There are also other reasons for going to war that go beyond personal gain, that have to do with the context of the time: * A desire to focus people's ire and

There are also other reasons for going to war that go beyond personal gain, that have to do with the context of the time: * A desire to focus people's ire and attention at a specific target * The unity of purpose that creating such a target can bring * It also aligns with the Republican party's political strategy of causing division to support their agenda: "Are you saying you don't support the troops?" I find it telling that many people criticizing the war felt compelled to pre-face their statements with "I support the troops, but...". Having a Us vs Them dichotomy strongly favors certain groups, and the Republicans have always had strong ties with the military establishment. It need not stretch into a specific Cheney wants to profit from Haliburton scenario. It's just as simple to say that their ideology supports and favors military intervention, their preferred method of action involves military retaliation and their "social network" (supporters, voters, etc...) would benefit or support such an intervention.