Coalition Forces Enter Baghdad!

[Attalus]

Hey, it's not every day you see fottage like that. If it is distasteful to you, you don't have to watch.

[Malthaussen]

Thanks for the advice, A. As it happens, I didn't watch.

Agreed, it's not every day one can see footage like that. The question is, as the guy asked about the girl having sex with a donkey, why would you want to?

-- Mal

[Attalus]

Because it is really interesting to see the palm trees and the Arabic signs whip by, and contrast it to the Minister of Information's claptrap. It's interesting to see a modern roadway being used by a Brad going about 40 mph through enemy territory. And, most of all, it is really interesting to see how eerily quiet and unopposed it mostly is.

[Malthaussen]

Ah, I see. War as aesthetic. [img]smile.gif[/img]

-- Mal

[john]

If this war was a faught in a ring do you think the ref would stop the fight? It's pretty clear its a slaughter.

Originally posted by john: If this war was a faught in a ring do you think the ref would stop the fight? It's pretty clear its a slaughter.

In all honesty, I think it could only be labeled a slaughter if the 2nd Brigade of the 3rd ID had shot those who surrendered along the roadside, those soldiers who shed their uniforms and stood waving white flags near the roadside in civilian clothes, and the one civilian (an old man out for his morning walk) who was seen on the route.

Our armed forces have shown restraint, they have shown that their intentions are only to defend themselves against those who openly oppose them with the intention to harm or kill them. The fact that the Iraqi republican guard is disorganized and without real leadership is a pity, but it isn't stopping some of them from trying...and dying in the process. Millions of leaflets were dropped in this area prior to the entry of the U.S. soldiers telling people what NOT to do...Those killed didn't have to die, they chose to.

( Attalus, its Greg Kelly. [img]smile.gif[/img] )

[ 04-05-2003, 09:52 PM: Message edited by: Lil Lil ]

[Mordenheim]

you tell them Lil Lil [img]smile.gif[/img]

Originally posted by Malthaussen: I wonder what all the fuss is about... is it expected that the war will be over once Baghdad is captured? I am not quite so sanguine about that -- in fact, I expect guerilla resistance to be a fact of life in Iraq for some time to come -- likely years. After all, Paris fell quite quickly to Axis agressors in WWII, but the resistance continued until the enemy were driven from la belle patrie. Polish resistance continued even after the Germans were driven from Poland -- this time in opposition to the Soviet occupiers. And, in a more recent example, fighting continues in Afghanistan to this moment -- which should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about the Afghan people. Yes, indeedy, the Iraqi "misinformation minister" is certainly a disciple of Goebbels -- that is the nature of the beast. After all, calling the Coalition's blatent agression against Iraq "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is just as much of a "big lie" as any Iraqi claim. Propaganda ministers are supposed to make propaganda, that's in the job description. What distresses me is how so many of the "Free World's" supposed "Free Press" tout the Administration line like so many well-fed parrots. I could be wrong, I've certainly been wrong before. [img]smile.gif[/img] But I expect that the West's War On Terrorism, People Who Have A Different Skin Color Or Religion And Also Have Weapons Of Mass Destruction, and Anybody Who Looks At Us Funny Or Badmouths Us is going to continue for a long, long time. Of course, our own propaganda ministers can simply declare a "win" and move on at any time -- regardless of how many people continue to be slaughtered after the "war" is "over." -- Mal

I don't think any of us are so naive that we believe it will be finished overnight, that there will be no attempts at retaliation in Iraq or in America either for that matter.

I too worry that the force used by the coalition forces, America in particular, may end up being a threat to other countries and even its own people but I don't let that keep me up at night and I try not (and not always successfully) to allow it to cloud my judgement in this present conflict.

As it is, I am proud of America, Great Britain, and Australia for taking on the task of removing Sadam Hussein from power...keep in mind that he did not step down willingly as he was asked and given time to do...that he chose to have force be used against him...that the lives of his own people mean nothing to him.

Originally posted by Mordenheim: you tell them Lil Lil [img]smile.gif[/img]

[img]smile.gif[/img]

[Malthaussen]

In re "we warned 'em first:"

Mugger comes up to you on the street. Says, "Give me your money, sucker, and then assume the position, I have a little something I want to give you. Or else I'm going to kill you." You say, "Not on your life, pal, I'd rather die first," and he keeps his promise.

Regardless of the stupidity or otherwise of *your* action in the above instance, do you want to tell me that it serves as extenuation for the criminal?

-- Mal