Iraq/Iran sideshow

I and many others around the planet have discussed at length the Iraq invasion and the possible reasons for it and Iran being next in line for the same reasons but what if we are all wrong. It is a possibility that these events are just a side show, a magicians trick to distract from the real objective.

Lets look at some details, despite defence budgets increasing western armed forces have been shrinking and are continuing to do so. Massive amounts of money is needed for equipment as the technology costs more and more. On the other hand potential opponents who may not spend say as much as the US on their military are actualy increasing their armed forces, especially China, and Russia does not anounce what it spends on defence.

Is Iraq/Iran a stepping stone to have an excuse for us to build up our armed forces to meet this potential threat. One cannot go from peace keeping to major all out war without the means to do so. What would be the reaction in the US/UK if the goverment said were going to have the draft because we might have to fight the Chinese etc. one day, I cannot see many people agreeing to it.

But if you have a slow and deliberate build up to such a scenario it would appear that such a strategy would work. Lets face it in peace time who would support the massive increase of armed forces when the money could be spent on so many other things, but having a creeping war provides the excuse to do so.

Just one example the Uk Navy during the cold war years was geared up to fight the USSR, that threat at least for now has gone yet we are proposing to build 2 new huge carriers compared to the existing ones. Well what for, who has the means to invade or attack the UK, were not a global power any more so it cannot be that. Why is there a need for this masive increase in capability when there appears to be no threat. One can only assume that the military planners are looking to the east.

So is Iraq and maybe Iran just the training grounds for the future and an excuse to increase military spending and to introduce the draft.