Non military target towns......where did you get that......both towns were centers for the Japanese Military Industry. Do you have any idea how many civilian and military lives were saved by forcing the Japanese to surrender before the inevitable invasion.
Great point the Middle East and Iraq were both stable before George W. Are you really this stupid, you can't be.
It is difficult to believe the type of willful ignorance that could produce this type of statement. Things were also stable and controlled at Stalin's Siberian death camps, you moron. You seem to have no clue about the political situation in Iraq prior to the American military efforts there. Either that or you're a fucking liar. Complete and utter hypocrisy and intellectual dishonesty on the part of the Disgusting Troll.
You make good points, but the other side of the coin is there is no guarantee that we will ever see a stable democracy in Iraq. Moreover, it is not clear how the current policy has any effect on a US city being nuked. The threat there is clearly Iran, then Pakistan and North Korea. My position now is that I don't see us pursuing a policy that has a reasonable chance, or any chance at all, of success. The ascension of the Democrats has made any useful change all the more unlikely and improbable. Personally, I don't think it is worth one soldier's life to establish democracy in Iraq, but that's just me. If anything, it might be a negative. It's one thing to take out a dictator, but using force to remove a democratically elected government is more troublesome.
OH, so you don't give me a number but you expect some? By the way I wouldn't have said anything if you say: (let's say) 20K. I was just curious... Quote from hapaboy: Since you think it is a simple exercise, perhaps you can simply answer this: How many American military lives are worth preventing a nuclear weapon from being detonated in an American city? See, I am going to play and I will give you a number. The math is rather simple, 1 person less, then how many would die in such an event. And this way I didn't account for the destroyed infrastructure. And again, how many American lives is it worth to make Iraq a stable democracy if doing so may transform the region, as happened to Eastern Europe? Well, that was MY question. Mind you, I am just playing with you, because the Iraq war is not about democracy, that's why I brought up Tibet, North Korea or China... But not like you, I am going to answer it. For me zero. As much as I feel sorry for the oppressed citizens of North Korea, no soldier of my country should die for freeing them. And that is exactly how Mr. Bush and his neocons think. They agree with me, that's one reason why we don't mess with NK... Freedom isn't free as the Reps say, and it is true... Everyone should fight for it themselves... Oh, one more thing. You know how many Americans' life was worth Eastern Europe's freedom? Zero. Nada. Zilc. In 1956 when America could have helped, they let the Russians kill off the Hungarian freedom fight and instead they concentrated on business, on the Suez canal crisis...I don't blame them. Well, they did promise though... Know your history...
So, just to be clear, if you knew a nuke was planted in NYC, population 8 million, then in your mind it would be worth sacrificing 7,999,999 Americans so that device does not go off. Is that accurate? Let me guess. It's all about the oil? The reason we didn't mess with NK is because logistically it would have been many times more difficult to conquer that country, and there is the omnipresent specter of China in the background. Hello, the Iraqis are fighting for it. Yes with our massive assistance, but they are fighting. Recruits keep getting blown up, yet Iraqis still volunteer to fill those ranks. I never made a statement about American lives being directly related to the fall of Communist Eastern Europe. What I was asking you was what you thought a free Arab region such as that which happened in Eastern Europe would be worth to you in lives. Thank you. In turn, please learn about ethics, compassion for your fellow man, helping oppressed peoples...you know, the liberal things....
Triple A, it is a given that the situation in Baghdad and the Sunni triangle is terrible. Yes I agree things must be done to correct that. IMO pulling out is not one of them. Are you okay with the consequences of withdrawing?
Quote from hapaboy: So, just to be clear, if you knew a nuke was planted in NYC, population 8 million, then in your mind it would be worth sacrificing 7,999,999 Americans so that device does not go off. Is that accurate? Let me check the math. [checking] Yes, accurate. See? We saved 1 life! But before you bitch about my opinion, please provide your stop loss number for Iraq. Let me guess. It's all about the oil? Hey, there is something educative about reading ET! The reason we didn't mess with NK is because logistically it would have been many times more difficult to conquer that country, and there is the omnipresent specter of China in the background. Can you actually believe this kind of bull? First, who cares about logistic, when 20+ million people's FREEDOM is at stake? Second, we have to take on China sooner or later, because 1 BILLION people's freedom is at stake. Hello, the Iraqis are fighting for it. I don't know why I am trying, maybe because there is nothing on TV. The Iraqis don't fight for freedom, the regime has fallen. Now they are figthing for power. It is also called civil war. Thank you. In turn, please learn about ethics, compassion for your fellow man, helping oppressed peoples You are right, I changed my mind. I don't mind sacrifying let's say 1 US soldier for every 3 foreigners' freedom? Is it too high? How about 1 soldier for every 5's freedom? So if NK has 20 million people ( I am too lazy to look it up) then with my compassion I greatfully sacrify 4 million US soldiers. I guess we have to use the whole population if we want to free China.... P.S.: NK: 23 mill people, I was pretty good...
Oh, speaking of compassion.... Quote from hapaboy: please learn about ethics, compassion for your fellow man, helping oppressed peoples...you know, the liberal things.... Just how ethical is to send somebody ELSE to die for your principles??? I mean I don't have a problem if you want to go to Iraq, NK, Hell and you die for your compassion, I even buy the ticket for you. But talking from the high ground when others are DYING????? How the fuck dare you???