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To: Peter Dierks who wrote (944)	3/30/2006 8:16:27 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 14758

"perceive the liberation of Iraq as none of our business, end of story." You failed to answer the question: "Whatever good they are doing in Iraq, though, it doesn't make me any more comfortable with our invasion- with the reasons for it, with the destabilization of the region, and with the likely results in terms of the government of Iraq, and in terms of the sectarian problems that seem to be in a downward spiral." What do you perceive the reasons for the liberation of Iraq to be?" ............. If we go back to the rhetoric before the "liberation"- we find that it was, allegedly, about US security- according to the speeches given at the time, and not about Iraqi liberation. We were, supposedly, protecting ourselves (preemptively, of course)- and the people who supported the war I'm sure would NOT have supported it had it been sold only as a war of "Iraqi Liberation". Once people realized they'd been had on that issue, they weren't so happy with the war. What Bush's real reason for the war was, I don't know. I can't read his mind. I don't know if he really thought America was in danger, in which case he was wrong, or whether he had an ulterior motive, in which case he handily manipulated everyone, or whether it was a combination of factors. "Tonight I want to take a few minutes to discuss a grave threat to peace, and America's determination to lead the world in confronting that threat. The threat comes from Iraq. It arises directly from the Iraqi regime's own actions -- its history of aggression, and its drive toward an arsenal of terror. Eleven years ago, as a condition for ending the Persian Gulf War, the Iraqi regime was required to destroy its weapons of mass destruction, to cease all development of such weapons, and to stop all support for terrorist groups. The Iraqi regime has violated all of those obligations. It possesses and produces chemical and biological weapons. It is seeking nuclear weapons. It has given shelter and support to terrorism, and practices terror against its own people. The entire world has witnessed Iraq's eleven-year history of defiance, deception and bad faith. We also must never forget the most vivid events of recent history. On September the 11th, 2001, America felt its vulnerability -- even to threats that gather on the other side of the earth. We resolved then, and we are resolved today, to confront every threat, from any source, that could bring sudden terror and suffering to America. " whitehouse.gov So, threat from Iraq, and let's not forget 9/11- I think we know what Bush presented to the American people about Iraq. What he personally believed? Who knows.

To: Peter Dierks who wrote (944)	4/4/2006 6:26:21 AM
From: goldworldnet	Respond to of 14758

Students, Workers Strike Again in France By JENNY BARCHFIELD, Associated Press Writer - 24 minutes ago news.yahoo.com Students barricaded schools, workers walked off the job and protesters gathered Tuesday for what they hope is their biggest show of strength yet to demand the repeal of a jobs law that has riven the country. For two months protesters have mounted ever larger, and at times bloody, demonstrations against a law that makes it easier to fire young workers. President Jacques Chirac signed it anyway Sunday, saying France needs the law to keep up with the world economy. He offered modifications but students and unions rejected them, saying they want the law withdrawn, not softened. "What Chirac has done is not enough," said 18-year-old Rebecca Konforti, among a group of students who jammed tables against the door of their high school in southern Paris to block entry Tuesday. "They're not really concessions. He just did it to calm the students." Some 150 marches were planned Tuesday in cities nationwide, though an afternoon rally in Paris promises to be the biggest. Unions hope to match a similar action last week that brought at least 1 million people to the streets. The capital was deploying 4,000 police in preparation. Previous demonstrations have degenerated into melees with rioters hurling concrete and police spraying tear gas and water cannons. "We are on the edge of victory," Bruno Julliard, head of a leading students' union, said on France Inter radio. The effects of the strikes were felt early Tuesday. Trains and public transport were disrupted in Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux and Alsace. Parisian commuters jammed onto limited subway trains, as traffic jams snarled highways around the capital. Garbage bins in some Paris neighborhoods stood overflowing and uncollected by striking sanitation workers. Passengers at Paris' Orly Airport showed up hours early, girding for delays. Many workers stayed home out of solidarity with the protesters, and many others stayed home because they took vacation days to avoid the inconveniences of the walkout. Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin devised the jobs law as a bid to push France into the global economy and stem youth unemployment. He argues it will encourage hiring by allowing employers to fire workers under 26 during their first two years on a job. Critics say it threatens France's hallmark labor protections. When Chirac signed the law Sunday he urged that it not be applied until a new, softer version is devised with two key modifications that take opponents' concerns into account. Protesters said, however, that modifying the law was not enough. Union and student representatives have said talks were possible with lawmakers from the ruling UMP party, but reiterated their insistence that the contract be repealed. * * *