Iraq

Iraq 2003

Americans were told by President Bush and his administration that the U.S. was going to war with Iraq because of the imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction. Yet to date, no such weapons have been revealed.

As stated by a number of prominent figures, there was a larger, more ambitious plan as well. A plan to remake the Middle East; that establishing a democracy in Iraq would be an important change in the world order.

There's no question that liberating Iraq from a tyrannical regime was thought by many of us to be a good thing in itself. Though if one could bring democratic political process to Iraq and help shape opinion in the Arab world, a world with little to no democratic political institutions, would also be a good thing.

Whatever the reasons for going to war, and whatever the challenges and dangers of nation-building in the heart of the Middle East, the United States says it has committed itself to transforming Iraq into a thriving democratic country. Critics say the challenges and dangers may prove too great.