Should we be involved in the war in Irag!

To conclude this debate I will respond to the individual points that you have mentioned, as well as supply a final recount of various reasons why the United States should not be involved with a war in Iraq. First, I disagree that the United States was attacked because of our supposed religion. I do believe that many middle eastern counties see us as immoral (due to our separation of Church and State, our "liberal" politics and laws, American policies of expansion and severe interest in our power/economic gains, etc etc etc). However our involvement in the war only increases their negative image of us. Plus, I'm not even entirely sure that the American government didn't have anything to do with 9/11, although that's another debate entirely. The point is that terrorists attack Israel more frequently than the U.S. not because they're afraid of us... I mean, suicide bombings mean that they're going to die anyway, so what the Hell are they afraid of?! Instead, I argue that attacks on Israel occur more frequently because 1) the proximity of middle eastern countries (and the terrorists within them) to Israel and, 2) the long-standing conflict with Israel since its inception (because of it's Holy Land). You mentioned that America is seen as the police force of the world. My rebuttal is that being considered a police force of the world may not be a good thing at all. First, perhaps our policing has helped contribute to the perception of the United States as the Evil Empire, and one reason why many terrorists groups hate us in the first place. Second, there is an extremely limited number of countries in the world (especially the United Nations) that agree with us embarking on this war. Thus, we are not seen as do-gooders helping to SAVE people, but rather "bad cops" (since you used the analogy of policing) who are using our powers for evil or for our own selfish agendas. We are alienating our allies one by one, including powerful ones in the middle east -- how is that benefitting our country at all? And in response to our so-called "responsibility" to countries with people who don't have our exact freedoms, my question is: Is war really the answer? There wasn't a better way? As a result of this war, countless soldiers and civilians have died, not to mention the entire American economy is in shambles. We have so many debts to foreign nations; again this is a HORRIBLE move politics wise. But in terms of moral obligation, I pose the question- Who are we to determine what rights and freedoms other countries should have? After all, Holland has had marijuana legalized for years, whereas it is not legal in the United States. Is Holland giving us a hard time about it? No. Countries in Europe have also legalized gay marriage YEARS before the United States even considered it. Are they telling us what to do and how to run our country? No. Granted these things may all seem trivial to the torture imposed upon Iraqi civilians under Saddam Hussein. However are we forgetting the torture that America has imposed upon its own citizens in the past? Slavery anyone? The Civil Rights Movement? Being attacked by German Shepards and bludgeoned to death by police officers for fighting to sit at the front of the bus hardly seems humane to me. Yet other countries did not impose upon our affairs. Likewise there are countless instances in American society where as a nation we have acted cruel and unfairly (I won't get into that). The point is that most countries see international war as a last resort, and is considered just only in dire circumstances, such as if your country is put in severe danger. Our country was attacked, yes. But not by Iraq. By the Taliban; al Queda. Fight THEM. Continue the war against TERRORISM. But no, you cannot just go to war with known countries that house terrorists. Because guess what - the U.S. houses them too. And while certain countries may come off as 'potential threats' due to that fact, just imagine about how much of a threat the United States appears to be since we 1) apparently find it within our right to police the world and go to war despite the support of the United Nations, and 2) we proudly boast about our WMDs even though we are hypocritical enough to invade countries because of the possibility that other nations may have them. Even if Iraq DID have WMDs (which they did not... and we were lied to about it repeatedly), why are they more of a threat then the United States who has proven that we will attack a country randomly for whatever reason? Bottom line: Other countries (even enemies) have WMDs. We do not attack them because they pose more of a threat to the U.S. than Iraq did. Iraq was a relatively easy target; it's not right of the U.S. to use its military prowess to infringe upon the rights of an inferior country. We wouldn't want people telling us how to run our country, yet we are that egotistical that we have that right over others? I'm sure that many people in other nations would feel that the Death Penalty and killing someone via electric chair is inhumane. But that is for the American people and the American government to decide. Imagine war being declared upon us, and American civilians dying in the streets because people of other cultures disagreed with our laws and way of life. Middle-eastern culture is completely different from ours; cultures change and evolve at their own pace over time constantly. Why don't you look up ancient Roman practices and other cultural behavioral patterns from the past and then come talk to me about history. And finally, I'll recount my reasons + add some new ones on why this war is wrong: the number of casualties (from all sides); the cost of this war and its effect on the American economy and policy + way of life; the negative repercussion regarding how the world views America, i.e. al Qaeda and other terrorist groups can cite this as an example of the U.S. taking over the world and our need to be stopped/punished... plus other world powers seeing America as a bully who will stop at nothing to get our way; fighting in Iraq has slowed the production of oil, causing gas prices all over the world to sky rocket and cause more economic problems for us Americans at home, etc. The list goes on and on. Like I said, there are (a FEW) legitimate reasons for the United States to be at war with Iraq. However like I have mentioned in a previous round, the cons far outweigh the pros. So, I would like to thank everybody for reading, Marine_to_be for debating, and would like to ask everyone to keep in mind that regardless of your position on this issue, to please vote based on who has given the best arguments and performed better in this particular debate. Thanks!