User:Rangeley/WOT

The issue of whether or not the Iraq War is part of the War on Terrorism has been a contentious issue, that often causes people to make knee jerk reactions based on their personal, political views. This is an attempt to escape the preconceived notions, and come to a logical, historical, and factual conclusion on the issue.

Introduction
This issue has been discussed both on article's, and user's talk pages over the past months, resulting in two polls being made with differing results, it is necessary that we address this issue in one location as it is easier to reach a consensus when conversations are able to be read in full.

What this is not addressing

 * The name of the War on Terrorism. Currently, Wikipedia's article on the conflict is located at the War on Terrorism, and until it is not located there, this is the name of the conflict as far as other articles are concerned.
 * Whether the Iraq War was justified. This is not an attempt to justify, or use Wikipedia to justify the War in Iraq. There is no agenda being pushed other than that of presenting facts to Wikipedians.
 * Whether Saddam Hussein's regime had ties to terrorism/Al Qaeda, or whether he possessed WMD. The accuracy of pre-war intelligence is irrelevant to this issue as, again, it is not attempting to justify the war.

What this is addressing

 * The recognition of the Iraq War as part of the War on Terrorism.

Why it is part of the War on Terrorism

 * The United States and its allies began the military campaign known as the War on Terrorism, a campaign whose goal is "ending international terrorism by stopping those groups identified by the U.S. as terrorist groups and ending state sponsorship of terrorism."
 * Saddam Hussein's regime was considered a "state sponsor of terrorism" by the United States government.
 * The United States and its allies began the Iraq War as a stated part of the War on Terrorism, both pre-war, and since it has begun.