As someone with friends being sent over seas, let me say this: they understand the sacrifice. I do not want to lose any American, but this is what they signed up for.

We have issued ultimatum after ultimatum to Iraq, and the argument I keep hearing, is "Can't we just give them a deadline?" HELLO! We have. For 12 years. In 48 hours, the ultimatums finally stop. The news special tonight was called "When Diplomacy Fails". I think that is very accurate. I stand behind my President. Whether or not any particular person voted for him, he is our President. I personally feel that he did not make this decision lightly or alone. At some point, there needs to be an end to talk and a beginning to action. As he said, Iraq has not disarmed, and they will not disarm. Do I want war? Am I pushing for war? No! Chances are we all know someone who will be IN this war. Who actually wants their loved ones to go and die? Or even to leave? But, I thank God every day that there are men and women who are strong enough in their beliefs in freedom that they are willing to sacrifice themselves.

We're going to war. Neither protesting it or ignoring it will stop it and bring about the result of peace. If you believe in God, now would be the time to start praying.

Crystal

edited to say: This isn't about oil. They have not disarmed.

Ain't that the truth! Could it be that we are just pissed that Saddam and Osama are our little binch anymore? And that 48 hour crap is just that...crap.

And furthermore, since we are talking about the POSSIBLY of having weapons of mass destruction......what about North Korea? That HAVE weapons of mass destruction, have shown the world that they have weapons of mass destruction, and are currently test firing their weapons of mass destruction. What about them?

Oh yeah, that's right......because they do not posses large quantites of oil. And once we go in to Iraq and "rebuild" them, guess which US companies are submitting bids to do that....OIL companies that Pres. Bush, VP Cheney, and a host of his other croonies are board members of.

Now isn't that conveint (sp)?

I see people's points for not wanting to go to war, but I don't understand how saying we're doing it too quickly is one of them.

12 years??? 12 years???? It's about damn time.......but the thing is, it's Saddam we should be going after, not his entire country.

Honestly, and this is just a personal theory, I think we've had 12 years to get Saddam and if we really wanted to, the CIA could have taken him out with some well placed snipers. You can say that's ridiculous, but there are so many things our government does that no one knows about.

Also, do you have any idea how much $$$$ Cheney makes if we go to war??? Kind of hard to think that the administration is thinking with our best interests at heart.

About the dead American soldiers- I don't think anyone wants to go to war to see dead Americans lying on the ground. But that is what the Army does. Their goal isn' t to get killed, but there's a reason they're trained in self- defense/torture tactics. Sometimes, fighting with other cultures is going to get violent. Anyone who willingly joins the Air Force, Army, Navy, etc. puts themselves in that position. God Bless Them, they are a hell of a lot more brave than I will ever be. But if it comes down to 10 of us dying to prevent another 9/11, can you really say it's not worth it??

Alright....

Please remember that it is St. Pat's day so I may be a little incoherent.....

Okay I thought I would offer the opinion and reaction of people here in Toronto to Bush's speach. Generally mosty of the people were angry and upset at the percieved arrogance of G. W. Bush. Most people thought that what he said regarding the UN and international security and stability was more that a little hypocritical.... to say the least. Also the general feeling that I got in the pubs (about 5 tonight) was that no matter the party following (other than the facsist fucks in the alliance) was that they were proud of the PM's comments and statment not to support the US without UN support. Right now Bush and the US appear to be a spoiled little brat that didn't get their way.....

Once again this is the general consenus that I have gathered from tonight's reaction to the US President's speach. Judge it as you will......

There's no guarantee either way. If anything, giving ultimatums and cornering Sadaam could more likely provoke terrorist
attacks than them leaving alone.

Hey AXJules,

This questions isn't entirely directed to you, but I wanted to quote your statement because I know there are a lot of people that feel the same way.

To everyone:

How will this war prevent another 9/11? We have plenty of terrorist living right here in the US (as were many of those who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks). We bombed the fudge out of Afghanistan and what do we have to show for it?

i am just sooooo mad at our President for this mess. Doesn't he realize that he is setting the precedent of bypassing the UN when it comes to declaring war on another country? Just as we are playing schoolyard bully with Iraq, unfortunately, a bigger bully will come along and do the same to us. Some of y'all can keep believing that we are indestructable, but just imagine for a minute if the North Korean army invaded us tomorrow. Then what?

Just a side note from the history buff, I do not have the time to delve into these threads.

France.

Sold Iraq's first nuclear reactor to them in 1973.

Coincidence? Discuss......

Adrienne (PNAM-2003)

??? We're playing the school yard bully?

My favorite movie quote is from The Majestic: "When bullies rise up, someone must rise up to defeat them." Has everyone missed that Hussein is torturing his own people?? Didyou miss the part where the President tried to assure the Iraqi people that that time of torture for them is about to end? I am not saying that President Bush is perfect, nor am I saying that the US is perfect, but we are reacting to a situation MOST DEFINITELY not created by our president but by the actions of a psychotic dictator. The bully has been clearly identified - they are the ones holding weapons of mass destruction, torturing their own people, harboring, training, and aiding terrorists, and this has continued for YEARS. We are not indestructible, bur NOR ARE WE WEAKLINGS that refuse to protect ourselves, aid others, or act preventively reather than waiting for something else to happen.

Crystal

We do not get our oil from Iraq.. and during the first Gulf War Saddam started burning up his oil fields. I feel that Bush is saying do not do that to the Iraqi people, as it is a great asset.

I find it interesting that with Iraq's oil fields and the billions of $ that they produce annually.. that 9/10 of the people there make America's poor look like billionaires! Saddam is not a good man, he has killed son-in-law and put one of his son's in a wheel chair. He surpresses his people and pays families $25,000 when they get on a bus full of children and blow themselves up...

So why can we have weapons of mass destruction if they can't? They're as strong, if not stronger, in their convictions and righteousness than we are - so who are we to tell them what to do? I think we need a good old dose of isolationism right now - I am so sick of being everybody's baby-sitter.

I know everyone is entitled to their opinions and beliefs, but it's so sad to hear so many Americans still debating whether we should go to war or not.

I have three friends and an uncle out there somewhere, and like everyone else who has family and friends there, I don't want anything to happen to any of our troops and wish we could solve this problem peacefully.

It's my opinion that it's time for us as Americans to stand by each other in this perilous time.

Just as we said following the 9-11 attacks, we should say it again. "United We Stand.."

Isn't the beautiful thing about America supposed to be that we don't have to walk, think, talk, and act in lock step?

Ask France.

I think her point was that now would be the time to try supporting each other. Unity is not a bad thing - quite the contrary. Not saying everyone has to agree, but maybe it wouldn't be so horrible to realize that we are going to war, and we can help each other through the difficult times ahead. Americans do not HAVE to fight with each other because "it is the American thing to do".

texas*princess, I hope all is well with your loved ones.

Crystal

Who said anything about not supporting eachother, misguided though I may think many of us are? I don't support Bush or his Administration, and I will continue to speak against him. All I want from anyone else is just to question, and continue to question what we're doing.