Well said wib!
I could tell you were a very decent person when I played you and added you to my buddy list. You have confirmed my opinion.
Do you know, you are the first American I have noticed in all the strands criticising the US, who has not verbally attacked the accuser, and blindly defended their country?
Fair play to you!
Let's not forget who created Saddam Hussain in the first place too: America and the West
After the American Puppet, the Shah of Iran was deposed by the religious fanatic, the Ayatollah Khomeni, the Americans placed Saddam in power.
Along with our beloved British, the French and many other "reputable" arms dealers, the Americans supplied Saddam with tanks and even Chemical weapons.
I remember clearly as a child seeing pictures on the BBC news of hundreds of bodies of Iranian soldiers. The reporter hailing a great victory for the "out-numbered Iraqi soldiers using superior Western technology".
These were the same tanks destroyed 2 decades later in their thousands by the Americans in a previous war on Iraq (I have started to lose track of which one is which!), on the infamous "Road to Basra".
Remember George Orwell's 1984:
"Iran is our ally, Iraq is the enemy; we are at war with Iraq. We have always been at war with Iraq."
Tea anybody?
Hi Howard! How ya doing bud?
As for my country - well that's a tough one. I really love the US. There's so much about this country that is incredible. I even served in the military when I was 19 just because it was something I had always wanted to do. I felt a sense of loyalty to my country. And also because I was bored out of my skull in a small farming town in North Carolina.
The US is amazing, it also has a lot of flaws. I feel it's perfectly fine for everyone to criticize my country. Especially when the criticism is from its own citizens. If we don't keep an eye on, and find fault with our politicians and our government... who will???
I believe in everything being open for discussion. If it's ok to do it, then it's ok to talk about it.
So how's the chess going Howard?
Do I believe that oil was a prime concern in Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq?
Absolutely!
And just how did that decision come about?
That is far less clear. The US Government, including but not limited to the Bush Presidents, have not been at all squeamish about buying oil from nasty dictators. IMHO, Saddam in 1990, if not before, showed that he was more a threat than an upholder of the status quo. IMHO, this made him "dangerous."
GWB has never based his decisions on what most people would consider "dangerous." North Korea strikes me as far more likely to start a major war. Kim Jong Il is no less a nasty, evil dictator than Saddam. Regime change in Sudan or Liberia seems no less beneficial to the inhabitants of those countries than regime change in Iraq. Yet we have a substantial commitment to Iraq, but not to those other countries. Why? Oil is by far the most plausible reason.
Leaving Michael Moore out of this, a very cursory look at the way US policy has treated the oil-producing regions in contrast to regions where little or no oil is produced should be sufficient to convince one that oil is critical. GWB does not care about Africa. GWB does not care about Korea. GWB does care about the Middle East and especially the Persian Gulf region. Draw your own conclusions.
Best Regards,
Paul
Originally posted by ianpickeringI think both.
...Iraq was invaded because George Bush genuinely believed that Saddam Hussain was a 'clear and present danger' and how many believe that this was a pretext for 'regime change'?
The regime change goes back to the time of the first gulf war. This reason was long standing and developing.
The danger was "clear" from war actions taken by Iraq on its own people and its neighbors, and by Saddam's (and the region's) dislike of the U.S. I think there was honest concern by the administration that Saddam was (or would) sponsor terrorism. Remember that this has all occured in the aftermath of 9/11. We will likely never know if this fear was correct.
Originally posted by wibGreat cheers wib!
Hi Howard! How ya doing bud?
As for my country - well that's a tough one. I really love the US. There's so much about this country that is incredible. I even served in the military when I was 19 just because it was something I had always wanted to do. I felt a sense of loyalty to my country. And also because I was bored out of my skull in a small farmin ...[text shortened]... t's ok to do it, then it's ok to talk about it.
So how's the chess going Howard?
Still remember our bizzare draw!
Funnily enough that marked a down-turn in my play (due to cockiness, I think), but now I have worked my way back to the mid 1600's.
Noticed you got up to the giddy heights of 1800's a few weeks back! In with the big nobs now eh? Why couldn't you have had that rating when I drew with you?
Off on holiday soon, so have only got 2 games going with large time-banks which my opponents are making good use of (Yawn!).
Must play you again soon after I return!
"North Korea strikes me as far more likely to start a major war". Correct Paul (prn).
Unfortunately, you are not quite correct in your assertion that GWB has no interest in North Korea.
The US gave 3 Billion Dollars of aid to N.Korea on the proviso that they did not develop nuclear capability.
Guess what this dictatorship spent the money on?
Originally posted by howardgeeHi Howard,
"North Korea strikes me as far more likely to start a major war". Correct Paul (prn).
Unfortunately, you are not quite correct in your assertion that GWB has no interest in North Korea.
The US gave 3 Billion Dollars of aid to N.Korea on the proviso that they did not develop nuclear capability.
Guess what this dictatorship spent the money on?
Why doesn't anyone ever loan us 3 billion dollars? What's a guy gotta do to get a loan around here? Enslave a population and treat'em like cattle?
Well if that's what it takes. 3 billion is worth it IMO.
Yeah, that 1800 thing didn't last long. Ya know the downside of chess here is that the higher you go the tougher the competition. Everytime I turn around now I'm playing someone with a rating that starts with a "2". I'm gettin smacked around like an Iraqi on a dog leash.
Originally posted by STANGYou're welcome. Now go crawl and hide underneath your bed.
Our Australian prime minister has just received a letter from 43 previously senior defence officers and diplomats, including 2 chiefs of defence, stating that our going to war with America was based on lies and now puts us at much greater risk. Thanks fo absolutely nothing America.
Originally posted by STANGNever mind Stang. It will just make it easier to resist the pressure from your 'allies' next time they want your country to lend moral support to another illegal invasion.
Our Australian prime minister has just received a letter from 43 previously senior defence officers and diplomats, including 2 chiefs of defence, stating that our going to war with America was based on lies and now puts us at much greater risk. Thanks fo absolutely nothing America.
Live and learn.