David Mitchell: ISIS sprung from Bush’s ill-advised war in Iraq
In 2003 we invaded Iraq. We were told by the rest of the civilized world not to do it and that we were wrong. We did it anyway, based on lies. Many former CIA operatives now have tell-all books stating the Bush administration told them to find a reason to go to Iraq, regardless of facts.
Bush then eliminated Iraq’s military structure, against the advice of his own experts. Bush purposely destabilized that country and sent it into civil war, which has had a chain reaction across the Middle East. Now many former Iraqi soldiers are ISIS fighters. After the 9-11 attacks, we were all willing to go to any length to fight terror. Imagine how Iraqi civilians felt after our “Shock and Awe” campaign that killed thousands of innocents.
Who is Europe and the rest of the world blaming for ISIS? They blame Bush. If you read interviews with many ISIS fighters they say our Iraq war was a huge factor in their hatred for us. Who profits from these conflicts? The military industrial complex and oil companies that now have access to Iraq’s oil fields.
David Mitchell, Oakdale
This story was originally published December 29, 2015 at 11:55 AM with the headline "David Mitchell: ISIS sprung from Bush’s ill-advised war in Iraq."