If you want to understand this war's purpose, read the Project for the New American Century's September 2000 position paper, "Rebuilding America's Defenses; Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century". It's all there.
The plan put forth by PNAC is unfolding before out eyes. The defense budget increased to 3.8% of our GDP (almost to the penny). Attempts to render organizations like the UN and NATO ineffective so the US can emerge as the world's constable. Fighting simultaneous, major multiple-theater wars to show our superiority. Even Bush's push to reorganize our space program is part of the PNAC plan (they want to form another branch of the military - U.S. Space Forces).
In the 2000 report they say:
"Indeed, the United States has for decades sought to play a more permanent role in Gulf regional security. While the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein."
(page 14)
and
"After eight years of no-fly-zone operations, there is little reason to anticipate that the U.S. air presence in the region should diminish significantly as long as Saddam Hussein remains in power.
Although Saudi domestic sensibilities demand that the forces based in the Kingdom nominally remain rotational forces, it has become apparent that this is now a semi-permanent mission. From an American perspective, the value of such bases would endure even should Saddam pass from the scene. Over the long term, Iran may well prove as large a threat to U.S. interests in the Gulf as Iraq has. And even should U.S.-Iranian relations improve, retaining forward-based forces in the region would still be an essential element in U.S. security strategy given the longstanding American interests in the region."
(page 17)
The purpose of the Iraq war was to get the 14 permanent military bases and the largest embassy the world has ever seen in Iraq. A base from which to build their American Empire.
And the PNAC September 2000 report was just the latest version of an agenda that these same people have been pushing for decades. Winning in November is not enough. The Iraq military bases and collasal embassy cannot be left intact. These treasonous bastards must be exposed, tried and jailed. Otherwise, The Plan will pick up where it left off the next time the neo-cons take power.
A copy of the Project for the New American Century's September 2000 report titled "Rebuilding America's Defenses; Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century" can be viewed at
http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf Btw, does anyone think it would have been possible for this administration to get the country to support an Iraq war without the attacks of September 11?
The PNAC report also said this:
"Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbor."
(page 51)