Why are we in Iraq from their perspective? Seriously.

Do they even have a reason anymore? Are they even defending the invasion anymore?

Are they back to hinging this invasion on gassed Kurds and mass graves that they didn't care about until 2/3 years ago?

We are in Iraq because, even though it was all a big mistake, it would be worse if we left. (Democratic version)

We are in Iraq because we have to stay the course. We cannot afford to fail. (Republican version)

That's what's getting lost in the shuffle.
Lots of people saying we were there for no reason, which is obviously correct... they really aren't bothering to give a comeback for that?

The usual chorus of war party spin-masters are all out there trumpeting the new party line. Why we went there to begin with is so 2003. Get over it. The big thing now is that we have to stay until, until, until, well until the damn oil runs out, but we can't say that so instead we have to stay the course, or make things right, or not let the evil terrsts and furry fighters win or some other nonsense.

That's pretty much it.

We've been trying to stop a pipeline from being built across Afghanistan for a couple of decades now, and almost every action in Afghanistan and now Iraq comes down to stopping the Russians from gaining easy access to mideast oil.

Also, we're a country of multinational corporations, all of which have a stake in our having control over Iraq's oil and the Afghan corridor. Saddam posed a threat only because he nationalized his oil fields, meaning the oil-related corporations (not just Chevron, Texaco, and Unocal, but also Halliburton, KBR, and subsidiaries) were cut off at the neck from stealing it all.

If you look back to 1953, you will see that the leader of Iran threatened to nationalize all of Iran's oil fields, and we couldn't let that happen, so through the CIA we arranged a coup and installed the Shah who was western-friendly. Going against the corporations in this way is lethal, history will prove that out. Take a look at all of the various dictatorships we have installed around the world, and then later had to go in and depose when they turned against us. Bin Laden was CIA trained to fight for us in Afghanistan. Saddam was also CIA trained.

I'm no expert in mideast history, but all of this is researchable on the internet and in libraries. The National Archives online is very helpful in figuring this all out.