by Barton Gersten

Created on: March 20, 2006   Last Updated: November 04, 2010

In retrospect the way the United States went into Iraq was a mistake, but taking out Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do. Saddam posed a threat for all the citizens of the US and other countries of the world as well. He was a tyrant and a terrorist. The world is better without him. Removing him from power was a positive thing. However, for America to get overly involved in setting up a democratic goverment in Iraq was a mistake.

Removing Saddam was in the interests of all Americans, but shaping the government and country of Iraq is not in the interests of the American people. Therefore, tax dollars and soldier's lives should not be wasted on the Iraqi people. It is true that the American government can give advice and influence policy in Iraq, even send them aid as part of a coalition of countries, but not to nuture and protect the new baby government of Iraq practically single- handedly. It is true that after deposing Saddam it would be irresponsible to just leave a vacuum in Iraq. However, Iraq is not the 51st state of the union, and thus, after removing the imminent threat of Saddam, the U.S. should have stepped back and played a much more passive role in the new Iraqi country.

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