Was the Iraq war unilateral?

[M1A2U2]

I often hear many people up at school talk about how the Iraq war a Unilateral action on the part of the US. Just wondering what some of you foreigners think of that

[PeterRJG]

I often hear many people up at school talk about how the Iraq war a Unilateral action on the part of the US. Just wondering what some of you foreigners think of that

By definition, it can't be unilateral if more than one nation was involved.
So, they're wrong.

[Laworkerbee]

I often hear many people up at school talk about how the Iraq war a Unilateral action on the part of the US. Just wondering what some of you foreigners think of that

By definition, it can't be unilateral if more than one nation was involved.
So, they're wrong.

X2

[Sir Zach of R.]

God forbid someone picks up a dictionary and checks the definition of "unilateral." :roll:

[PeterRJG]

1. Of, on, relating to, involving, or affecting only one side: “a unilateral advantage in defense” (New Republic).
2. Performed or undertaken by only one side: unilateral disarmament.
3. Obligating only one of two or more parties, nations, or persons, as a contract or an agreement.
4. Emphasizing or recognizing only one side of a subject.
5. Having only one side.
6. Tracing the lineage of one parent only: a unilateral genealogy.
7. Botany. Having leaves, flowers, or other parts on one side only.

[M1A2U2]

No I agree with you. Thats why i find it so crazy when people like weasel say that it was a unilateral war.

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

1. Of, on, relating to, involving, or affecting only one side: “a unilateral advantage in defense” (New Republic).
2. Performed or undertaken by only one side: unilateral disarmament.

If you look at it you could say it was unilateral.

[Sir Zach of R.]

1. Of, on, relating to, involving, or affecting only one side: “a unilateral advantage in defense” (New Republic).
2. Performed or undertaken by only one side: unilateral disarmament.

If you look at it you could say it was unilateral.

Saddam Hussein was "unilateral" in getting his ass handed to him. Booyah. :lol:

[pathfinder82]

I think they say it was a unilateral war because the brits pretty much looked forced into taking the view of the bush administration, and those were really the only countries banging the war drum, the others came along for the ride. Nobody else even thought about Iraq anymore until Bush brought it up. It was definitley a follow the leader scenario. Nobody else but the US really wanted to invade Iraq, if the US was never involved would the brits, the polish etc.. have invaded Iraq, hell no.

So in some sense it was unilateral, it was our war they just came along for the ride after alot of political footsie, nobody other than bush thought it was needed. Really all you have to do is listen to Tony Blairs talk when the war drums in washington started. He was almost insisting the US go the diplomatic route, when the US changed its stance and war became inevitable(as if it ever really wasnt) so did Tony Blair overnight. Its called political strong arming, and it happened in front of all our eyes, and I bet Tony Blair feels really small inside. I mean really this is the strong arm administration, most republican administrations are, they are bullys in moderately priced suits, unless your bush, cheney, or rumsfeld, then they are high priced suits.

[Weasel]

No I agree with you. Thats why i find it so crazy when people like weasel say that it was a unilateral war.

Where and when did I say that?

[Roaming East]

oh boy here we go....

[achilles]

God forbid someone picks up a dictionary and checks the definition of "unilateral." :roll:

Most of the times we can manipulate semantics as to reach the conclusion we want ;) .
According to Merriam Webster therefore the war was multilateral, yet given that Dubya and his friends, blatantly neglected the international community as expressed through the UN, makes the war, actually, unilateral. Its the US who triggered it in the first place and dragged other nations into it. If you dont want to call it strictly unilateral, then perhaps we could say that it has a strong flavour of unilateralism.

I suppose in your dictionary there is no 'war in Iraq' next to the 'war on terror' entry, if you know what i mean. p-)

[Malc]

The majority of the UN voted for a second ressolution but France vetoed. Is that representing the international community or Frances buisness deals with Iraq?

[sp2c]

well technically it wasn't unilateral since there were brits fighting on the American left flank

but you can also say that the decision to attack was a unilateral one ('we go it alone because we are the US') you can find solid arguments to support either opinion but what's to be gained by it?

Iraq was attacked, Saddam was removed, Terrorists have taken their war against the west into that country (over the dead bodies of the actual inhabitants) so imo we should look to the future ... we should finish the fight in Afghanistan asap and then we should all pitch in in Iraq

[Malc]

It wasn't only Britian which contributed troops they just contributed 46,000 the others were in the 100's countrys like Ausitralia and Poland contributed troops many other countries gave logistic support, France deployed the Charles De Gaulle but never used it.

[achilles]

The majority of the UN voted for a second ressolution but France vetoed. Is that representing the international community or Frances buisness deals with Iraq?

Why does it always have to come down to France?

Have you forgotten **** Cheney's(just to name one) business deals with Iraq and how he exploited the oil-for-food program in order for his enterprises to become richer? ;)

[Violet Fashion by Mindy]

If we are going to start blaming France for a Veto.

How about we start putting **** on every bloody resolution the US has vetoed over the Isreal/Palistinian problem?

[achilles]

A quick memory refresher:
Under Cheney, Halliburton Helped Saddam Siphon Billions from UN Oil-for-Food (http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=9352&fcategory_desc=****%20Cheney%20and%20Halliburton)

As far as i am concerned, a bit of self-criticism before bashing France or anyone else is always helpful. p-)

[sp2c]

the past is in the past

even if the war against Saddam could be classified as a unilateral effort the rebuilding of Iraq since the statue fell can not.
There have been several UN resolutions urging member states to supply money, people and whatever they could to help Iraq become a sovereign nation and dozens of nations supplied thousands of troops and billions of cold hard cash to do so

[BarkingSquirrel]

The majority of the UN voted for a second ressolution but France vetoed. Is that representing the international community or Frances buisness deals with Iraq?

Why does it always have to come down to France?

Have you forgotten **** Cheney's(just to name one) business deals with Iraq and how he exploited the oil-for-food program in order for his enterprises to become richer? ;)Because **** Cheney didn't veto a resolution that was going to pass just to get a few extra bucks and hide their Oil for Fraud dealings.

[ex1cdo]

well technically it wasn't unilateral since there were brits fighting on the American left flank

Wasn't that M1A2U2?