standard of "if you do something stupid, you're a retard and a traitor, but if we do the same stupid thing, we're geniuses and true Patriots?" Droolers, your so-called "leaders" are only fooling you, poor mystified and confused pinheads that you are. The political middle ground is starting to shift against the right because its ideology is flawed, its political ethos is bereft of leadership and realistic vision, and the rest of the American public is lightyears more intelligent, perceptive and reasonable than you consider yourself to be. Public sentiment is just beginning to turn around: give it some time and the GOP will manage to shoot itself in the foot again. Like it always has.

How arrogant, imperialistic and out of touch with the rest of the world have we become? And X-D, I bet Iraq will be a thriving economy in no time just like Afghanistan is now, right?

YES. Once Free Iraq begins doing legitimate business with the rest of the world, and the neighboring countries take note of the EXPLOSIVE growth a free, oil producing nation like Iraq will have, they will follow Iraq's lead. You think the greedy leaders of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, etc don't want more money? The promise of making TEN TIMES the money they currently make will most certainly cause the other nations in the Middle East to change their tune and start raking in the bucks. Mark my words: Free Iraq, if governed properly, will become an economic leader in the world within five years, and the other nations will follow suit to grab their piece of the FREE MARKET pie.

We should not be involved in their politics. Our role is to ensure that human rights are being protected, and after that we should let them choose their future.

You just can't do this!!! Imposing democracy on a country is the total antithesis of democracy! We can't try to forcibly create democarcies: It won't work and it is undemocratic.

Removing a terrorist murderer who hates everyone and everything is great.