If Bush hadn't invaded Iraq...

[Ravy]

The weapons inspectors could have completed their work, Saddam would likely be in exile, the sanctions on Iraq would have been lifted, 4000 of our soldiers would be alive, tens of thousands of our soldiers would not have been maimed, Afghanistan would have gotten the attention it deserved, our national debt would be lowered an estimated two trillion dollars, and Halliburton shares would be worth a fraction of what they are today.

And few on DU would be saying that it was the wrong vote.



Edited: I can't believe I initially didn't count the US loss of life, and limbs, and the cost of the war. Please forgive the edit.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. And 4000 US soldiers would be alive

as well as a million Iraqis.

[Ravy]

3. OMG, I can't believe I left that out. I need to edit. How callous of me. nt

[Kittycat]

2. And we'd have nearly 4000 soldiers with us today.

As a side note - Gas would probably be around $1.70/gal again.

[ingac70]

4. Bush had every intention of invading...

and the Dems that voted for the IWR knew that before the vote.

You are throwing out fantasy "what ifs".

[Ravy]

5. A fantasy is purporting to know what the Dems "knew".

If you really believe that, why would you ever let one of them off with an "I'm sorry" or by saying "I made a mistake".

[ingac70]

6. I don't think anyone who voted for that...

Is truly sorry or that they think they made a mistake. They are just talking out their butts to try and stay in the good graces of Democrats.

All who voted for the IWR are complicit in a war crime as far as I'm concerned..

[Ravy]

9. If that is what you think, I respect that.

What I can't respect is those that truly think they intended the pre-emptive war whether Saddam complied or not, but all of that will be forgotten if you just say "I'm sorry".

I don't agree that they thought that war would be waged while Saddam was complying with the UN resolutions. If I did, I agree with you that the Hague should have a very busy upcoming schedule.

[aquart]

7. You knew. I knew. Congress should have.

But, you know, New York. How do NY senators NOT vote for the most aggressive measures available to protect their people? Because it wasn't just Clinton. It was also Schumer. They both made that choice.

Our Congress countenanced a war of aggression. That is what requires an apology.

[Ravy]

8. If I thought that, an apology wouldn't be enough for me.

And, I would hate to think it would be enough for any of us.

[enid602]

10. what if?

Or, conversely, Saddam (whose grasp of power was starting to weaken at the beginning of the 21st century) might have been overthrown, causing a massive Sunni vs Shia insurgency and civil war. The UN would have been called in, and the US would be universally loved and congratulated for the leadership it showed in saving the birthplace of civilization. The war would have been fought by UN troops, and costs would have been overseen and justified by member countries. The cost to the US would have been $100B (instead of $2T), as Iraqi citizens saw UN troops as peacekeepers, rather than occupiers. Of course, the US economy would have continued to grow on the path that the Big Dog had earlier set for it, and we would now have no debt at all. The world would not have gone into a serious recession. And you might not lose your job in the coming weeks.