Is this war all about Israel?

[Hamlette]

And if so, what am I missing?

Listening to Lieberman (as much as I could stand) on the morning talk shows I got this sinking feeling that the war against Saddam was a war to "save" Israel.

I just don't see the neocons as defenders of Israel but I think that's where Lieberman's support for the war comes from. How big a part is that playing in all this?

(I still don't get it. The more I stir this t*rd, the worse it stinks. Why the hell did we go to war in Iraq? I think Bush went cause he thought he could win quickly and he'd be a hero. But the PNAC? Are they really raw imperialists? Are we gonna become a colonial power? Is that what they want? Is it about the oil? I'm freaking. I can't believe people are that evil.)

[sweetheart]

1. the war disturbs the balance of power/israel.

As iraq was, however bad, a balance of regional power with iran and saudi arabia who are both considered sorta-enemies of israel.

Taking out the balance, now leaves israel in a much more exposed position, expecially if these nations arm with nuclear weapons in response to israel's own WMD development. Imagine a pakistan/iran/iraq/saudi arabia alliance forming in 2006.

I can't believe people would call that good for israel, and indeed, this IRW has paved the way for exactly that.

[Cat Atomic]

2. We invaded Iraq because it expands US influence, and

enriches all the right people. And I do mean "right". It's strategically important for it's location and it's resources.

Protecting Israel? I don't think so, personally. Israel is very much a junior partner.

[reprehensor]

3. No.

Oil too. It's a long story. Hop over to the Bush, Conservatives, and Conservatism forum here at DU, and start reading. You got some catching up to do. Check out the PNAC links Redux thread. You'll be up all night.

Here are some more helpful links.

Whose War?
http://www.amconmag.com/03_24_03/cover.html

Bush's Desolate Imperium
http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~chazelle/politics/bush-article-nolink.html

The Enemy Within
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Articles9/Valenzuela_NeoCons.htm

America: The real danger lies within
http://smirkingchimp.com/print.php?sid=14392

That'll get you started. You are on the right path.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. For the members of the Likudnik War Party it is.

Read this if you want proof:

http://www.israeleconomy.org/strat1.htm

A Clean Break:
A New Strategy for Securing the Realm

Following is a report prepared by The Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies’ "Study Group on a New Israeli Strategy Toward 2000." The main substantive ideas in this paper emerge from a discussion in which prominent opinion makers, including Richard Perle, James Colbert, Charles Fairbanks, Jr., Douglas Feith, Robert Loewenberg, David Wurmser, and Meyrav Wurmser participated. The report, entitled "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm," is the framework for a series of follow-up reports on strategy.

<snip>

Israel can shape its strategic environment, in cooperation with Turkey and Jordan, by weakening, containing, and even rolling back Syria. This effort can focus on removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq — an important Israeli strategic objective in its own right — as a means of foiling Syria’s regional ambitions. Jordan has challenged Syria's regional ambitions recently by suggesting the restoration of the Hashemites in Iraq. This has triggered a Jordanian-Syrian rivalry to which Asad has responded by stepping up efforts to destabilize the Hashemite Kingdom, including using infiltrations. Syria recently signaled that it and Iran might prefer a weak, but barely surviving Saddam, if only to undermine and humiliate Jordan in its efforts to remove Saddam.

[pscot]

5. The neocons are all pro-israel

I think Israel lies at the heart of a lot of what passes for U.S.foreign policy right now. What I can't understand is why a pro-Israeli administration would promulgate policies that really seem likely to hurt Israel. But then there's a lot about this administration that I don't understand. The inside of GW's head must be a mighty wierd place.

[Mari333]

11. The Bush base is evangelical end timers

ergo, they identify Israel with their deluded prophecies.
http://www.iraqwar.org/Armageddonupdates.htm

[KG]

6. there can be no doubt the israel has a part in this.

with all the back channel stuff, its hard to determine what that part is, to be sure.

[GURUving]

7. Not all, but in large part, yes

A signal was sent to all the Arab countries. Don't screw with trying to update your weapons (whether you are or not is unimportant at this time), because you will be crushed.

Does anyone truly believe this administration is against the wall in the West Bank?

[heidler]

8. Whose side is Lieberman on. He seems perfectly willing to put our troops

in harms way. At least Kerry and Geppy claim they were misled by Bush and I haven't heard Lieberman say that. All he whines about is the way Bush is going at it. However, as soon as Dean said with Saddam's capture we are no safer all three of them jumped on Dean like they were trying to re justify their support of Bush's stupid war. They are losers and they are the ones that will have trouble sticking this war on Bush.

[Mari333]

9. Here is a great site that says a lot also

http://www.iraqwar.org/Armageddonupdates.htm

[0007]

10. Many factors are in involved and Israel is part of the problem.

[Eric J in MN]

12. No. The big winners are Halliburton and Bechtel. nt

nt

[hellhathnofury]

13. No. This was a war about oil about reelection.

[kalian]

14. Seek and ye will find....

;)

[durutti]

15. My thoughts...

Israel was a small but significant part of why the U.S. went to war. A cornerstone of the neoconservative ideology is tying U.S. interests with Israeli interests, with the ultimate goal of making Israel less dependent on the U.S. This isn't paranoia on my part; read Commentary or New Republic -- they write openly about it.

It had more to do with hegemony and the politics of oil, however.