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[Hypotheticals] What if we (The US) never invaded Iraq in 2003?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Ubiquitin, Apr 6, 2020.

  1. Ubiquitin

    Ubiquitin Contributing Member
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    After a recent back and forth between T_J and other posters about supporting a war 17 years ago, I pose the following:
    Given how everything unfolded, how do you think the world would be if we never invaded? Would we be in a stronger position? Would the Great Recession still have occurred? Obama? Trump? COVID?

    We spent trillions and it feels like no one has anything to show for it.
     
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  2. El_Conquistador

    El_Conquistador King of the D&D, The Legend, #1 Ranking
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    This is a large reason why Trump was elected (opposed Iraq War) and Hillary lost (strongly favored Iraq War). Biden was a strong, vocal proponent of the Iraq War.
     
  3. RayRay10

    RayRay10 Houstonian

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    Less military dead or wounded, less money spent, and probably a more stable Middle East would have come from not invading. Possible we focus more on Afghanistan and no longer have troops there. Hundreds of Thousands of mostly innocent Iraqis are currently alive instead of dead. Iran is kept in check a bit more than they are. Probably less terrorists running around pissed off at us as well. China and Russia also don't gain as much power in the region, although, they probably still gain.

    Good things: Iraq and Iran aren't nuclear powers which they almost surely would be at this point without intervention.

    Was the trade off worth it...no. We could have intervened in other ways to hopefully slow or even stop nuclear production just as we did to Iran. Too many lives lost, too much money spent...a large influence that caused the recession. Too much instability in the Middle East now because of our actions...much of which led to the terrorists that we are now dealing with. Stupid war that should have never been fought.
     
  4. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Contributing Member

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    Really too big a hypothetical to even guess at. Though I can't imagine we'd be worse off.
     
  5. Ottomaton

    Ottomaton Contributing Member
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    My first guess - I remember the general impression of invincibility of the American military. If we hadn't invaded Iraq we'd have invaded somewhere else.

    America needed to be reminded that maybe insurgencies can't win, but they can go forever without losing. Americans are a little more humble about American power these days.

    Glad we didnt get our comeuppance against, for instance, China.
     
  6. adoo

    adoo Member

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    stop lying,

    The trust fund baby was not against the Iraq war​
     
  7. DaDakota

    DaDakota If you want to know, just ask!

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    Better off and no Trump.

    DD
     
  8. geeimsobored

    geeimsobored Contributing Member

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    So this is the what if the Supreme Court didn't prevent a full recount of Florida in 2000 hypothetical?

    There would be a lot more differences than just not invading Iraq.
     
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  9. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Contributing Member

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    Having Gore as prez...we might not have had 9/11 or a blatant power grab by the vice "big boy pants" executive to wire every American's home to the NSA.

    The world would find its own way to not make it a rosy place, but Iraq was Cheney's mudbaby and so was the industrial spying complex.
     
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  10. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

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    Bullshit.
     
  11. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    4,424 US Troops wouldn't have died there, many more wouldn't have taken their own lives because of what they experienced there, and many more wouldn't be dealing with horrific injuries both visible and invisible. We will never know how many Iraqis most of whom were civilians who didn't like Saddam anyway might be still alive.
     
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  12. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    Even if we didn't invade Iraq Afghanistan still might've given us that comeuppance. That is the place were empires die.
     
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