I am sick and tired for being called shortsighted because of my beliefs. I mean, I've been called shortsighted more than half a dozen times on this sight, and if somebody does it again I'm going to have an episode. If I'm entitled to my own oppinion, I'm entitled to it without being called shortsighted by every bombastic politically involved person on this site who disagrees with me.
You were totally entitled to your opinion, and I was entitled to think it was shortsighted in my opinion. The wonders of democracy at its finest.
Iraq isn't part of the UN, so the juristictions it has been put under (many of which only make the people suffer, and do nothing to weaken Saddam Hussein's iron clutch) are forced. I believe their army shouldn't be allowed to hold a paintball gun, but that's pretty much my estimation of millitary in general. Before you go pointing fingers, I should remind you that the US haven't been to forthcoming in UN issues concerning such things as Human Rights.
Human Rights issues are very touchy, as EVERY country in the world, with the possible exception of Canada who never seems to do much of anything, is quilty of some sort of Human Rights blunder.
Of course Saddam should be removed as soon as possible, but who has caused the most innocent death's in the last two decades, the Western Nations or Iraq?
Define 'innocent'. If that means killing 40 civilians to kill 1 madman, and the return on investment is saving the lives of millions? Then I send my deepest apologies to those 40 civilians, let it be known that they did not die in veign. Everyone wants changes and cohesion, but nobody wants to pay the bill. Put up or shut up, I hate to say it but it has come to that point for the nations of the world. Do I see anyone else stepping up to fix these problems? Do we chastise the French for their mistakes the same way everyone loves to tee off on the U.S.? WWII grossly due to the French dithering about and not taking an early stand. Did I mention the French gave the land that Germany launched its assault on Poland from at the Munich Treaties? Vietnam? A mess the French created, and asked the U.S. for assistance in fixing - that blew up in our face. When do the other nations of the world get their turn to be front and center and take their due share of the responsiblity? Oh, that's right...never. Because only America has poorly conceived foreign policies and self-fulfillment as a primary goal of their government. Bah!
So, nations have to prove themselves worthy to the US before being allowed nuclear weapons? In what way did China ear that right? The continued hold of Tibet perhaps? And was it Russia's respect for human life and rights that earned them the right during the Cold War? What earned the US the right?
They don't have to 'prove' it to the U.S., they have to prove it to the WORLD. Any time, ANY time, there is strife or famine or unrest or a big guy beating up on a little guy, who is the 1st nation that gets the call? The United States. And after we've repaired, mended, paid for, or vanquished the problem - our typical form of repayment is resentment and aggression from those we've aided. China earned the right by suffering massive losses to Japan in WWII. Russia earned the right much the same, as did France. They continue to prove, by not overtly or openly bullying nations with their Nuclear power, that they are 'worthy' of that responsiblity. You're right, it makes more sense fot the religious fanatics in earthen houses and debris filled streets from neighbor on neighbor violence to have a nuclear weapon, then it is for the Democratic, open exchange of ideas, civilized nations of the world to have nuclear weapons. What business have we in trying to prevent a nation who barely has stable electricity from having nuclear weapons? Silly us. Come on, that's just common sense.
Human Rights issues aside, for that is an entirely different barrel of monkeys.
Hundreds of thousands of cicillians died in Iraq due to the restrictions put upon them, due to lack of food and medicine. Hussein is live and cicking. Do you know how Irag got biological weapons? When GB and the US were on Saddam's side in his struggle with Iran, they gave him weapons to use, and when the war was over, the dictator who had illegaly gotten his power, actually made more of them! Oh dear, what a completely unexpected turn of events! Nobody can wash their hands clean of this. Nobody got rid of Saddam because it wasn't cost effective, and now Bush is trying to strenghten hi position, and for all I know get the populace's thought's away from the economy.
The U.S., foolishly perhaps, in good faith funded and gave weapons to a nation we believed to be a blossoming ally. Those funds were misdirected, their intentions were cloaked, and the weapons were misused. The economy, was botched while Clinton was in his lame duck term in office, he skipped out the doors with the roof of the economy collapsing down around him. The internet bubble burst while Clinton was still getting 'freebies' in the oval office. So I don't think any smoke and mirrors distraction is necessary for the current administration. The economy is what it is, bad.
Because it could be the first move in an unchallenged supreme police without restrictions, striking down all those who don't nececarily want that many Nike shoes?
The U.S. IS unchallenged. Rightfully so! We are the most powerful nation in all of history. We have elements of every nation on the globe in our country. So logically, if we represent (as closely as currently exists) the world community entirely, we should be the ones most involved with policing the nations of the world. It's not like the U.N. could do it without the U.S. The U.N. couldn't stop a bar brawl in Dublin without U.S. assistance. Get a grip. This isn't a U.S. back patting statement, like I'm that arrogant and proud, but lets be for real at least. We're in need of some changes as a nation just like the next guy, but the U.S. is a great country because those changes will occur over time. We're ever evolving as a nation.
Shame on all of us if another civillian wedding is bombed.
One, anomalis, event that occured and you want to condemn the lot of us for it. Accidents happen, on large and small scales. Tragic?, yes. Villifying?, no.
This message last edited by The Seeker of Truth on 1/24/2003 at 3:28:55 PM.
