Iraqi Children freed from Prison

Like Simey, I would love to agree with you and will be DAMNED happy if I am wrong. I do not disagree that Hussein needed to go. I do not dissagree that the chances are better. I simply don't have the faith for a sunset ending to this. For me, it was less about the war than it was about what surrounds it. I see joyous faces on many Iraqis. Good. What about the rest of it? Like it has been said, the military steam roll was the (comparatively) easy part.

Geesh Maxelson, take your own advice. (IE: that last three sentences I seperated.)

What is the deal lately, with this farce that protestors are beyond all criticism and off limits to any and all reproach?

And even more bizarre, that no one can call the vandals and law breakers among them out for it?

There�s something of an obviously hypocritical (to say nothing of shamelessly dishonest) tactic I notice lately, that everyone must �lay off� and treat anyone calling themselves a protestor with kid gloves no matter what -they can say and do whatever they like, not be held accountable for any hypocritical positions or any negative actions any of them take, and that no one can call the ones that act like jackasses, jackasses.

Yet on the same token, it�s paraded as legit to posture as if anyone questioning these people doesn�t have any rights to their own viewpoint. Any time someone does, the not even subtle slight of hand is to paint them as being 'against all rights to protest.'

And of course, no one can ask valid questions of any protestor, such as typhoon. Guess what; his question of those protestors that did say this, and his OP are also VALID.

See how it works?

I have no truk with opinions. NONE. This goes beyond that. I hear so much about the wrongs the protesters commit. And when I hear of college students threatened for thier comment, people breaking into their home and trashing it, what do I hear? "Hey. They asked for it." No one called the vandals out there, either. No calls them unpatriotic, seditious or traitorous.

I am talking RESPECT of viewpoint. I perfectly well respect yours. I agree with yours less than half the time, but I respect it. The critiques I hear are of the ACT OF PROTESTING. "Get a job" is what I hear. "Take a bath you hippy peacenik freak" is what I hear. Seldom is it "I think your wrong, and here's why I think so".

Yes, Crash. I DO see how it works, and it is that which has me angered.

Let's wait until after the St. Petersburg summit. I think that Putin isn't going to be as keen to be in complete opposition to the US as Chirac. I'm not sure about Schroeder.

My concern is that they might try to block the lifting of sanctions. Technically, only the Security Council can do that, which makes it the place where there is real leverage.

In good news, the EU parliament has voted to admit the "Vilnius 10."

A war was the only way that was going to happen.

All we could do is take the path that looks more promising. We have.

I know we're talking about Chirac but just how morally bankrupt is he prepared to be?

Talk about repurcussions. So now can we assume we know your position on the war and the reasoning?

Highly unlikely IMO. There is nothing to be gained by such a move.

Problem is, Typhoon didn't break into anyone's house, yell 'Get a job' (free speech anyway)or anything else. He merely asked a question and you leveled both barrels at him for it.

No, I leveled both barrels at a wide range of folks- a particular brand of folks (as I perceive them). See the first line of the post. Then see the second.

I will ask for a pardon of my expression of anger. I cannot ask for one on my thoughts.

I suppose. I was against unilateral action last fall, and was happy with the coalition that the US put together, but was still worried about the possible outcomes. I'm just sick of the "anti-war" shock sites that I keep getting in e-mail, which only tell half of the story... (talk about hypocracy). Most of all, I'm sick about the lies of how the Iraqi citizens were completely against this action; El Pre$idente's comments were completely and utterly false, on Christanity, his Kurdish friend and (it seems) the entire situation.

Lesson learned on listening to what El Presidente has to say. He's conspiracy theory all the way.
Haven't seen him in a while. Is he still here?

I think it's premature to claim this. As I remember those predictions, they were about ruling Iraq, not conquering it.

Nobody questioned that we could readily conquer Iraq--although many of us feared it would take a terrible toll on those we wish to liberate.

Now we are actually getting to point where El Pre$'s predictions may turn out to be accurate. He's not the only one who's questioned whether or not the US can really get what it wants economically/strategically from true popular rule in Bagdad. Historically, I don't think there can be any question that those ideals seem in open conflict.

But we'll see. If the US tries to rule Iraq, it will be disastrous. If the US lets Iraq find it's own way, there might be some disasters, but they wont' be our disasters. There is also a very real chance that Iraqis will find their own way to something very very positive. We should just be prepared to allow that to happen even if it challenges our historical interests.

I'll give 2 thumbs up to that.