massive antiwar protests expected worldwide...

[norompanlasolas]

LONDON, England -- Hundreds of thousands of people are beginning to take to the streets across the globe this weekend in opposition to military action against Iraq. Marches are being held in more than 300 towns and cities across the world, from the Pacific islands to Europe, New York and San Francisco, where protests are expected to recall demonstrations against the Vietnam war.

The Australian city of Melbourne kicked off the global series of demonstrations which will eventually spread to some 600 towns and cities stretching from Antarctica to Reykjavik. Police estimated 150,000 people protested, The Associated Press reported, while organisers put the crowd at 200,000. AP said it was the biggest peace protest in the country since marches 30 years ago against the Vietnam War in which Australian troops fought alongside U.S. forces. (Full story)

About 6,000 Japanese marched through downtown Tokyo on Friday night, AP said. They waved banners and chanting slogans against the backdrop of the John Lennon song, "Imagine." The biggest protests are planned for Europe with, according to police, 500,000 expected in London and 100,000 across Germany. In Paris the organisers told Reuters they expected a 50,000 turnout and, according to London's Guardian newspaper, Barcelona could match London with a 500,000-strong protest.

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tomorrow here in madrid, at least 150,000 people are expected for a huge antiwar protest. In the last parliament the GOP was left alone against ALL the opposition in the war debate. Polls say 75% of the population are against a war. sooo... dont sign in spain to the countries that want a war... the only one that wants it is our idiot of a president.

oh, and they have proven jackshit regardind iraqs womds. if thats all the proof the allmighty intel services could muster... lol... yeah, i have a womd hidden in my toilet!!!

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: oh, and they have proven jackshit regardind iraqs womds. if thats all the proof the allmighty intel services could muster... lol... yeah, i have a womd hidden in my toilet!!!

Actually, the Iraqis are suppose to prove they don't have them. That has been the "deal" since 1991. They are suppose to prove they don't have the things they were known to have when the weapons inspectors left in '98 and that includes proving they don't have hundreds of tons of nerve agent, and tens of thousands of chemical and biological delivery devices. Furthermore, they need to explain why, in direct violation of the UN, they developed and deployed missles systems with 5 times the launch and lift power allowed. These aren't things the US has tried to prove, these are things the inspectors reported. Too bad no one really cares what the inspectors are saying.

Why not change the protests scheduled for this weekend to pressure the SC and ALL governments to simply remove the inspectors from Iraq altogether and let Saddam do anything he wants? The inspectors obviously aren't being listened to by the SC or those who are protesting, so why bother?

I watched the report given today, so I'm not taking my information on the SC meeting from a baised media recap. I heard what they said this time, and last time, and it adds up to, "the Iraqis are not cooperating, and unless the Iraqis cooperate the job of the inspectors can't be done." Since all the Iraqi government officials say they ARE cooperating fully, what does this tell you about the level of Iraqi cooperation that can be expected in the future?

If the Iraqis aren't going to cooperate completely, as the inspectors say they are failing to do, and if the inspectors say without full cooperation the job can't be done, and if those on the security council aren't willing to enforce their sanctions, isn't this all just a bunch of BS?

If the inspectors found WoMD in your toilet and took pictures, samples, and subjected those WoMD to the "taste test", there are still some members of the security council who would, instead of moving to flush, would want to spend another 12 years calling in more plumbers.

[ 02-14-2003, 06:03 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

[johnny]

Well said Ronn, everyone seems to be turning this thing the other way around these days.

[skywalker]

The way I see it, everyone has a right to express their opinion. Right or wrong, for or against. And we all get to live with the consequences of our own opinions or actions.

I respect the war types and the peace types. I agree with some parts of both sides. The ones who feel so strongly that they will not listen to what the opposing view is saying will get no support from me.

This is one world and somehow we all have to live in it together, that's all.

The desires of any given leader should not be the only voices given weight or heeded without question.

Mark

[johnny]

Originally posted by skywalker: The way I see it, everyone has a right to express their opinion. Right or wrong, for or against. And we all get to live with the consequences of our own opinions or actions. I respect the war types and the peace types. I agree with some parts of both sides. The ones who feel so strongly that they will not listen to what the opposing view is saying will get no support from me. This is one world and somehow we all have to live in it together, that's all. The desires of any given leader should not be the only voices given weight or heeded without question. Mark

good post dude. The point i was trying to make is that a lot of people see Bush as some kind of boogyman or something. I don't understand why that is. Has the US ever tried to conquer and occupy another country, just because they could ?Do they show desire for territorial expansion ? I don't think so. Now, IF leaders like Saddam, Khadaffi, Kim Il, etc... had the same militairy might as the US, would you still sleep at night ?

[skywalker]

The problem with Bush is all in his style, I think. He tries to push things hard at first and comes around later. I think if he toned it down, he would appear more genuine to others. He always wants way more than he expects to get and when others meet him halfway he gets what he really wants. He does that with congress all the time.

Mark

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by skywalker: The desires of any given leader should not be the only voices given weight or heeded without question. Mark

Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. Has anyone suggested otherwise in this thread?

A discussion of the various issues is going to obviously involve point-counterpoint. That doesn't mean someone's opinion isn't valid does it? Doesn't that mean we're discussing it? Isn't that what this forum is for?

So Mark, in the quote above, are you saying there's only one leader that thinks Saddam deserves military action? That Bush is the only one who counts on the pro-action side? The British might be offended by that, and the Spanish, and so on and so on. Of course you may have been referring to Tony Blair, or maybe Saddam Hussein, so I won't put any certain leader to your ambiguous statement.

Funny though that you'd suggest one leader is running either side. Doesn't that pre-suppose that no one else has a spine of their own?


[ 02-14-2003, 07:02 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

[Barry the Sprout]

I'm going! Just thought I'd interject that into the conversation...

Well, I do live in London after all - it would be kind of silly not to go - wouldn't it! Considering my views on the matter and everything.

[skywalker]

No Ronn.

I was not speaking specifically about this forum, but "everyone" in the World in general.

What I am saying is that each leader from Bush to Saddam to Schroeder has opinions that are so strong that they all refuse to see any view in a different direction. It's become so adversarial taht they all have blood in their eyes. Each leader must also listen to others who live in their countries and make balanced decisions based on what is good for all.

I did not even intimate that 1 leader runs each side. Why are over analyzing my post?

Mark

[skywalker]

Johnny!

As far as being able to sleep at night over despots with as much firepower as the USA? I doubt it would affect me. As I said elsewhere...I'm not afraid to die! [img]smile.gif[/img]

The ultimate rest!

Mark