20th Aug 04, 06:49 AM
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952 dead Americans. Over 10000 dead Iraqis. And counting...
And for what? I am still waiting for the big annoucement telling the world that we have found the weapons of mass destruction. Remember those folks?! That was the main reason our leaders gave for us to go into this war of choice. Well, I am still waiting!
Keep in mind that I was a supporter of this action at the time. I, foolishy, agreed with Bush, Powell, Rummy, and the rest. What a moron I was!!!
Bottom line, we chose to invade Iraq. The intelligence (that's a laugh) or outright lies we were told have proven to be wrong. There were no WMD's. At least not since we got there.
So what have we gained by this endeavor? We toppled Saddam. Not bad. He is a tyrant and a murderer. But if we are going to get rid of all the leaders we don't like, then we should go after Kim Jong-il of North Korea, Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and Omar el-Bashir of Sudan.
Not usually a cynic, I am left to wonder why Bush got us into this mess. Was it personal? Trying to get back at Saddam for trying to kill Bush Sr. Was it because of the oil? Of was it something even more sinister?
Listen, I think Bush did great right after 9/11 rallying the country to go after Osama in Afghanistan. But since then, this whole obsession with Iraq and Saddam has really disappointed me.
I submit that the world is much less safe because of what we did in Iraq. How many million more people HATE the US? How many more Osama's are being created for future generations to be terrorized by? Bush lost focus on Osama and we are all left to deal with the consequences.
History may one day show that I am wrong about my opinion. I'll leave that to those who come after I no longer walk this Earth. But for me, so far, Iraq will be in my mind one of the greatest mistakes the USA ever made.
My heart goes out to the families of those who were "sacrificed" for this stupid policy decision. I won't say they died in vain, but sometimes it seems that way, sorry to say
How could we have let this happen...
MNKid - Bush voter in 2000
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21st Aug 04, 04:39 AM
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Chopped Liver
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 851
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Thank you for an honest post. I don't sense any hatred in what you say. Just a feeling of remorse and regret. I think most of us have the same feelings. But we need to vote in November so I think we should review a few facts.
01. Saddam *did* use chemical weapons on the Kurds and Iranians. So he obviously had them.
02. If 10'000 Iraqis died in the war for liberation, keep in mind UN estimates place Saddam's mass graves at well over 100'000! And possibly up to 1 MILLION!
03. Last year over 40'000 americans died on the highways and their deaths accomplished NOTHING!
04. The brave men and women who have givin their lives in Iraq have done so in an effort to provide HOPE to those who feel the best thing they can do with their lives is to strap a bomb to themselves and kill Iraqi's and AMERICAN CIVLIANS!
The terrorists who want to kill us *ARE* in Iraq!
If you think John Kerry is the answer then by all means vote for him. But I'm telling you that 'W' *does* care about Americas future and JFK only cares about *his* future!
Read my other posts and decide for yourself.
}---:)
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21st Aug 04, 04:32 PM
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Mega Mod
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: in my house
Posts: 1,256
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its always hard to justify death in war time, and you BOTH make some excellent points..
Sadam is/was a killer and needed to go; gassing thousands of his own people is something that can never be allowed to go unpunished; Does the USA have to continue to be the "policeman" of the world on its own?
Yes, the terrorists that want to kill the "Western way of life" are in Iraq, but they are also is most every other country in the world..If there wasnt so much Oil in Iraq, does anyone really believe we would give a damn about what goes on there?
Frankly, I am becoming much more concerned about the hatered and underlying revolt that is brewing right here in the USA..thousands of folks cant make ends meet, afford health care, find a job, yet we somehow can afford to send billions every day overseas to help others..
I've said it before, and I will say it again, until we start to take care of OUR OWN folks better, we should STOP sticking our nose in the world's business..More countries than ever hate our guts, so why do we continue to throw money at them???
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29th Aug 04, 08:55 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 2
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Sad commentary on your upbringing and patriotism, saying that your president SUX. Hard to believe that anyone would disrespect that office. When Mr. Clinton was porking interns in the White House I never said he sucked, I think Monica did but....
I will say that if your want to support a man who has been dishonest all his life (Mr Kerry), who had the Catholic church anull his first marriage when he had grown children who became bastards in the eyes of the church, who changes his stories to fit the occasions, who stands in picture form in the museum in Hanoi as a hero to the people who tried to kill me and nearly did while he was in Washington with "Hanoi Jane" telling his lies for the purpose of getting where he is now...I must stop now as you know what the truth is.
You simply choose to latch on to one little thing that is not even a novel thought with you. I made mistakes as I sent men to die in battle I thought I did the right and best things. Had I known all that I know now I would do the same thing. DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY mean something to me. I think that as the President and his advisors agonized with the decisions that had to be made after the attack on our Country on 11Sept they had to use information available to them form different sources and did the very best they could.
Something a lot of folks don't think about is the time before the hostilities began (on our part) there was no one digging up this information (the press) and putting it out. It just became convenient to bring all this WMD stuff up when there was good news from the front and they needed an edge in the ratings.
Finally (good you say) President Bush is a good,honorable,decent man and deserves to be reelected.
From what I have seen of Senator Kerry he falls short on most issues which should concern this country. Most of all he falls short on Honor, and Integrity. A man with out honor is not a man at all.
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." George Bernard Shaw.
"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not to deserve them." Mark Twain
"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons." Ralph Waldo Emerson
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29th Aug 04, 09:47 PM
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BetaONE Supporter
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,051
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MK has some good points. Wase has more. There is a right wing element in the US that basically will tar and feather anyone who disagrees. And roadking has some philosophical thoughts.
My spin on this is that the management of the US has changed. It is now in the pocket of big Corporate board rooms. There are a lot of dirty things going on in the lobbying side of government. Good old fashioned moral character seems to be only a remote memory. Short term decisions for short term gains, our kids be damned. They'll learn from our mistakes how to take advantage of our mistakes. <wry grin>
As far as Kerry vs Bush goes, I agree with roadking: the choice is pretty bad. There are no more statesmen around and there won't be until another really good war. Or if things keep going the way they are and we have open revolution.
It's sad. I see how we have so much now, and yet there continues to be much suffering and hardship, as wase points out. The US once had a large middle class, but it is rapidly disapperaing. You can believe that the Bush's of this world are totally unconcerned about that. And, baby, that means social tension. The Democrats, as far as my memory serves me created the Social Security System. Man, without that a lot of us would be eating shoe leather for dinner. Bush is not a friend on that side of things, and neither are his cronies. Leave them in power and our kids will be eating shoe leather for dinner.
Big subject you opened up MK!
I am not versed in international law, but find it difficult to condone the unilateral act by the US in going to Iran without getting the UN's backing. It was a decision destined from the beginning to failure.
NB: Tho I am a Canadian, I was born and raised in the US and served 7 years in the US military.
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30th Aug 04, 05:38 AM
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Originally posted by rikytik@Aug 29 2004, 01:47 PM
I am not versed in international law, but find it difficult to condone the unilateral act by the US in going to Iran without getting the UN's backing. It was a decision destined from the beginning to failure.
I thought it was Iraq. Freudian slip, perhaps. Iran may indeed be next on Bush's "list".
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30th Aug 04, 08:52 PM
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BetaONE Supporter
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I am not versed in international law, but find it difficult to condone the unilateral act by the US in going to Iran
Wow, you got me, MK ...and I thought I was being so magnanimous!
You know, I spent 3 weeks in Iran just before 9/11. While there we met several tourist groups coming back from Iraq and were determined to do our next trip there. It all went to hell and we didn't go.
While in Iran, we met many wonderful people and wondered why these frictions occur. Iran is not basically a Muslin nation, yet it is under the thumb of Muslim fundamentalists. After all, in the case of Iran, most educated people have sent theri kids to the US for the pas 20 years, or in recent years, to Europe.
Bush often says: "In God we Trust". It is becoming a meaningless war cry and a pull toward fundamentalism, not disimilar to what we hear from the Mid-East countries. When I was a kid we used to do the Pledge of Alegence and always said "one nation under God". Later, US citizens prevailed and the courts said we couldn't say that 3 letter word anymore in class. So, God was banished from the classroom. How come Bush can say that? Tell me, MK, what is going on.
Two years ago I spent 2 weeks in Cuba. Gave me a chance to review US history and policy in that country. Do you realize that from 1903 to 1906 or so, the US ran a military dictatorship in Cuba? The US then put Batista in place, but later applauded Castro when things went wrong with their "man". Then Castro asked for help and the US Govm't refused him. (He had screwed around with oil company refineries). That sound familiar, too? He fell back on the Russians in desparation. The rest is history. But, that poor little island is basically subject to a bunch of zenophobic congressmen who haven't any idea about human nature or how history works in the present. They wear blinders.
I'm cynical about the leaders in DC with cause. I have no confidence in their vision, not their intent. Short term decisions for short term gains, and "sauve qui peut".
Sorry, MK about the blunder.
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3rd Sep 04, 06:09 AM
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BetaONE Supporter
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Location: Kansas City USA
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Hello rikytik
The more you talk about your views of this world, the more I like you and feel that if there are a few more like us that believe and really see whats going on, Maybe someday, this mess will turn around...
It will probably be a very nasty event, but it has to happen...
I also agree 100% with MinnesotaKid about what is happening to our young men in Iraq, and how the Bush/Cheney "Gang" are bullying around the world, creating enemies instead of partners, and thumbing there nose at the world and us, there citizens, and trying to make this an Corporate empire with slaves making 10 dollars an hour, and trying to buy 30000 dollar cars and 2-5 dollar a gallon gas..
I know this is somewhat "off topic" but then again, it must tell you how I feel about the current Emperor....I mean administration........
some of my 2 cents
BigHead50
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The Truth CAN Set You Free......
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