OT- Sad about War.

[JeffN]

Originally posted by alacrity024
about two months ago, my father was inspired to put his thoughts on war down on paper. he is an accomplished thinker and anti-war advocate. he spent a month whittling his essay down to a managable size and began distributing it around the area.

he took out a full-page ad in the local newspaper and filled the page up with his essay. he paid to have the essay inserted into the paper as a flyer. he made enormous enlargements of the essay and hung them in the window of his storefront for all to read.

a liberal-oriented website published the essay on the internet. it's really quite good and i'm extremely proud of him for accomplishing so much with his will. i hope some of you will read it and pass it on to friends who may not frequent this board..

http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.c...php?haney+1435

-adam

With deference to your Dad's deeds, here goes.

'Our true motivation for engaging in a war with Iraq may simply reflect our desire to secure and control additional reserves of oil for our thirsty nation. '

....and of course, all that depend on here worldwide. It would be an interesting statistic to discover what percentage of the world's poulace depend on the US economy and welfare for their daily lives.

Regarding world disarmament, what entity would prevail to maintain the "peace" and disarmed status? Have a ninty pound weakling watch out for the bully who decides to bulk up to get more 90# weaklings to make him slim down again? Did I miss something or are we hoping for the spontaneous takeover and evolution of worldwide pacifism?

I concur that star wars is not viable yet, but will be if pursued. Most likely a moot point regardless. Who'd want to survive nuclear armageddon?

No one I know of save for extreme zealots of both ideals would disagree with your Dad's summation. It sounds like it should be the mission statement for this century. How it is achieved is
the arena of debate.

[Ron Mummert]

"TASTES GREAT"!!!

"LESS FILLING"!!!

Go rent the 1977 movie "Network".

Yup - Ned Beatty got it right.

There ain't no international borders - It's just one big interlinked, interdependent corporate game of scrabble. (My interpretation).
WW I had its "Entangling Alliences". We gotta have Sri Lanka or we'd be paying $1,000 for those "cheap" $100 NBA blessed sneakers.
It's all about balance, folks, & we prefer the heavy side of the see-saw. This makes sense to me, but of course, I've had the advantage of Almeden White Granache - NOT a French product!

Did I mention North Korea?

Anyone watch "24" tonight?

I want my blankie now.

Ron.

War in this case MAY not be the right answer, however, 200+ years ago a war freed America from tyranny, 100+ years ago a war freed the slaves, 50+ years ago a war saved the world from Hitler and the Nazis… these and other military conflicts have historically shown they were RIGHT and good prevailed. That’s not to downplay that almost as many times war was wrong.

I just hope and pray that our leaders know what they’re doing, and I will continue to support them. With that said, I would also defend anyone’s right to protest a war if that’s how they believe.

Bill

[Trevor]

Ron as I have said before you are a wise old bastard and you have said a worthwhile mouth full but which requires some intelligent interpretation.

Yes I will be with you on the same end of the see saw ( spelling, hope you got it right as it beats me ) having in mind that any policeman needs a big stick.

Stuff the French, we have had to run across the world twice to help dig them out of trouble because they have been slow on the trigger and at the cost of many of our best young men.

[LarryIII]

Ron,

You obviously bought your last box o "French" wine from the land o surfers.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by Ron Mummert


Yup - Ned Beatty got it right.

Ron.

What? We're supposed to "Squeal like a pig?"

Originally posted by Larry III


I don't think using our military might is the best way to get rid of Sadam Hussein & his regime. I don't think our military is the right tool to use. It's too big a tool. It's like using a jackhammer when you need an xacto knife. In the long run it does more harm than good.

The fortunate side (if there can be one) in today's conflicts, is that a jackhammer can be used with the precision of an x-acto knife. Thank goodness the wholesale dumping of bombs is no longer necessary. Again, I don't like war and hope the need for it passes us by, but, in considering past conflicts, loss of life, on both sides, can be reduced with strategic placement of smart weapons.

As one of the Arab leaders said, when voicing support for the U.S. position, "We are faced with a choice of two evils. War is evil and Saddam is evil." I pray for wisdom to make the right choice.

Meanwhile, thank you, Trevor, for your input. This has been catagorized as an "American thing." God bless the UK for standing with us.

[Bobb]

Hi guys, Any moron can pull the trigger, but having the brains to find a way around pulling the trigger is another story. Have you noticed that everytime dubya gets ready to yell charge, sadam gives in on some point. It looks like to me, that Sadam has the string on his finger and dubya is the yo-yo. BOBB

[sfsvx]

Originally posted by Bobb
Hi guys, Any moron can pull the trigger, but having the brains to find a way around pulling the trigger is another story. Have you noticed that everytime dubya gets ready to yell charge, sadam gives in on some point. It looks like to me, that Sadam has the string on his finger and dubya is the yo-yo. BOBB

Sounds like dubya has found a way around pulling the trigger. It might be a gradual process, but as long as Saddam is giving in, we ain't fightin'.

Isn't that what this thread's about?

[Paisan]

Originally posted by Aredubjay

Meanwhile, thank you, Trevor, for your input. This has been catagorized as an "American thing." God bless the UK for standing with us. [/B]

Yes thanks to the UK for backing us up.

-mike

[JeffN]

Originally posted by Paisan


Yes thanks to the UK for backing us up.

-mike

Not to forget the Spanish...

Odd how the Germans are askig us to employ the same tactic that let them have Poland, Czeck, and France before it became necessary. I really think their alterior motive is finacial investment in Persia and the economic damage they'd sustain under the guise of "pacifism". Since when have the Germanic tribes been genetically pacifistic?? Not anytime in the past 3000 years until now? How convenient.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by JeffN


I really think their alterior motive is finacial investment in Persia and the economic damage they'd sustain under the guise of "pacifism".

It's a catch 22. Persia or the US. The US is considering moving its bases from Germany to Belgium, possibly sounding the death knell for the German economy.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/P42333.asp

[LarryIII]

I watched the president's news conference on TV last night. I am more convinced than ever that if Sadam Hussein does not leave voluntarily we will start attacking around the 15th of this month.
The president made it quite clear that our military is going in. Between our forces and the British forces there are now over 300,000 troops ready to strike. All the military planners have said that we need a minimum of 250,000 soldiers, so I guess we are ready.
What struck me about last night's news conference was the president's resolve. As I was watching him, I got the eerie feeling that this conference wasn't for the American people or the world. I got the feeling that it was produced especially for Sadam Hussein. I still can't shake that feeling. Maybe our administration put on this show as a last ditch effort to convince Sadam & his cohorts to leave. The idea keeps gnawing at the back of my brain. If this is the case, I sure hope Sadam takes the hint. Hell, I be only too happy to send him a few cases of Chivas if he leaves.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by LarryIII
I still can't shake that feeling. Maybe our administration put on this show as a last ditch effort to convince Sadam & his cohorts to leave. The idea keeps gnawing at the back of my brain. If this is the case, I sure hope Sadam takes the hint. Hell, I be only too happy to send him a few cases of Chivas if he leaves.

I agree, Larry. It was an "ultimatum" without actually issueing an "ultimatum." However, I don't think Saddam is going to take the hint. He's been playing "merry-go-round" with the inspectors, leading them to one end of the country while moving weapons/processing to another part of the country. They'e building al samoud's quicker than they can destroy them. Saddam said yesterday, that "if the United States attacks Iraq, there will be times they wished they had never attacked." I think Saddam is much too arrogant to step down. I'd be willing to add a couple of fifths of Blanton's to your offer, if he did.

[lhopp77]

I have been following this thread with interest and some very strong feelings. I am just ever so glad that we live in a country that makes this all possible.

Lwin--I too, have been in a minefield planted indiscriminately, so that not only military forces suffered but also innocent civilians. Actually more than one minefield and have scars and some extra body particles to prove it. I spent 5 years in Vietnam with most of it in the infantry. And--maybe I am in a minority, but I truly believe we were in Vietnam for the right reasons---we just had bad strategy.

I really hope there is NOT a war. But--the key to that is with Saddam. All he has to do is abide by the UN resolution. Inspections have only worked with the real threat of war. More and continued inspections will not work unless there is a huge stick of possible impending punishment. Our predicament is that there is a time window and Saddam knows that. He will play the strings of slight movement supporting the war opposition (both at home and abroad) to try to make us miss that window.

My predictions is that we will not miss the window.

I fully support our government and know that it is being done for most of the right reasons.

Lee

SVXx4

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by lhopp77
I spent 5 years in Vietnam

Please accept my sincere respect and gratitude for your service in that conflict. Whether the cause was right or wrong, respect for those who served is long overdue. I salute you.