VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2, 3, 4 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 18:25:02 03/03/03 Mon
Author: Perceptor II
Subject: Me, I'm conflicted.
In reply to: FawnDoo 's message, "I suppose someone has got to ask it....." on 00:06:24 03/01/03 Sat

Do I believe that Saddam Hussein is an evil man and that the world and the Iraqi people would be better off if he were no longer in power? Yes.

Do I believe that Hussein is probably developing WMD? Yes.

Do I believe that it is right for the United States and allies to pre-emptively attack Iraq in the name of "self-defense"? If a sufficient case is made, yes.

Do I believe that such a case has been made yet? No.

Do I believe that such a case will eventually be made? Probably.

Do I believe that Bush's "heart is in the right place" in making the decision to attack Iraq? Basically, yes.

Do I believe there are personal factors that cause Bush to single out Iraq? Yes.

Do I believe that oil is one of them? No.

Do I believe that world opposition (I'm talking among world leaders here, not street protestors) to attacking Iraq is entirely principled and not motivated by self-interest? Don't make me laugh. In particular, France and Russia are trying to protect their existing oil interests in Iraq, Chancellor Shroeder of Germany is using anti-Americanism to win re-election, and China's leadership is, once again, trying to fan the flames of anti-Americanism to distract its people and stay in power.

In short, do I believe that Bush's stance is more principled than the stance of France, Germany, Russia and China? Yes.

Does that mean that I agree with Bush? No.

Am I worried that Iraq is stringing us along, buying time to more fully develop WMD? Yes.

Am I certain that that is what Hussein is doing? Almost 100%.

Do I think that gives us the right to attack? Only if we have proof.

Do we have proof? I don't think so.

If proof were supplied, am I worried that France and Germany will still try to block passage of a U.N. resolution authorizing force? Yes.

Am I glad Al Gore will not be running for president in 2004, thereby increasing the odds that someone more intelligent than George W Bush will win the Democratic ticket? Yes.

Will I vote for Bush in 2004? Check back with me in about 18 months on that one.

Who are the two people that I wish would run in 2004 but I know won't? Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice.

Do I think that the case that Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together has been made? No.

Do I think that they in fact are working together? I don't know.

Do I think it is possible, even though Saddam is known to hate militant Islamic groups? Definitely. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Do I think that Saddam Hussein is the world's worst dictator? No. That prize goes to Kim Jong Il of North Korea.

Do I think that Saddam Hussein is still a danger that needs to be dealt with? Yes.

Do I think that 12 years of sanctions have successfully contained Saddam? No. While militarily he's weaker, the sanctions have also helped him to stay in power, and I believe they've lulled much of the world into a false sense of security.

So, to sum up, do I support a pre-emptive war against Iraq, with the goal of removing Saddam Hussein from power? No, but my answer may be different in a month or two.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

  • Of what I know... -- Chee-toy, 11:37:43 03/04/03 Tue
  • Stand up and be proud, Chee-toy! -- Perceptor II, 15:39:20 03/04/03 Tue
  • Oil and Stuff -- Ghilz, 16:20:42 03/05/03 Wed
    [ Contact Forum Admin ]

    Forum timezone: GMT+0
    VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
    Before posting please read our privacy policy.
    VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
    Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.