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What to do about Iraq
Pelican
Member Posts: 1,061 ✭✭✭✭
Sept 11, 2002 a little before 9am eastern time - Iraq becomes a parking lot.
The Almighty Himself Entrusted the Future of All Living Creatures to a Wooden Boat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
The Almighty Himself Entrusted the Future of All Living Creatures to a Wooden Boat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
Comments
Rameleni1
When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....
Denmark have signed an agreement, not to have nuclear devices for war. I hope that's because we'd rather fight right and with honor, than hide behind technology governed by and restricted to some nations.
That technology is for His Allmighty Highness Himself (no not Bush, not the US, not Iraq, not france not... - not for people from anywhere).
I'd wish that nuclear processes would be restricted to only creation of light, heat, stars, gamma-glimpts in the universe - not for human interests on earth.
It's just a weapon of threat and it is more likely to win wars just by having one. That's the sad part.
Throwing a nuke in Iraq - sets off more than just increased tazes, draft or more war.
WAKE UP!!
The thing is - noone gives a rats * **beeeeeeep** ((sorry the beep sound was a little misplaced)) if the country next to Iraq or if all of Europe is affected - if they just gets the war off their own hands, can still get their oil from the Saudis... and so on.
I'd wish someone would or do think about that before they press the failsafe-button somewhere.
Yes, the casualties would be higher at the enemy part than on your own, yes war stops quick, yes, people in your own country would be gratefull that their sons won't die in a war..
So offcourse who gives a (beeeeeeeeeep) what happens after a blast like that?
No, I'm not in favor of nuclear processes, unless it's natural.
Testing of nuke-bombs ought to stop anywhere - do we need it?
There's allready enough nukes to blow up the earth several hundreds times - who cares about 12% better efficiency of one bomb, or higher yield because of some gas around the core???
I'b bet, if Iraq used a nuke - anything that could roll after the blast, would roll against Iraq. But we'd be darn sure not to push another failsafe-button, setting off another blast.
At least that's what I think.
And what's the opinion on the "Global missile defence" that is about to be set up?
The radar setup to pick up intercontinental missiles??
Noone gives a (biiiiiiiip), because it protects you. and the cost?
The rest of the world might/could/would probably go into higher alert sooner - or another arms race for that matter.
Noone gives a (biiiiiiip) about anyone else, because they're well protected themselves. Noone cares about critical insidents in the world - if the oil is ensured, if noone from your own country is hurt.
No, I'm not against the military as such, not against wars if they are there to make things better - like fight terrorism.
I'm just in awe of people pointing fingers, being so friggin' paranoid - that if someone have another opinion, they'd be nuked at first sight.
Regards
Peter E Jeppesen
Greenland
PS : Someone might say that if my family died in a terror attack or at a blast, what'd I do?
I'd tell : That's too bad, I'd mourn - and I'd hope the terrorist or nation who accidently killed them won't come too near to me - I might want to grab a weapon.
Not of mass destruction - I just want to get the one who hurt me, without hurting others in the process.
Again - can't say that that's what I'd do - because that's a far thought - but couldn't guarantee their safety either.
Just owns a silenced .22LR Anshutz rifle =o) .308Win Steyr Mannlicher - Scout ;o_ That's all I need, but not all I want.
Don't do anything I've allready done - It's just plain stoooopid. =o)
G36
Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
As for Iraq, nuke em till they glow, then shoot 'em in the dark. I don't care what their so called grievances against us are or if they even have any, this is my country and I support it first, last and only! Nations do not have friends, they only have interests. If the destruction of Iraq is in our interest so be it. We owe the rag heads nothing.
Just MHO, everybody has one and they all usually smell.
Nil Illegitimus Carborundum
Our friend from Greenland makes some good points but Nukes are in the hands of people who are willing to push the button and that is why we are in the situation we are in. Our missile defense system is selfish but to preserve your way of life would you take the neccesary precautions if you had the ability? I know most of the world doesn't agree with Americas politics but everyone believes in preservation. Preservation of life and quality thereof. We aren't talking about attacking Iraq for revenge we are talking about attacking because of the fear of what Iraq will be capable of in the near future. If Sadaam will kill his own people, I'm afraid of what he would do if he had the capabilities to do America harm. That is why we need to put our foot down. Sadaam isn't talking about attacking other countries he is talking about killing Americans, and I don't want to see another Sept. 11. So if that can be stopped I for one will pick up a rifle!!!
Rameleni1
Right now, I say we do nothing. Except to tell all the "smart people" to move-out of Washington, DC; New York, NY; and Los
Angeles, CA.
Then, in about two years, after Iraqi sponsored terrorists detonate a nuclear bomb in one of those cities I just mentioned, we can say to all those currently claiming Saddam isn't a threat to the U.S., "See we told you he'd use the bomb when he got it!"
Then we bomb Iraq and any and every country that "cheers" about the attack made on the U.S.
Yes, I agree that terrorists probably will have, and probably has nukes and/or other stuff of mass destruction.
What I don't understand - is that you state, "WHOA there's a nation who might develop technology that can harm us!! Let's anniolate them!! The faster the better."
Is that really a rational way of thinking in the US ?
DAMN - good thing I'm not a resident of that country.
When do you attack Greenland then?
If Greenland/Denmark kicks you out of the Thule Airbase, saying no to contribute any further to any arms race or in an attempt to stop a cold war - by disallowing any radar on Greenland.
Would that be a hostile action?
That contributes to an "attack" or minimizes the possibility of seeing an ICBM in time..
Many americans would say "Anniolate them also - they're only 55.000 people there.. who'll miss them - we don't owe them anything!!"
CRAP !!
If I as head of a country, had the technical possibility to protect myself - offcourse I would.
But there happens to be agreements and treatys that say some things are ok to do, for common good.
If one country breaks those agreements and treatys because "we don't owe them anything", "We need that technology!".
That'd be wrong??
I know in my heart, that I won't provocate friends, neighbours or break treatys between me and anyone - to protect myself, because "I don't owe them anything!"
I'd find a way to work around that and get a system that works without breaking agreements or setting off a cold war.
Offcourse I don't want another 11th.Sept. either.
That's something that should never ever happen, nowhere. PERIOD !
If I could prevent it - I'd pick up just about any tool available to prevent it.
But I'd be stoopid if I picked up the remote for a Nuke - because, "I don't owe them anything" or "I have no use for them" or "I want a big swing at them - pay back!".
That's why we have politics - I wonder where it turned ugly, between Iraq, US, UN... whoever.
I wonder what set the hatred off, what could have been done different to rectify a relationship between an enemy and me.
Agreements can be achieved, someone just have to let go of something and just get the best of it or get what they can of it.
Maybe it would be different if I lived in New York, than if I lived in Greenland. (Born and raised in Europe, Denmark - from 0-23years of age, moved here 3 years ago.)
It would probably be different if Osama targeted the Hans-Egede statue or Hotel Nuuk, which are the largest buildings here.!
I can't say if it would be different, but I just hope it will never come to that.
If I had a nation - I wouldn't want weapons of mass destruction, ICBM's, payloads filled with anthrax or contribute to manufacturing of chemical or biological weapons. I'd rather take it man to man.
I'd rather have the brotherhood of treatys and agreements, if someone hits/hurts my bretheren - Gosh, then they're in for it.
Sometimes the UN couldn't or wouldn't come to "the rescue" (only a figure of speech, maybe "come to the aid of".. would be better) of the US.
That was because the UN was held in the dark by the US - take for instance Mogadishu.
The UN couldn't come at a moments notice - why?
Because a General was so stoopid as to hold the UN out in the dark of the operation. When it was over - and it hit the public... what happened, civilian people blamed the UN. "Wouldn't help us", "Didn't help as they were supposed to.!"
Yes, USA is a GREAT nation - great because of the preservation of freedom, because it's a nation of multiethnical societys, and COUNTLESS other reasons.
But what have the US grown big from? Supressing other "countries that the US doesn't owe anything!", squeezing countries into doing mainly what the US wants and so on..
Rich countries can usually get it the way they want - as well as companies.
When something threatens those rich nations - they have a brotherhood of other rich nations to pound on the little guy who develop the technology that it need to survive.
Iraq probably need ICBM's and nukes to survive in the world as it is - but big countries see it as a threat, "Let's level the country - before they become a threat!".
Is that right?? I hope not.
Well, this was just another 5cents.. or 17 Escrudos... or 3? Danish/Greenlandic Kroner..
Regards
Peter E Jeppesen
Greenland.
PS : I haven't got anything against the US - just wouldn't want to live there, no matter what.
Haven't got any good experiences with lawyors...
Just owns a silenced .22LR Anshutz rifle =o) .308Win Steyr Mannlicher - Scout ;o_ That's all I need, but not all I want.
Don't do anything I've allready done - It's just plain stoooopid. =o)
They attacked their neighbor and took their land. The United States did that a few years ago with Texas, New Mexico right? We didn't buy the land- we killed some folks and took it.
Sadam wants to build a nuke and to date has not. He lacks a missile that can carry it to anywhere's besides his neighbors. Who the hell is the United States to say that another country can not build a weapon. You crap heads already stripped a man of his right to self defence and become a global power. If we let him build 20 nuclear missiles they can be zapped by lasers from space before they left Iraqi airspace with todays technology.
Prove me wrong and list the grievences against the Iraqi's that would justify them being attacked again.
And don't say he wants to attack his neighbors, he kills his own people....I think you should look at American history and the demize of the American Indian. I bet they would say we were an axis of evil and terrorists. I bet the English look back and classify American colonialists as terrorists also- they fought from the trees and not out in the open. But why am I talking about terrorists, Iraq is not and hasn't been proven to support them.
My theory on the President's need to take control of Iraq, Saudi Arabia is no longer an allie. America's economy will collapse if we lose their oil so we need an alternate source. Iraq is the American alternate source to keep the economy going.
If you don't know your rights, you dont't have any
quote:Today I heard a piece on news radio that said the U.S. military was larger than the next 15 of the world's armies put together
Not true, wish it was but not even close. Not even the largest (but the best by far).
The Chinese army is over twice the size of the US http://www.chinatoday.com/arm/
Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
OK, the UN. A true fact is that all politics originate at the local level, so let's pretend that the UN is a local agency, say, county-wide.
Any group, faction, gang, agency, etc. can be a member. So what we have now is criminals, gangs, the police, the county government, the radicals, the drunks, the dopers, the businessmen, the housewives, all sitting down and negotiating with each other. If my neighbor punches me in the nose, or threatens to hurt someone on my property, I take it up with the County UN. NOT!!! I kick his *.
Anyone who negotiates with evil is weak. And, before someone asks for a definition of evil, it is that which does not recognize individual liberty. Simple as can be.
It's time for the U.S. to tell the UN to take a hike. It's also time to send a message to the world. War was declared on the United States. We have the power to win it in five minutes, and keep our kids safe for their lifetimes. I'll risk hell for that. What the hell ever happened to "Don't Tread On Me?"
Many innocent people would be killed, a sad, sad thing. But many more will be killed if we play patty-cake. And one may be one of my children, or yours. To state that the use of technology available only to a few as being a "dishonorable" way to fight a war is, at best, naive, at worst, insane. Tell that to the guys who couldn't get air support in VN due to the bombing halt and lost "their kids", the troops they commanded, because someone decided to "be nice."
Tell it to the folks, hundreds of thousands of them, who would not have been born had their fathers been killed in a ground invasion of Japan, and check your military history, and most of all, check your kids while they are sleeping right now. Mine are 22, 19, 11 and 9. If things continue as they are, they may all end up dead in some desert. All humans have individual rights, and all human lives hold value. And all have the right to protect what is theirs, neigh, not the right, but the RESPONSIBILITY to ensure the safety and well-being of their progeny.
Sept 11th + Iraq = Giant ashtray.
My own Mom disagrees with me. So be it.
Let's get this over with.
I don't give a damn what "the world" thinks of it.
I realize that this is mean-spirited but it is also an admission of reality that this can end right now.
Fry 'em.
What the hell ever happened to "Don't Tread On Me?"
Beast,
U.S. Ships To Fly 'Don't Tread On Me' Flag
Fri Sep 6, 1:39 PM ET
U.S. warships in San Diego and around the world will be flying an old flag emblazoned with the words "Don't Tread On Me" starting Wednesday, the first anniversary of the East Coast terror strikes.
Navy Secretary Gordon R. England ordered last week that the historic banner, the first Navy Jack, be flown for the duration of the nation's war on terrorism.
"The temporary substitution of this Jack represents an historic reminder of the nation's and Navy's origin and will to persevere and triumph," England said in a statement.
The amphibious ship Rushmore was the first ship in San Diego to receive the flag and briefly displayed it during a ceremony Thursday, 10News reported.
It was taken down shortly after the ceremony and will be displayed on the ship's quarterdecks until Wednesday.
The first Navy Jack -- bearing a rattlesnake stretched across 13 bars of red and white above the words "Don't Tread on Me," -- appeared during the Revolutionary War.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ibsys/20020906/lo_kgtv/1313703
But dont worry about Irak ,
LIBIA, COREA ,RUSSIA ,CHINA ...
Its the voices of 600,000,000. Muslim a gigant once awaken that will
be hard to put to sleep again ....
And US just will put a big firecracker in his * ! QUITE DANGEROUS!
BUT IS THERE A WAY OUT ?
THEY HAD THE CHANCE IN THE GULF WAR THEY ABANDONED 800,000 KURDS TO DEATH AFTER ASKING THEM TO REVEL AGAINST SADDAM ,THEN THEY LET HIM KEEP POWER AND GAS THEM TO DEATH ,(TREASON)
CALL IT AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL (*sic) POLITICS!
JD
400 million cows can't be wrong ( EAT GRASS !!! )
EVALUATE.
DESTROY.
JUSTICE WITHOUT MERCY
IS TYRANY, MERCY WITHOUT
JUSTICE IS WEAKNESS
CHRISTIAN,AMERICAN
HETEROSEXUAL,PROGUN
CONSERVATIVE
In any case, our miliary is far superior. Maybe not in sheer number of troops, but our technology is the best. I just wish we could use it instead of constantly playing nice. Timberbeast, I'm with you.
G36
Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT Criminals
Edited by - concealedG36 on 09/10/2002 09:29:56
The Almighty Himself Entrusted the Future of All Living Creatures to a Wooden Boat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -"Audemus jura nostra defendere"
Woods
We need to get rid of the leaders of the "regimes" in those places.
In Iraq...we do it surgically. ie. violence begets violence. We can't, however, destroy thousands of Iraqi's just to take out Saddam and a few of his cronies.
In the "Peoples Republics" we do it the American way...at the ballot box.
Nitrouz.....WOW...IMHO your tirade contains quite a bit of convoluted logic.
Mr. Dread....Don't you EVER proof read?
Mudge the thinker
I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
We need to get rid of the leaders of the "regimes" in those places.
In Iraq...we do it surgically. ie. violence begets violence. We can't, however, destroy thousands of Iraqi's just to take out Saddam and a few of his cronies.
In the "Peoples Republics" we do it the American way...at the ballot box.
Nitrouz.....WOW...IMHO your tirade contains quite a bit of convoluted logic.
Mr. Dread....Don't you EVER proof read?
Mudge the thinker
I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
Anyhows, if we need an excuse to go to the Middle East and Kill any and all terrorist breeding people go look at the hole in Manhattan. And if those other countries don't want to go to the dance with us, they better stay in their seats! Who can we trust over there? NOBODY. As far as Nukes go, Israel has already said they will not sit by and be attacked with scuds again. They will go on the offensive with the use of Nukes a high possibility. If so, then the rest of the Arab and maybe some European nations will get up in arms about Israel. So we have to kick their butts as well. Hmmm, sounds like Armageddon... or maybe at the end of the day, we have deported ALL foreigners and are pumping American oil from the oil fields of the former Middle East....
Either way, America as the only Super Power, should expect to be hated by those of lesser nations as have ALL super powers have been through out history. But never has a Super Power been so giving as we have been to anyone in need. And as far as the Native American goes, history tells us typically an invading army slays and imprisons their enemy. We didn't do them right but could have been worse. (seriously, they were living in teepees while on the East Coast people were building tall buildings and riding on trains...No excuse, for our actions i.e. Smallpox on blankets given as gifts, just the fact we could have killed them all). Which goes back to our compassionate nature, We'll help you to do it our way. This only makes sense, we are a young country and have been blessed many times over one of which leaves us as the Powerful nation we are today. And we should quit apologizing for it.
If you have one shot...Accu-Shot Website
The passive are so because they are weak and they are weak because they were passive.
America, as a culture, has never been passive. Had it been so, my friend, you would be speaking German right now. We have, from time to time, suffered periods of weakness in our leadership but they have been removed one way or the other.
The world is again going to learn not to mess with us and the Quisling's will not be given a pass this time. Either you are for us or you are against us. It has come to that. Choose your side carefully, my man, because you will have to choose.
Clouder
BTW, glad to see you back
It's very easy for people out of this country to state their opinions on what we should do, and how we should do it. I've learned that Americans do stick together, as seen in the 911 aftermath, and believe that once the facts come out about So damn Insane and his flying chemical/biological warheads and sprayer drones that other countries will join us as well. The Thule airbase's prime directive is to protect Greenland and Denmark, and if they were stupid enough to kick us out of there, they'd deserve the consequences of another country over running them. The only advantage in even being there is to strike or monitor Russia, and we can monitor them with intelligence and satellite imagery, and strike them from Alaska. A good Texas tea party would use up all the ice in Greenland, and you'd have a country left smaller than Rhode Island!
I predict that we will hit Iraq, soon - and when we do So damn Insane will be eliminated, and when that's done his people will surrender in droves just like they did last time.
We wont need it right away, but depending on how long the campaign lasts and how many casualties we take, we may end up resorting to the draft at some point.
The reason we did so well in Desert Storm was our air power. With a nice flat desert, we just flew J-STARS and AWACS surveillance flights night and day, and we knew exactly where every Iraqi was and what he was doing. It was like a shooting gallery.
But now, we'll have to actually enter and take Baghdad. Saddam, although a tin-horn dictator, is not entirely devoid of common sense. He has vowed to pack his troops deep into Baghdad, arm the civilians, and force us to root them out.
Urban warfare is about as bad as it gets. We'll take a lot of casualties. For all I know, I might end up being one of them. But I can accept that possibility. If I couldnt, I'd have no business being a soldier, much less an infantryman (or a Ranger).
Of course, I like to tell people (especially Liberals) that if I buy it, it'll be with an empty weapon and a raghead's throat in each fist.
Hopefully it wont come to that and maybe the opposition party will be able to get the people to oust the Dick Tater. If you do end up going shoot first and ask questions later. When in doubt, frag them out and above all else, watch your top knot. Good luck and God bless all who stand in harms way to protect our country and its citizens.
When Clinton left office they gave him a 21 gun salute. Its a damn shame they all missed....
We should hope he does arm the civilians. That sure would make our job easier. Talk about a revolution.....YEEEHAAA
Mudge the strategist
I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
AlleninAlaska
http://www.outdoor-o-rama.com
He who dares not offend cannot be honest.
-- Thomas Paine
I always leave that "prove" thingz to tbem aliens from URanus and the like....
HEHEHE!
JD
400 million cows can't be wrong ( EAT GRASS !!! )
Prime directory of the american airbase in Greenland? Protect Denmark/Greenland?
Now that's the first time I've heard it turned that way around.
USA really protecting lil' ol' us in Denmark/Greenland?
And here I thought it was only to get a better radarview of russia and the middle east - and now is to set up a better post for seeing ICBM's headed for the US ?
Okay, my mistake, I was WAY off.
WhiteClouder : "The passive are so because they are weak and they are weak because they were passive."
Well - doesn't the afghan-terrorists tell you otherwise?
They were passive in the US, they were weak in numbers and strength - but see what happened. Struck hard.
Personally I don't think a tale like that would sum up the world situation, nor will it help anywhere.
Another thought is - I happen to like Germany, haven't got anything against them at all. Even loves to take my entire hollyday there or just some spare time.
Wouldn't mind talking german or be a german citizen.
Yes. Maybe I and many european friends are passive - maybe weak.
So be it. We usually comes through when it matters though.
As do many other people - we're just not focused at war all the time or have paranoid thoughts about terrorists or "They might gain the technology to hurt us or anyone we exploid for our own gain - Let's make their country into a parkinglot, just in case!!"
They might use the technology to state their opinion and use it in a last resort - if it ever comes to war.
It's just the idea of a nation having the power and money to set terrible forces into working order. (Nukes)
And now when other nations want to owe similar technology - they're leaned on, squashed, because the first nations doesn't like the development.
They feel threatened, because "It might be used against us".
They want to be the only ones with that - be the allmighty force who can move around, poke their noses in everything.
Reconsider the foreign politics - it probably failed in that department anyhoo.
I've been told the only good thing that's come from the west - is humorous Cartoons (Tom & Jerry).
Well..
Better stop here before CIA or NSA might come turn over my apartment.
God only knows what that HappyNanoq (nanoq=polarbear) has in there and what he'd use it for, because he has a different opinion.
Regards
Peter E Jeppesen
Greenland.
Prime directory of the american airbase in Greenland? Protect Denmark/Greenland?
Now that's the first time I've heard it turned that way around.
USA really protecting lil' ol' us in Denmark/Greenland?
And here I thought it was only to get a better radarview of russia and the middle east - and now is to set up a better post for seeing ICBM's headed for the US ?
Okay, my mistake, I was WAY off.
WhiteClouder : "The passive are so because they are weak and they are weak because they were passive."
Well - doesn't the afghan-terrorists tell you otherwise?
They were passive in the US, they were weak in numbers and strength - but see what happened. Struck hard.
Personally I don't think a tale like that would sum up the world situation, nor will it help anywhere.
Another thought is - I happen to like Germany, haven't got anything against them at all. Even loves to take my entire hollyday there or just some spare time.
Wouldn't mind talking german or be a german citizen.
Yes. Maybe I and many european friends are passive - maybe weak.
So be it. We usually comes through when it matters though.
As do many other people - we're just not focused at war all the time or have paranoid thoughts about terrorists or "They might gain the technology to hurt us or anyone we exploid for our own gain - Let's make their country into a parkinglot, just in case!!"
They might use the technology to state their opinion and use it in a last resort - if it ever comes to war.
It's just the idea of a nation having the power and money to set terrible forces into working order. (Nukes)
And now when other nations want to owe similar technology - they're leaned on, squashed, because the first nations doesn't like the development.
They feel threatened, because "It might be used against us".
They want to be the only ones with that - be the allmighty force who can move around, poke their noses in everything.
Reconsider the foreign politics - it probably failed in that department anyhoo.
I've been told the only good thing that's come from the west - is humorous Cartoons (Tom & Jerry).
Well..
Better stop here before CIA or NSA might come turn over my apartment.
God only knows what that HappyNanoq (nanoq=polarbear) has in there and what he'd use it for, because he has a different opinion.
Regards
Peter E Jeppesen
Greenland.
Your insight is appreciated, at least by me. It is always good to hear from the grassroots of our allies and friends. It helps me understand you.
Keep posting regardless of the flames that are sure to come.
Clouder..
Nanoq.....hope your part of Greenland is nicer than Thule. I've been there and can't really say I'd recommend it as a vacation spot.
Like clouder, I do appreciate hearing your views. Don't agree with them, mind, but glad to read & respect them . . . as wrong as you may be .
Take a real good look at 5db's second para. Yes, we are big, yes we have done wrong, but never in history has a dominant nation tried harder (admittedly with mixed results) to do right. I would hate to see us use WMDs against Iraq or any other target unless there were no other choice. But if there is a clear & compelling reason to do so, then I would not argue against doing it. Undoubtedly, innocent people in Iraq or whereever will die if we take military action of any kind. But if the US acts, we will try to avoid that.
Our gov't doesn't gas it's own citizens (leaving aside small incidents like Waco) and does not indulge in wars of conquest. The war of 1848 came about because of a Mexican attack which killed *TWO* Americans. The war of 1898 because we believed one our ships was attacked (as has just recenlty been shown to be in fact an internal explosion on the Maine, not a torpedo). We have not annexed nations by force of arms, we do not perpetuate genocide, we did not establish vast networks of colonies to exploit for the mother country.
What infuriates many Americans, myself included, is when some snide Europeans, having benefited from America's sacrifice in their defense 1941 - 1991, having had their countries re-built from the ashes by American largesse, wax long and viciously about how evil and insensitive we are. Your King proclaimed that all Danes were Jews and was the first to put a yellow Star of David on his gentile coat. I don't see that sort of courage expressed publicly anywhere in Europe today. From this side of the pond, it sure looks like the post-war generation lost it's spine somewhere after 1945 and want to drag us down to their level. France won't extradite terrorists because we might execute them. Whoopee. If the terrorists target the French, let them get all touchy-feely if they want. If they go after us, then we will deal with it in our way.
If Iraq only had conventional weapons, fine, negotiate to your hearts content and as long as they stay within their own borders, it would be bad for their people, but not our affair. But they do have WMDs and seek more. For what? To protect their borders from Kuwait? Or so they can slip a nuke into NYC or Copenhagen if they don't get to destroy Israel? The US policy toward Israel is not much different than it was toward Europe for the past 60 years - to protect it from a fanatical enemy bent on its conquest / destruction / occupation.
I guess what gripes me is that I see much of the world as biting the hand that feeds them, the hand that kept their head above water when all else was lost and a hand which has rarely asked for more than a simple thank you for the blood and treasure expended to make the world a better place for all people. If we go into Iraq, it would be nice to have the world remember, but if they don't, we still go. They can't hate us much more than they already do.