What if America had eliminated Saddam Hussein in 1991?

MSgt Michael Bischoff — Tue, 24 May 2016 15:20:23 -0400

Response by MSgt Michael Bischoff made May 24 at 2016 3:21 PM

MSgt Michael Bischoff — Tue, 24 May 2016 15:21:20 -0400

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/what-if-america-had-eliminated-saddam-hussein-14454
Would things be different or would they have to where they are sooner?

What If America Had 'Eliminated' Saddam Hussein?

What if a U.S. "decapitation strike" on the Iraqi dictator hit the target?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 3:22 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 15:22:04 -0400

then everything wouldn't be Bush's fault?

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 3:23 PM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 15:23:40 -0400

The shit we are currently dealing with would have lasted a hell of a lot longer?

Response by CPT Jack Durish made May 24 at 2016 4:04 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 24 May 2016 16:04:25 -0400

That's a helluva good question and who knows? I'm sure there will be many opinions. But I have a better one: What would have happened had Obama not withdrawn Americans precipitously?

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made May 24 at 2016 4:07 PM

SSG Pete Fleming — Tue, 24 May 2016 16:07:56 -0400

First off, as with any 'what if' scenario, we can't compare then to now. The world was different 25 years ago. The entire operation to go and liberate Kuwait was much different than going into Iraq in '03 (this isn't about should have we or shouldn't we have done it).

But you have to remember the world in 90/91... America had just won the Cold War. We were powerful and highly respected, at that time. Iran was much weaker (they were recouping from the Iran/Iraq war) and the terrorist organizations that sprang out of the 90's were not as developed (though it can be argued most were around a lot longer). There was huge support to remove the Saddam regime from the people of Iraq. I am sure there would have been those apposed our involvement, and a possible insurgency, but it would have been nothing like what happened after the '03 invasion. Though at the time the UN prevented his removal, hypothetically speaking they supported the removal, then there would have been UN, NATO, Middle East cooperation in placing a pro-western leader in power. Additionally technology was not at the same level as it was years later.

So, instead of wasting billions supporting a decade long no-fly zone, that money would have been spent stabilizing the country. We would not of had the sequel in '03. Sure it would have still cost tax payers billions in the 90's but we would not have spent the trillions in the 2000's. We would of had a partner against the war on terror, and ISIS would never have been born. The Syrian civil war might of happened but the refugee crisis and rise of a terrorist state would have been prevented.

I am not so naïve to say everything would have been perfect. But we would not have the issues, in that location, that we have now.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 4:12 PM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 16:12:31 -0400

What if we did everything with the resolve of the first gulf war?

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made May 24 at 2016 4:28 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Tue, 24 May 2016 16:28:44 -0400

Civil war between the Shia and Sunnis.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 24 at 2016 5:00 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Tue, 24 May 2016 17:00:05 -0400

Definitely an excellent "What If" Game. We may have been seen as Liberators for Iraqi Shia and Kurds who would continue to suffer for another 12 years under the Heavy Heel of Sadam but I suspect that there would have still been a Power Vacuum for the Taking and a long Destabalizing Period but maybe we would be seeing the Normalizing now.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 5:21 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 17:21:22 -0400

Pandora's box would have been opened 12 years early. President Bush and his advisors were smarter than most of us gave them credit for being at the time.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 6:39 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 May 2016 18:39:38 -0400

hussein was the lesser of two evils, as repugnant as he was as well as his sons they kept world order, but if you were to search out his party bathist their origin was created in the idea of the nazi party so now we have the question was it right, osama bin laden was an allied when ussr was in afghanistan, what happened, there are more questions than answers, i'm just a soldier wanting to know why i left the safety of my home and familly

Response by MAJ Keira Brennan made May 24 at 2016 9:17 PM

MAJ Keira Brennan — Tue, 24 May 2016 21:17:04 -0400

Back in the early 2000s I read a good piece in Foreign Affairs as to why Bush Sr. and the military didn't push all the way to Bagdad. The BLUF was the Shia/Sunni power grab (which turned out to be true). Hindsight. Dad was right IMO.

Response by SFC Antonio Nieto made May 24 at 2016 10:16 PM

SFC Antonio Nieto — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:16:37 -0400

Caps, saddam needed to be convicted of his crimes to give the people of Iraq some type of relief because all the torture they endured during his reign of terror, if an American soldier would have kill him, the coalition would have fallen apart, and the United nations and international community would have condone our actions, it would had been seen as a murder and revenge, we are professionals, referring to us as Soldiers the orders were to taken into custody and turn him to the provisional government to bring justice to him and the people he murder

Response by MSgt Michael Bischoff made May 24 at 2016 10:39 PM

MSgt Michael Bischoff — Tue, 24 May 2016 22:39:08 -0400

The question is similar to what if Hilter had died in WWI. What would the world be like??

Response by CPO Frank Coluccio made May 25 at 2016 1:06 AM

CPO Frank Coluccio — Wed, 25 May 2016 01:06:24 -0400

Should have. In fact had two opportunities;
1) continue on to Baghdad instead of stopping in April
2) in August, 1991 when Saddam was found in "Material Breach" of the cease fire agreements he signed in May by the UNSC.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 28 at 2016 7:13 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 May 2016 19:13:01 -0400

There would probably be 5000+ Kurds still alive.....

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Jun 2 at 2016 11:47 AM

Maj Mike Sciales — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 11:47:25 -0400

Probably would have led to the Iranian government sending troops all the way to Baghdad and Iran would be much bigger today.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 13 at 2018 12:00 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 12:00:59 -0400

With what? Every Ally in the group would not advance into Iraq. Some of the Arabs ( 1 Egyptian and 1 Syrian division) moved 15 km into Kuwait and parked for the rest of the war. The French division had orders to Not cross the Euphrates river. A division commander wanted to continue the attack. J2 reminded us of the 40+ Republican Guard Divisions still in Iraq on the E-W borders and that we would have ) support.