"Let the slaughter commence" and asking for odds on how many Iraqis will die isn't a dissenting opinion, it's sarcasm... pure and simple. Sacasm that suggests we're all up for some good old fashioned slaughter.

Obviously he has a dissenting opinion and is welcome to it, but he didn't express it very well. That post was not trying to discuss a viewpoint reasonably, and it's in very poor taste considering the fact that people will be dying.

I expect those who oppose action to continue opposing it right here in this very forum, just as opposition to action in Afghanistan continued after action commenced, but I expect more from those who oppose action than that tripe.

[ 03-19-2003, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

edit: deleted since this has been resolved

[ 03-19-2003, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Rokenn ]

Edited - Nach was happy enough to drop it so I will too [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 03-19-2003, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Davros ]

Rokken, I don't think anyone was doing any "backslapping" here prior to that post. They were discussing the news, and posting links that indicate units are moving into position.

I did not see one single, "Woo-Hoo, lets kick that ass!" post, nor anything close to it. ;)

[ 03-19-2003, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

Indemaijinj, I respect your opinions but this was worded in a disrespectful way to your fellow posters. Taken as is, it implies they are in favor of 'slaughtering' others, which I don't believe is the case. In future, try to make your point without accusing others of things they haven't actually taken credit for.

Davros, Nacht, etc...let's stop the ot quibbles, ok? This forum is going to be a lot more touchy/heated and heavily trafficked now and we don't need people sniping at one another over every little thing.

Nacht, cut out the excess quote trees, please.

On topic: I'm sad it has to come to this, but I see that 12 yrs of diplomacy has merely giving Saddam time to hide things and thumb his nose at people. Let's all remember that there WILL be casualties on all sides and the biggest tragedy of all is that it has come to war. Nobody really wins in a war. It's a matter of degrees of loss, in my opinion.

EDIT: OK EVERYONE LISTEN UP! Get on the topic of the war commencing and troops moving etc, and stop taking pot shots at EACH OTHER!

That's not what this forum is about and sometimes I sincerely believe that people find it easier to take shots at one another and make fun of or insult details of someone else's posts rather than discuss things responsibly and seriously... (this is a general comment, so nobody should be wondering if I mean them personally!). Almost every thread degenerates into a 'pissing' contest btwn opposing viewpoints these days and it's not only not necessary, it's bound to be worse as things get more intense on the international front.

Please re-read the two sticky notes at the top of the War forum page and THINK about the things posted there. Remember, we are NOT each other's enemies, no matter what our personal world-views.

[ 03-19-2003, 10:44 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

EDITED: As it's no longer an issue. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 03-19-2003, 10:50 AM: Message edited by: Nachtrafe ]

"Let the slaughter commence" isn't even a subtle attempt at sarcasm... and THAT is what got the trolling response. To bring up the likelyhood of casualties as a means to point out the horror of war is perfectly valid, but the use of sarcasm is IMO an inappropriate way to discuss such a serious subject. The question is valid and I responded to it as such above, the sarcasm is invalid and others responded to that as such also.

On-subject - I question the validity of debka.com, there's a lot of "top secret" stuff being disclosed on that page that NO other sources are even mentioning as a possiblity (Like that Turkey has already opened it's airspace to overflights), not to mention that they aren't listing sources for ANYTHING other than saying "our sources report that...".

[ 03-19-2003, 10:44 AM: Message edited by: Thoran ]

Davros, the post was let the slaughter commence and ask if there were any "bets" about how many civilians would survive. If that's not trivializing the issue in a completely rude way, I'm not sure what is.

Might is right? How does that play into this? No one is saying he can't have an opinion. I think we are all expected to temper our words here, so as not to be offensive. Isn't that how it works?

I can't answer the question he asked because I'm not sure what the "odds" being given on Iraqi deaths are, and I'm not sure what the minimum "bet" is. Maybe a Las Vegas or Montecarlo website might have the answer to the question he asked, but no one here does. :(

[ 03-19-2003, 10:46 AM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

Yes Ma'am, on both counts. Pruned the Quote Trees, and am shutting up now re: Trolling.

Nachtrafe, Thoran, and Ronn.
You may want to review the previous page. Both Davros and I have let the issue drop...