Conflict in Iraq: Retribution for 9/11, or Grave Mistake?

Conflict in Iraq: Retribution for 9/11, or Grave Mistake?

September 11, 2001 is a date in American history that will not be forgotten by American citizens. After the assault on both the Twin Towers in Manhattan, and the

Pentagon in Washington D.C., the attitude and policies of both the American people and the U.S. government changed. Fear crept out from every corner on the street, and hatred and discrimination ambled out of every store or gas station that was run predominantly by citizens of Middle Eastern descent. In response, President Bush told the American people “We will never forget,” meaning the people responsible for the attacks would be found, and payback would be ensured. However, instead of hunting down Osama bin Laden (the leader of the terrorist group al-Qaeda) or Mohammed Atta (mastermind behind the 9/11 events), the U.S. decided to hunt Saddam Hussein.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (directed by the U.S. government) reported in a speech given on Feb. 5, 2003 that Saddam had both the materials and the means to create weapons of mass destruction and also had links to the terrorists in al-Qaeda (“The Path to War”). This declaration led the United States declaring on March 17, 2003 that Hussein