What are we doing in Iraq?

I dont understand how the Iraq war has helped the US or what we were doing there in the first. First Bush said WMD's and I believed there were such weapons in Iraq. Not just based on what Bush said but based on my knowledge of the Hussien regime. He tried to create nuclear weapons, before the Osirak reactor was destroyed by Israel(thank God). We gave him plenty of chemical and bio weapons in the 80's. Based on this I assumed that he still possessed such weapons, emotions were high, it was after September 11, I supported the invasion.

The more I look at what we are doing the less I understand what we are gaining from it. We are trying to create democracy in Iraq, why? How can democracy be forced on a nation with no democratic tradition. How can democracy be forced on a nation that by all rights should not even exist? Isnt Iraq a jury rigged structure of three groups who hate each other? Wasnt Saddam, bastard that he is, the only thing holding them together? Dont you need brutal military rule to hold such a nation together? By those very facts we cant win the war in Iraq. Zarqaui is attacking shiites, his whole strategy is to start a civil war. The best case scenario seems to be three seperate countries, but with the suunis getting no oil, that is a receipe for more war.

If as some say we are fighting a war for oil, I dont see it either, at least in regards to making America stronger. Oil prices are at a multi-decade high, at least partially due to the Iraq war. If we were to fight a war for oil then we should have just taken the fields, killed anyone and everyone who opposed us, and made Iraq into an oil colony. I DONT support such action but at least I can how it may help America in terms of a secure oil supply.

We will eventually spend 400B+ on this war and for what? Imagine what even half that money could have been used for. We may have been able to improve alternative energy technologies, make them fully practical, end our dependence on fossil fuel totally. We could have researched into nano-tech, researched and then built the space elevator, countless advances in science could have been made. We could have used the money to help our flagging and inadequete school system. How can America mantain her power with such a weak school system, that produces very little American born engineers and scientists. We are failing our children and generations of Americans to come.

Now to a point, I am a conservative overall, I voted for Bush. Dont regret it, didnt like John Kerry. But Bush is not good for this country, just like most of our candidates arent good for this country. They dont have Americas interest in mind. They have vested interest. Bush is a bad candidate because he doesnt want or support progress especially when it comes to energy. Im not an environmentalist but even I recognize problems, both with oil supply and CO2 emissions. We can solve the CO2 problem (for some potentially interesting solutions check out July issue of popular science) but supply issues we cant and should not try to solve. Why? Because its time to look forward into the future and not backward. How can oil and chemical fuels help us move forward in any way. How can they meet the energy needs of the future, how can they help us make our first steps into space, were our future both economically and as a species lie. Bush has none of this in mind, he has Saudi oil conections and he has US oil conections, and he and most of our leaders are bound by these, and not by America's needs.

I would support a person who really wants to change things and make this country better. Niether Kerry nor Bush had that in their interests so I chose Bush because I thought Kerry would throw out Israel and cozy up to the UN plus im a social conservative not so much on abortion(though I abhor, i must admit woman has right), or on gay rights, but on family values, and other issues.

I really do like conservatives like Alan Keyes even though socially hes a bit extreme for me, and Guliani who I hope will run. I'm not sure they will change things, as they too probably are under control of the vested interests, in the country, or at least cannot really stand up to them. But they would both be better then Bush as they are not so close to big business.

The reason I say all this is that America has come to a point of no return. China and India are at the doorstep, yet our own business comunity is self destructive, it would allow America to be swept away to make a buck. We gain nothing in Iraq, but switching from oil to alternate energy would put us way ahead. Yet at business's behest the government does not support a change to hydrogen power or other fusion forms. The technology is there and just needs to be perfected.

Why is the American government not for making America stronger, why are our presidents not patroits, but puppets of vested interests? What is the point of the Iraq War, how is it helping this country?

We really need another Teddy Roosvelt, without a figure like him that can take the case for true progress and change to the people(the only way to fight such control), we will fall to the ash heap of history. A visionary is needed and needed fast.