Iraq: Enough Reason to Vote Against Bush

On September 11, 2001 followers of Osama Bin Ladin attacked the United States, resulting in the deaths of almost 3000 people. Most people would agree the attack was wrong even though the United States has possessed weapons of mass destruction since 1945.

George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of well over 1000 Americans and thousands of innocent Iraqi non-combatants. Bush's main reason for ordering the invasion was his belief that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction even though there was no proof that the WMDs existed. Of course, none were ever found.

George Bush has tried to justify his Invasion of Iraq by linking Saddam Hussein with the September 11th attacks and with Osama Bin Ladin. According to "The 9/11 Commission Report", Bush received a memo as early as September 18, 2001 stating that there was "...no compelling case that Iraq had either planned or perpetrated the attacks." The report also states: "...Bin Ladin had in fact been sponsoring anti-Saddam Islamists in Iraqi Kurdistan" and "Bin Ladin resented the secularism of Saddam Hussein's regime."

Bush started operations in Afghanistan to track down the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks but decided to shift the attention of the American military to Iraq. Many people are quick to point out alleged inconsistencies in John Kerry's behavior, but Bush's insistence on "being firm in his resolve" and "staying the course" in Iraq has cost thousands of lives and over 200 billion dollars of taxpayer money.

Saddam has been captured. His sons have been killed. Even so, America is still embroiled in a war in Iraq with no end in sight. Bush recently said, "Our goal is to defeat terror by staying on the offensive." "Staying on the offensive", of course, requires troops. And whether he admits it or not, when Bush exhausts our regular military and reserves, he will have no other choice but to reinstate the draft.

I believe voters, especially men of draft age and their parents, need to consider Bush's serious errors in judgment when casting their votes in November