Bad news from Bali
 

I've been a little out of touch and just heard about the car bombing in Bali .

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, and I hope no one we know on this forum experienced any harm or loss from this awful act.

Thanks Dick.

I would also ask everyone to pray for all the young men in our armed forces. It seems that they will be going into battle soon. I would also ask evryone to say a prayer for the young men in Iraqi military uniforms. I'm sure they don't want to be where they are, and judging from the last time they will endure the bulk of the casualties.

I fear it is going to be a bleak Christmas.

Probobly shouldn't bring this up, but I really don't think we should be fighting a war against Iraq. I think Bush Jr is just trying to be like his daddy.

There are 14 Aussie gone and about 200 still missing.

When will it all stop.

Harvey.:mad:

<<Probobly shouldn't bring this up, but I really don't think we should be fighting a war against Iraq. I think Bush Jr is just trying to be like his daddy.>>

While I respect your opinion, I must disagree.

Mine is I'd rather take the offensive now rather then clean up the aftermath of a nuclear or biological weapon in a few years.

If Clinton would have acted years ago when Bin Laden was in custody, there would still be thousands of innocent civilians alive, we wouldn't be spending billions of dollars in higher insurance premiums (and you say "Insurance rates..... AKA, highway robbery."), spending billions in hunting him down. He has admitted to being the mastermind behind it, he had the architectural training (partially paid for by MY tax dollars through those damn liberal programs) and the means.

Now we have the world's support to take down the 2nd most dangerous man in the world, and we need to act now.

I've had to tell people "I told you so" once already about Bin Laden, I refuse to have to say it again with Iraq.

Peaceful negotiations are great, however it isn't realistic when dealing with psychopaths.

Doug

Another example
 

I'm going to bring the scenario to your life to help illustrate my point.

Say you are out at a bar on a weekend. During the night, some group of guys, tries to pick your friends wallet, he calls for help and you come to his rescue.

Now the pickpocketers are after you for interfering in their holy quest and in retaliation blow up your church next weekend while your family is attending service.

They also are building and hiding more bombs and biological weapons. Would you try to talk them into a peaceful agreement?

Doug

Does that mean that I am still the most dangerous person on earth? :D

L

<<Does that mean that I am still the most dangerous person on earth?>>

Sorry Lwin, you're third on the world's most dangerous list :D

Doug

Damn Terrorists
 

My cousin is over in Bali at the moment. Luckily she was not hurt, as she did not go to the club that night. But she had been in there the night before. She is still over there. But tryin to catch a plane back as soon as possible

My thoughts are going out to people who lost friends and family over there

Kienan

Doug,

I think the fault lies not only with Bill Clinton but also with George W's dad. The first president Bush should have finished the job. That's my opinion.

Hussein
 

Good lord boys, are you all getting a little forgetful in your old age? Let me give you a politically unbiased history lesson on the Ba'ath party and Sadam's rise to power. In the Nixon/Ford era the government wanted to stablize the middle east with moderate minded governments so that everyone could drive around in the 3 ton 20 feet long American boats that got 3 miles a gallon. The CIA was sent in to work on destablizing the current government and helping the Ba'ath party to come to power (Saddam H. was and is the leader of this party). Jimmy Carter was far to weak of a pres to do anything about the rise of Saddam esp. when the Iran Hostage Situation arose. It illustrated the need for moderate leaders backed by the U.S. In 1979 Hussein became president. When Reagan was elected the U.S. began sending him weapons including biological weapons (it was feared that the Kurdish rebels were too strong and might break away). The CIA was sent to destabalize opposition. The CIA supplied Hussein with aid to revitalize Iraq which he quitely spent on Russian weapons (the CIAs plan all along). Hussein was encouraged to "build his empire by both the US and Soviets by invading and conquering Iran. The Soviets feared their muslim states would follow the Iranian rev. lead and of course they were currently fighting a war in Afghanistan (again to replace a Fund. government with a more moderate gov't). Saddam spent 8 years at war with nothing to show for his efforts aside from the fact that the two superpowers just made his army the 4th largest in the world! Enough back ground material? You gotta go back quite a while to see who where and why were where we are now. This is only a 1/8 of the story. If you want more. Start with the WWI settlements and the destruction of the Ottoman empire. Please lets not waste our time bickering over our past mistakes. Spend the time thinking of solutions ;).

I do actually remember that History lesson.


I just think there have got to be better ways of doing it than killing more innocent people in the process. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe this is the only way. But I think bush's decision has way more to do with his dads run as president than he or anyone is disclosing. And that whole thing about insurance rates mentioned, I think it is complete crap that we have to pay more for insurance, the reason we do is because the insurance companies take your money and invest it into the stock market, since the economy went down we now have to pay for their mistakes, and I really don't think that is fair, but not much in life is fair. I hope this conflict with Iraq can be resolved without as drastic of measures as they are planning on using, but I guess it might be the only way, and if it is, I pray that it is quick and there are as little civilian casualties as possible.

<<I pray that it is quick and there are as little civilian casualties as possible.>>
I'm right next to you on that one.

<<Good lord boys, are you all getting a little forgetful in your old age?>>
I just try not to think about that since in infuriates me still. Yes MANY mistakes have been made by American Government since they have been in existence (even before then). Throughout history, we are constantly fighting along side and against various neighbors. England, France, and Spain to name just a few.

We also have had people in power that have made bad alliances to fill an immediate need, sometimes even knowing it would be a short time until we fought against our allay.

All we can do is:

1. Clean up our mistakes as best we can
2. Hope we don't make them again (and again)

BTW: Thank you all for a very calm and polite debate without anyone resorting to name calling. This is how friendships are strengthened.

Doug

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.

Life since DAY ONE is a lava lamp. Something moves - something's in the way. Sometimes some things blend - Sometimes some things clash.
This will never stop as long as the sun shines.

Amen - Ron.

I am saddened and sickened by these needless acts against innocents, perpetrated by nothing more than cowards. I cannot think of a punishment that fits their crimes.

My prayers go out to the families of those who must ask the question "why?" for as long as they live. They will never be able to make sense of this senseless situation.

I also pray for the President. That he makes the right decision and that he receives the wisdom he'll need to see whatever decision he makes, through.

And, while I'm at it. I pray that they catch that crazy bastard in Virginia or Maryland, before he takes one more life.