War unleashed...

[Kairus]

"How many times must a cannonball fly
before they are forever banned

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind,
the answer is blowing in the wind"

That's it, it has begun. That hairless chimp did it again. What's next? Armageddon? Didn't they say that just two billion dollars per year would be enough to solve the education problem in the whole planet so all the kids could get to school. Yes, that's very cool, it's a pity the US gets like fifteen billion dollars a month just to develop new weapons... Where the hell is this world going to???

[Quickstrike]

I hope Bush will read this:

http://theamericanprowler.org/article.asp?art_id=2002_10_23_21_53_40

[evenwolf]

I'm not saying it's all hopeless now- but as long as we're doing this war thing, I figure it's better to offer my own support to the... ugh.. cause.
I refuse to join the armed forces, but honestly- what use could my defiance of this decision help now? Now that the U.S. has decided to sin the universe- there's not much convincing for me to do.  The dirty deed is done, and in the history books my ancestors will see my support for Bush whether or not I actually contribute.

[Trapezoid]

Feh. You guys act like this is this is armageddon. Come on, if this is the end of the world, what the hell was WW2? That wasn't even the end of Germany.

[DGMacphee]

The Eastern world, it is explodin',
Violence flarin', bullets loadin'.
You're old enough to kill, but not for votin',
You don't believe in war -- but what's that gun you're totin'?
An' even the Jordan river has bodies floatin'.
But you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say,
An' can't you feel the fears I'm feelin' today?
If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away,
There'll be no one to save, will the world in a grave.
Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy.
An' you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Yeah, my blood's so mad feels like coagulatin',
I'm sittin' here just contemplatin'.
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation,
Handful of senators don't pass legislation,
An' marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin',
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'.
An' you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China,
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama.
Ah, you may leave here for four days in space,
But when you return it's the same ol' place,
The poundin' of the drums, the pride an' disgrace.
You can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace.
Hate your next-door neighbor, but don't forget to say grace,
An' tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction,
No, no, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

- Eve of Destruction by P.F. Sloane

[Quickstrike]

Man!  I love that song!  

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/20/opinion/20HERB.html?ex=1048741200&en=be3ec393f12b1ffd&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

[jannar85]

Geez... I will never support any war, at any cause.
War isn't exactly the right solution IMO.

[Soft, Gooey, Delicious.]

George Bush is a Stupidhead.

[Helm]

Trap, this war can easily turn to a new WW. And a new WW with nuclear bombs.


Now, thing about that for a while. Let it sink in.

[c.leksutin]

war does not decide who's right and who's wrong... only who's left.




C.

[DGMacphee]

I say we employ the Hawkeye Pierce method.

Invite both sides to a party at The Swamp.

Keep serving martini after martini.

Last man standing wins the war.

[Trapezoid]

Helm: How optimistic. If the whole world tells itself that this will be WW3, then perhaps we can convince Fate that it is. There are as many people who are overreacting as there are people who aren't taking the war seriously enough.
Personally, I'm just going to support the war until next election, when I'll root (or vote if I'm old enough) for the Democrats. I play the hand I'm dealt.

[Fuzzpilz]

There's a lot more that's problematic about this war than its potentially turning into something bigger.

[Raggit]

Whats the big deal??

It isn't like the U.S has never delt with war before.

However, I feel sorry for the civilians over in Baghdad (or however you spell it).

They're pretty scared I bet. Especially since Saddam Insane is using them as human shields for him and his soilders.

[DGMacphee]

Yes, the US has dealt with war before.

However, they haven't had a very good record of dealing with war.

And most of the problems of this current war were caused by the US in the first place.

But that's a whole new debate.

[Trapezoid]

I'm lucky enough to be in a situation where I don't have to feel particularly threatened by the war. BUT, I do realize that it must be downright terrifying for some people. The entire Iraqi army, for example.
I just wish Saddam would get a clue and surrender.

[|Alky|]

Yeah right.
 
 Ideally, 2 billion would bring world education up to standard. But right now, I'd say maybe a quarter of states would use this in the way Iraq has spent alot of the money it recieved so far : Teaching people who already have good education in engineering or design to build bombs, or those who have been to law school to praise the government and try to justify the killing performed by it.

 I doubt the kids in those countries will learn about anything except to fear the government, that should ideally be supporting  and speaking for them.

 America does spend alot of money on defence, but look at all the things that were discovered because of peacetime military research : Helicopters, Safe Nuclear Reactors, Modern Commercial Airplanes and the entire Space program to name a few important ones.

 This spending is only something like 3% of its GDP anyway. Axis Countries like North Korea spend up to 40% of tax money on sustaining an army to be used only for scaring its neighbours, whereas the UK and Britain commit to NATO, and make it possible for many allies to sustain hardly any military whatsoever.

 And finally, as Trapezoid said, all this talk of 'armageddon' is obviously crazy. There's a much greater risk to everyone if nations don't cooperate with each other, in the way Iraq refuses to do. I doubt all but the few politicians who have been bribed by power in Hussein's government will be happy to see him go. Naturally the Iraqi people fear the invasion, but this is like a kid fearing an injection.  The needle point is unpleasant, but ultimatley it's not better to let the kid fall ill, is it?

Can you honestly say that the education, or that the entire quality of life was better while the Taliban was in control? Do you honestly believe that there's no good to be gained from this war?
 
 Sure, there will be Iraqi casualties, but that 15 billion dollars mentioned has mostly gone to making weapons more accurate, not deadly. And there may be some casualties for the brave American and British soldiers, but they're taking that risk - as far as I know they're not forced to. Policemen get injured apprahending criminals. But that's no excuse to let the criminals walk free.

[Dave Gilbert]

There's a much greater risk to everyone if nations don't cooperate with each other, in the way Iraq refuses to do.

You mean the way the US is "cooperating" with everyone right now?

I suppose this war was inevitable.  I don't like it, but I can't pretend like I have all the facts.  However, there's no denying that Bush has turned this into a PR nightmare.  The majority of the world hates the US right now.  If Bush used a little bit more diplomacy and tact, we might have had a bit more support.

[Trapezoid]

I don't think the majority of the world hates the US. They just don't want to be involved in the war. Don't confuse (or respond to) pacifism with hatred.