How has Iraq come to occupy America's attention for the last 14 years?

[fujiyama]

Ok, I understand Saddam's place in the cold war, the US relationship with him during the Reagan years, the the causes and aftermath of the first Gulf War, and the situation regarding Saddam, WMDs, and the UN SC resolutions.

However, it boggles my mind that this one country has demanded so much attention from the US. Also, this hasn't been a partisan thing. The Clinton administration was also responsible for focussing way too much attention on Iraq -- military and intelligence wise. Clinton also bombed the country repeatedly. Now, it's true that Saddam was not being very cooperative with the weapons inspectors, but still I don't understand this particular paranoia over Saddam and WMDs. I also don't believe the sanctions were the sole cause of the malnutrition, starvation, and misery in Iraq, since the first Gulf War.

During this time, it seems as though so much attention was focused on Iraq, that not nearly enough attention was focused on the real threat -- that of Islamic terrorism emanating from the central-south Asian region (namely Afghanistan, under the control of the Pakistanis and the Saudis). While there is no doubt that the Bush administration bears the most responsibility (after all they decided to actually invade) it seems as though American FP has been irrationally obsessed with Iraq, a country ruled by a petty tyrant, who was not a real immediate threat in any way.

[izzie]

1. Well for one thing the first war was iffy.

Why did we go to a war to put back in power a ruler who gave his people no freedom? Sure Saddam had gone into the country but they were both of the same type. Their word was law. Course he was our slime ball and Saddam was not our slime ball any more. I guess we are just into the oil wars for the next 50 years.I still think China/India and EU will move into be the super powers and they are not wasting their peoples money all on arms.

[fujiyama]

2. .