did Iraq sponsor any terrorism? how many inspectors could be funded with $100 Billion? if the goal is to find weapons, could it be done for less than that?
You must forgive me. I foolishly thought that I had entered into a conversation with a rational individual - I have come to find that I am conversing with someone who states his hopes as fact, fabracates facts, and just plain makes things up. I can't see any point in continuing. In all probability my country will invade Iraq within a few weeks. There is nothing I can do about it, except learn to live with the ramifications. I voice my decent because I must - it is my duty. To debate the issue with someone who shows not the least understanding of what will happen, an individual who lives in a fantasy land, who thinks that the Iraqis will welcome the American forces with no resistance, and will suffer no harm is foolish on my part. Your courageous offer to take up arms IF CALLED is admirable, especially in light of the fact that there is no draft. But I would remind you that the recruiting office is open until 5 tonight - and I assure you that there are no long lines.
With all of my heart, and all of my soul I hope that you are right. But I fear that you think that this is some kind of a computer game - it isn't.
Ramifications - lets be honest here we are both speculating, but I think a tough offense beats a defense anytime. We take out IRAQ and the terrorists will have no network there. Inaction allows Saddam more time to make mischief and to develop nuclear blackmail. Inaction allows time for Saddam to transport Bio and Chem out of his country to who knows where. Sure we could pull back and ignore Iraq, bring all the troops home, but thats not going to quarantee safety for us. Our defense strategy is based on seeking out and destroying the enemy wherever we find him.
I am not the one dealing in "he might have this", or "he might give that". I am not the dealing in "the bombs won't hit civilian targets", or "the Iraqis will surrender". So please don't put me in the same category as yourself. Our "smart bombs" are not as smart as you would have me believe. It may come as a shock to you, the Iraqi people love their country, just as you love your's, and many of them will not take an invasion kindly. Our targets include infrastructure, which will bring misery and hardship for years to come. You may find our idea of demoecracy attractive, as do I,, but not everyone does. Not everyone longs to be screwed by banks, and insurance companies, and mega corporations. That may be hard to believe, but it's true. There is an old saying that goes something like: "he may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch". You will find that many Iraqis will subscribe to that kind of thinking when the Yankees come to "liberate" them. You will also find that Iraq is comprised of three separate groups who hate each other, and have lots of old scores to settle. You will also find that one of them long to be free from the rest of Iraq, no matter who is running it. In the chaos of war, we may well find ourselves fighting people who long to be free and separate. And again, none of this will put a dent in international terrorism. And it will tie us down for many years, if not decades. And it will drain our recourses. None of that is speculation - it is fact. BTW - the recruiting office is still open till 5, and as I mentioned before, there are no lines.
inspections aren't the end in themselves, isn't their purpose to find the "smoking gun"? so that we can (more) confidently go ahead and launch our war; a war that would then have more support -- namely france and germany (and russia and china). as for your bewilderment over how attacking iraq supports the war on terror, perhaps it doesn't. who knows. personally, i think iraq's continuing violation of 91 peace terms is justification enough. i mean, it should be obvious even to the most inbred peacenik that iraq threatens the whole of an already very volatile region. (and a region, there's no shame in admitting, is very important to world economic stability because of oil interests). having said that, surely it doesn't require too much of a stretch of the imagination to realize that iraq certainly has the potential and the motivation to aid terror groups in attacks on the US and other western nations. a ten year old could figure that out. tampa, i can understand that you may be a conscientious objecter to any military involvement. i certainly don't agree with such a position but i understand how some people can support it. it's nice to see that, for the most part, you're attempting to base your position on 'reality' -- even though what constitutes is in dispute -- rather than blindly joining in the "blood for oil" song and dance the typical liberal zombie unthinkingly defers to.
heads up candle: the majority of the civilized world already does sympathize with america on her war position!
And if the USA goes ahead with an illegal war which murders thousands of Iraqis in order to secure oil control, we will also see a few more September 11s in the USA... yeeeehaaaaa!!! And ya know what, the civilized world will tell the USA to f**k off and not come crying to it for sympathy over terrorism... the civilized world will simply tell the USA that it kinda got what it deserved, for its crimes against humanity... and people like me will be sitting there with a beer or three saying "I told ya so, but y'all didn't listen" ... yeeehaaaaa Remember, 911 is but a drop in the ocean of humanity compared to what the USA has already done and will continue to do (911 is also a pretty cool Porsche... ROFL!!!!!) God Bless America... yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa