Finally. A newspaper that at least speculates why Rove & Bush Co.

[AlinPA]

went into Iraq.

Snip<There was no good reason for the United States to go into Iraq in the first place, unless the re-election of George W. Bush as a "war president" in 2004 is considered to be a good reason to have carried out the invasion.>end snip

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06056/661001.stm

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Thom Hartmann's #1 reason: POLITICAL CAPITAL

[AlinPA]

3. Yes. Plus some big "capital" for the Halliburtons.

[BlueEyedSon]

6. We can go on to reasons 2 thru 10

Peak oil
Dollar hegemony
bases to replace Saudi arabia
profit
chaos
the rapture
israel
revenge
revoke civil rights at home

[AlinPA]

9. Profit and the "rapture" are big reasons for them.

[BlueEyedSon]

10. They are all real, i did not mean to insinuate that any are false

Crap, i forgot a biggie: The PNAC agenda (democratize the middle east in a "reverse domino effect"; establish the US as the sole world super-duper power).

[AlinPA]

13. That's right, they are all real, but I keep getting back to the election

as the main reason. The others helped sell elements of his base.

The rapture is very real with the admin's religious supporters.

The biggie PNAC was what his backers saw as their satisfaction in the venture.

[Mythsaje]

4. Yep...

Thom calls it damn near every time.

[BlueEyedSon]

7. Here, I found the piece

Published on Monday, August 29, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
George W. Bush's Noble Cause - 'Political Capital'
by Thom Hartmann

Cindy Sheehan continues to ask George W. Bush what the "Noble Cause" was for which her son died in Iraq, and why Bush's daughters haven't enlisted in this Cause.

While Bush talked to us about WMDs, an imminent "mushroom cloud," and tried to link Saddam and Iraq to 9/11 (when it was 14 Saudis who hit the World Trade Center), those all fell apart and were exposed (by no less than Paul Wolfowitz) as intentional lies. When Bush shifted his Noble Cause to invading Iraq to bring democracy to the Iraqi people, the Downing Street Memo told another story. And now, also, so does Bush's first biographer.

It's becoming increasingly clear that the way Bush lied us into invading Iraq, particularly the timing of it all (ginning it up just before the 2002 midterm elections), was done largely so Republicans could win take back the Senate in 2002 after losing it because of Jim Jeffords' defection, and so Bush could win the White House in the election of 2004.

It's apparently just that simple, just that banal, and ultimately just that traitorous to the traditional ideals of America.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0829-22.htm

[AlinPA]

8. Thank you! I copied it.

[wryter2000]

2. Bingo!

IMHO, there was no one reason for *asshat to go into Iraq. We know he was planning it before he assumed office. However, the single biggest reason was so he could be a "war president." That was the only way he could get close enough to steal the election.

On edit: If it really had been "mission accomplished," he wouldn't have had to steal the election. He could have coasted in.

[MadisonProgressive]

5. I'm so happy they printed that article!

but really sad after just reading it...

[Jane Austin]

11. What convinced me that this was their reason was

watching how they ran the 2002 and 2004 campaigns, while keeping in mind that all their stated reason were clearly bogus.

There had to be a compelling reason, and considering Karl Rove was involved, one knew it would be about winning elections.

Afterthought: Do you realize what kind of people would kill thousands of our own military as well as innocent people in their own homes? The answer is Cold Blooded Murderers.

[Mythsaje]

12. Otherwise known as sociopaths. n/t

[Disturbed]

14. I feel that the following are also top reasons.

Bush Regime Iraq Successes (Phase 1)

1. Saddam will no longer sell Iraqi oil via the Euro.

2, A military foothold in the ME. Other than Saudi Arabia.

3, No countries will be able to buy Iraqi oil that the U.S. disapproves of.

4. The Multi-Intl. Oil Corps are reaping great profits.

5.The Military Industrial Complex is a booming Industry.

[Memory Container]

15. We have a winner!

All of the above and more.
PNAC, Leo Strauss...
I have this unsettled feeling that somehow the Third Reich is having their revenge on America...
I just can't shake it.

[femrap]

17. and Rove is Goebbels reincarnate.....

[Critters2]

18. Leo Strauss!!!!

Why doesn't anyone ever mention this A-hole!

Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

[autorank]

21. Not mentioned because he's such a "Nightmare";) n/t

[LisaLynne]

16. They don't think of our soldiers as people.

If you're not one of their rich friends, you simply don't matter to these sociopaths.

[blue neen]

19. Kick for the Post-Gazette.

They have also reported on many of the idiotic things that Ricky Santorum says and does.

[Shizaad]

20. They wanted war for a lot of reasons

As republican draft-dodging cowards, they wanted to taste blood as a rite of manhood.

[RagingInMiami]

22. The Post-Gazette has done a consistently good job

of criticizing Bush and the war on its editorial pages.