Hmmm I really didn't equate "anti-war" protesters with being pro saddam in my original post except for those going to Baghdad to serve as human shields.

I'm anti war also but all I'm seeing are anti war protesters essentially turning into basically anti-US rallies with Bush effigies are torched or hanged on TV.

I'm just curious that while that is going on, there are no effigies of Saddam being burned or hanged or the Iraqi flagged being torched either.

I mean isn't he part of the problem too?

[ 02-17-2003, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Wutang ]

<font color=orange>Don't forget that even though there were possibly a million who turned out for the peace marches this weekend, it still represents less than 1% of our total population. Most, if not all polls here in the US show a large amount of Americans are for action against Iraq.

I'm all in favor of hauling Saddam's candya#$ into a court of law; even the War Crimes Tribunial at the Hague. We have proposed a way to do this, providing he is captured. We have set that plan in motion. We are there. We are ready!
It seems though, some governments, don't like our plan. So, just for grins, how do you all propose to go about getting him there? </font>

Moraine - I certainly agree with you in principle, but it really doesn't apply at a govt level. Saddam is not going to let anyone peacefully come into Iraq and arrest him.

Any head of state with complete control of an army is far more dangerous than an ordinary civilian. You just can't go in there and arrest the head of state without first taking out his army or at least neutralising it.

I mean you couldn't have negotiated with Hitler. He was willing to go down in a blaze of glory taking all of Germany and its population with him. The Army fought for him til he killed himself.

Unfortunately, there are still a few leaders in this world that only understand use of force. You don't have to look very far at all the regional wars being fought in Africa right now to see examples.

Yes, unfortunately, innocent civilians always die in war. That certainly hasn't changed since Man walked on this Earth and it's never going to change.

[ 02-17-2003, 01:43 PM: Message edited by: Wutang ]

"Don't forget that even though there were possibly a million who turned out for the peace marches this weekend, it still represents less than 1% of our total population. Most, if not all polls here in the US show a large amount of Americans are for action against Iraq" (Sir Taliesan)

This weekend in Kansas City (the nearest metro here) there were two protests: one for the war and one against war, period. Both were relatively peaceful and both had very good points to make.

***rant mode***

I am no warmonger (nor pacifist), I question the *real* reasons for the US to all the sudden decide we're going after Hussein (make no mistake, it's not Iraq--it's the man who rules we're targeting), and I fear the outcome to not be as beneficial to anyone as our gov't would have us believe. Having said that, I am ready to whup some serious Saddam ass, on principle if for no other reason. My gasoline prices have already skyrocketed in the past two weeks because the gas companies (or the middlemen) see a profit to be made if they hold back some of their stock. My neighbors have begun stockpiling supplies and since we live so close to an important air base, folks are a little nervous, period. And all this in the middle of the US, in the middle of no-where.

I discovered last night my baby (and only) brother has been told officially he was to 'go home and wait for the phone call' after 13 yrs in the reserves. Needless to say, my father is devastated and my sisters aren't doing so well either even tho one of them was a Marine in Desert Storm (you know, been there, done that) and I was in the USN during the Beirut mess supporting the Marines there. This is different somehow and our elected officials are not paying the general populace a lick of attention. Bush is too busy playing at Cowboys and Indians to take care of his own people...and I'm afraid this may be a large part of the general negative feeling towards his little war hoopla. Am I trivializing? Nope.

Would I protest against this war? Not per se...I would protest the reasoning behind it---it is being touted as altogether too urgent for my liking. Would I protest *for* this war? No, although I would speak loudly and long for us to at least give our servicemembers the support they need to be able to do their jobs!!! Somehow in all the rush to complain and moan about injustice, we tend to forget the very people who make it possible for us to have the freedoms to protest!

***rant mode deactivated***

see, I was quick about it

[ 02-17-2003, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: Garnet FalconDance ]

I feel the same as you Moiraine, but whenever I mention it someone demands that I have to explain how we catch Saddam without a big war. Sadly, I do not have an answer. :(

I've have decided to stop mentioning it.

Mark

Mark, it's not that we wanted you to stop mentioning it, but if there "has to be a better answer", most would love to hear what that anwer is. The truth is that there is no other viable answer, so your question was rhetorical. [img]smile.gif[/img]

The Iraq issue needs to be resolved soon if nothing else but to get US forces out Saudi Arabia which are there only because of watching Iraq.

The terrorists attacks against the US in 9/11 were precisely because of US forces in Saudi Arabia.

At least if we leave Saudi Arabia, it'll give less incentive for osama bin laden and his cronies persuade other militants to join their cause.

Course any occupation of Iraq poses other problems too.

Course I feel that with all the anti Americanism brewing in the Middle East, the US will be attacked regardless of what we do.

And thus equated people going to the extremes to prevent war with people favouring Saddam. Two different things.

People against the death penalty are not pro-murder. Even if they use themself as a human shield to prevent the murderer being executed.

Yorick - True, but I just think human shields just sends the wrong signal to the Iraq regime. Iraq govt believes that all the protesters support Iraq which is not the case as you say.

But do you think that the people serving as human shields are going to say anything bad about the Iraqi regime while they are there in Baghdad? Probably not I guess since Iraq doesn't tolerate opposition. Most likely the Iraqi govt will be housing and feeding them as well.

Hence what I see as mutual support.