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To: SliderOnTheBlack who wrote (95401)	4/7/2003 3:54:50 PM
From: cnyndwllr	Respond to of 95453

Part 1. Slider, you ask: "What will the Lib's do, or say now; that WMD's have been found, that the Iraqi people are welcoming us with jubilation and when we do not seize their Oil, but rather rebuild their infastructure; just as we did Japan & Germany...while liberating and entire country and giving them hope, security, freedom and democracy ?" I don't know about any of the "libs" but I can tell you that I'll be happy footing right along with you. I wonder, however, if that's in the cards. Take a critical look between the lines of the disinformation war we are waging against Iraq and ask yourself these questions: Will we leave the Iraqi people in control or will we set up a puppet government supported by American troops? Will the Iraqi people house a guerrilla force that uses terrorist tactics to harass and kill American men and women in Iraq? Will the Iraqi people "choose" an Islamic fundamentalist leader and, if so, will we allow that "choice?" What was all that Rumsfeld, Cheney, Wolf-- planning for our strategic interests in Iraqi oil about a decade ago and have they changed their goals? Why do the hawks in the administration bristle when the issue of a strong U.N. role in the post war Iraq period is proposed? What was all that talk about American contracts for "rebuilding" Iraq and why have the preliminary contracts already been awarded in a private selection process? What are the limits on American unilateral decisions to force "regime change" in sovereign nations including Iran, Syria, N. Korea, and other nations? What are the long term effects of our current and potential future actions in terms of the level of fanaticism and hatred against America and Americans in the rest of the world? What effect will these actions have on free trade and economic cooperation among the nations of the world? What are the limits of the doctrine of "preemptive strikes" and what level of fear justifies war against a nation that may, someday, be some kind of a threat to us? What will we say if nations like China or Russia invade other countries using the doctrine of preemptive strikes?

To: SliderOnTheBlack who wrote (95401)	4/7/2003 3:56:35 PM
From: cnyndwllr	Respond to of 95453

Part 2. And do you unquestioningly trust an administration that has told you: History has never known a regime as horrible as the Saddam regime when it comes to cruelty and oppression; Saddam supports Islamic terrorists: The people of Iraq will lay down their arms at the first opportunity and will fold like a house of cards when they see American forces; We are part of a coolition of the willing that has wide support in the world community; Those that oppose U.S. policy do so for impure reasons; The U.N. is a useless institution that, when it doesn't agree with us, makes itself irrelevant; It's not about oil, and the planners of the "Iraqi Freedom" operation didn't plan it for a decade in order to protect our "strategic interests" in the oil rich Middle East; We're only there to give freedom to the poor Iraqi people(the same ones we gave Saddam permission to gun down with choppers in 1991 when they were chanting about replacing him with an ayotolla, Al Hakim); We're only there to protect his neighbors from Saddam; We're only there to prevent him from attacking America with wmds: Our action in Iraq will lessen the odds of a significant terrorist attack on America and those millions of furious, screaming muslims in every continent on the plante will settle down as soon as we're in control of Iraq and have killled the bad man Saddam and his sons; The doctrine of premptive strikes will lead to world peace and a safer world; Tax cuts for the wealthy and huge deficits are good for the rest of us; Anyone who criticizes the war effort is harming the troops? ------ Take a look at time.com These times represent a "turning point in history" epicenter of decisions and it seems to be occurring with very little debate because we're in the middle of a war where American men and women are risking and losing their lives as we speak. It's too important, however, to occur without a heated debate and a revisiting of what America has been, what it is and what it should be. This country has always been more about justice than geography, more about respect for the inalienable rights of individuals than self-interest of the many, more about a higher calling for mankind than the use of force to suppress or oppress others. That's America and even in the waves of fear and anger that have swept over our country in the wake of 9/11, fanned by the Bush administration, we should never lose track of American toughness, resolve and ideals. I hope that we win this war quickly, do the right thing by allowing free choice in Iraq, leave without profiting from our use of force and establish precedents and policies of international law that will chart a course for an ordered and just set of rules for the world to live with. I hope that all of our men and women who are fighting and risking their lives come home sound and proud. I hope for a lot of things but I fear that the course this administration is charting will lead to decades of violence. Like the Israelis and the Palestinians who chose terrorism and brutality to try to achieve their ends and left an imperfect peace in their wake, we may well be sowing the seeds of violence and hatred that our children will reap. May you be right and may the fears of many of us be unjustified. Ed PS, we're going to find pre-91 manufactured wmds but the stuff you're referring to isn't it. How many times has Fox news "announced" a finding of wmds? Wait and see and don't trust the Fox network. Look at the name. Who trusts a news service that names itself "Fox." PSS, when I look at the scenes of destruction and see the American men and women who've paid the price, I don't see the "grace of God." Where is it that you see it? PSSS, I've never criticized the war plan. I thought it was a good one and that the alternative of going slower had it's own and greater risks. The outcome of the war was, of course, never in doubt. PSSSS, don't give me the anti-Americanism, treasonous argument. You're far too smart not to realize that one can be vehemently pro-American and loyal and still question the actions of the government, even during time of war. In fact, that's the time when we should most carefully analyze where we are going and where it leads.