it would suck IF we keep bush from going to war for almost 5 months then suddenly get nuked because they finally finished developing one open to any comments and remember, that's a big IF
Na, what would suck is having a president who lies and makes up intelligence reports just so he can go to war. Oh wait a minute, you do, Bush. What would suck is having a president that scare mongers by making up threats of terrorist activity. Oh wait, you do, Bush.
what would suck is the brits and yanks nuking the gulf, killing 1000's of children as well as inocent solders on BOTH sides (altho the iraq solders are more inocent, but i would never make out that the boys and girls on the front are anything but hero's, its not there fault they are there) because "he tried to kill my daddy"
sucking yes that would indeed suck.......but to assume that this was going to happen, which in all probobilities it would not, and use that assumption to kill innocents now would be far worse, it would bite. (why did we ever start using such a nice word as suck as a bad thing?)
Oyster will probably dislike this, but I think your opinion may be racist. The United States and public opinion decided first strike was not necessary during the Cold War because the Soviets would intelligently respond to deterrence, out of respect for human life. We hold a vastly stronger power of deterrence over any organizations in the middle east who would wish to attack us with a nuclear weapon. I know the following are radical thoughts, but please try to grasp them: Arabs and Muslims mostly get up in the morning, fix breakfast, go to work, come home, have dinner, spend time with their kids, and go to bed. They love their lives, and they love their children. Unlawful invasions will bring us no security or relief. If a maniac gets a nuclear weapon, that maniac could just as well be an American extremist, and the world will have to deal with that as best we can. Controlling fissile material through international cooperation might be a very workable and feasible start, don't you think? Perhaps more feasible than setting the stage for nuclear Pakistan to collapse from the political pressur we are applying. Oyster, I think your notion that Arabs have more sinister aspects than Soviets did may be either a product of effective propaganda, and/or a result of racism.
Hype, I think you're being unfair to Oyster by putting words in his mouth. I took it as he is talking about Saddam, not Arabs in general. As you said yourself, that madman could just as well be an American extremist. In this case it happens to be an Iraqi extremist. I'm not saying this is automatic grounds for war, although if the Permanent Five end up supporing it then I will too. But it is worth noting that Mr. Hazma, the former head of Saddam's nuclear weapons program, has written a book detailing his part in Iraq's nuclear program and Saddam's drive for nuclear weapons. He reveals getting the nuclear reactor and other materials from both France and Germany, and also notes that they *winked* at the Iraqi justifications for needing them. He said that in the beginning Saddam wanted three nukes to have only as bargaining chips at the peace table with Israel, but later wanted to have at least one ready before Desert Storm. He also noted that Iraq's nuclear program after Israel took out the reactor in '82 increase in size to 7000 employees with a $10 billion budget. When asked on Crossfire the other night, he stated that Saddam needed to be removed now. Something to think about.
what is wrong with Iraq having nuclear weapons? The CIA last year released a report that in the past decade Iraq has had no dealings with any terrorists and is not a threat to any nation. Hell, I'd love to see the world band together, march into the US and demand they destroy all their WMD programs. The US is the only nation that has used atomic bombs on anyone in aggression, it has used chemical weapons against people, not only enemies but tested them on it's on population. And bush calls Iraq a threat and evil, go figure.
You'll have to forgive me but I am probably about to make some serious allegations about the structure and workings of American political life ! The main thing that I have observed as a complete outsider that sucks is the way the Republicans behaved at the close of the election . The Republicans seemed to want to take the whitehouse and it looked from over here as if they were getting ready to march into the whitehouse and takeover, whereas the Democrats seemed to be bave moreso concillatory patiently waiiting for the count in Florida attitude. Then from the day that Bush was sworn in he seemed to amass a WAR Cabinent Powell, Rumsfield et al. From over here in Oz The Republican Party is perceived as a Guns and Roses outfit almost as if its their resposibility to act as Gods Army. The Republican Party from over here are perceived as the real NRA. I don't believe that the USA is a Democratic country at all moreso before an election a Moniteristic Oligarchy then after a president is sworn the USA becomes a Theocratic Dictatorship that is by virtue of the Presidents' power of veto. That statement that Bush made about the 'axis of evil' is the statement of eccentricity of all time . Just check out the stats on how many people get killed (murdered) in the USA and compare the figures in 'the axis of evil'. Listen don't get me wrong, sure I believe and realise there has been and still are some horrific things going down in those 'axis of evil countries' , but when you look at Gods Democracy the USA and add up the death rate of car crashes and murders alone you begin to wonder if the preacher ought to sort out his home before he preaches freedom. In many respects if you are a law abiding citizen and do the right thing, (whatever that might mean) in Iran, Iraq or North Korea its a safer place for the individual to be, quite apart from ideological repression, but then compare the ideological repression in the USA, if you are a law abiding citizen and do the right thing, (whatever that may mean}, its advisable to drive a four wheel wagon with a bull bar, always carry a gun in fact its advisable to own many guns and make sure you've got enough bars and locks on the windows and doors of your dwellings, just a minute where did you say the evil was ? I may have somewhat strayed from your post but maybe the only thing that will stop Bush starting WW111 is if (and pretty unlikely) Saddam and his regime goes into exile. If Saddam has got anything to hide, then its definitely not on the surface. I keep thinking of all that Astronomical hardware in space that can detect the chemical compositions of stars and star clouds like infared technologies and aerial robots the size of a squirrel and smaller there seems to me already a sufficient amount of technology in other scientific fields of endeavor to make OO7 feel envious.
Coldrake, you're right, I was a little harsh to Oyst*r.- Sorry Oyst*r. I react because I so often encounter similar opinions that I believe are rooted in racism- effective weapons are OK in white hands, or if not OK, at least we'll negotiate. But "if effective weapons are in brown hands, well, they just aren't like us- you never know what those ____s might do: Orange Alert! Attack!!". That is racism. I'm white, if it matters to you. Pcd2K you are being very harsh on Americans. Thanks, we need the jolt.
