POLL: The repercussions of a US attack on Iraq

[OPTIONAL777]

Quote from traderfut2000:

http://www.natcath.com/NCR_Online/archives/100298/100298l.htm

By ROBERT BOWMAN

Tell people the truth, Mr. President -- about terrorism. If deceptions about terrorism go unchallenged, then the threat will continue until it destroys us.

The truth is that none of our thousands of nuclear weapons can protect us from these threats. No Star Wars system -- no matter how technically advanced, no matter how many trillions of dollars are poured into it -- can protect us from a nuclear weapon delivered in a sailboat or a Cessna or a suitcase or a Ryder rental truck. Not one weapon in our vast arsenal, not a penny of the $270 billion a year we spend on so-called defense can defend against a terrorist bomb. That is a military fact.

As a retired lieutenant colonel and a frequent lecturer on national security issues, I have often quoted Psalm 33: “A king is not saved by his mighty army. A warrior is not saved by his great strength.” The obvious reaction is, “Then what can we do? Is there nothing we can do to provide security for our people?”

There is. But to understand it requires that we know the truth about the threat. Mr. President, you did not tell the American people the truth about why we are the targets of terrorism when you explained why we bombed Afghanistan and Sudan. You said that we are a target because we stand for democracy, freedom and human rights in the world. Nonsense!

We are the target of terrorists because, in much of the world, our government stands for dictatorship, bondage and human exploitation. We are the target of terrorists because we are hated. And we are hated because our government has done hateful things.

In how many countries have agents of our government deposed popularly elected leaders and replaced them with puppet military dictators who were willing to sell out their own people to American multinational corporations?

We did it in Iran when the U.S. Marines and the CIA deposed Mossadegh because he wanted to nationalize the oil industry. We replaced him with the Shah and armed, trained and paid his hated Savak national guard, which enslaved and brutalized the people of Iran -- all to protect the financial interests of our oil companies. Is it any wonder that there are people in Iran who hate us?

We did it in Chile. We did it in Vietnam. More recently, we tried to do it in Iraq.

And, of course, how many times have we done it in Nicaragua and all the other banana republics of Latin America? Time after time we have ousted popular leaders who wanted the riches of the land to be shared by the people who worked it. We replaced them with murderous tyrants who would sell out their own people so the wealth of the land could be taken out by the likes of Domino Sugar, the United Fruit Company, Folgers and Chiquita Banana.

In country after country, our government has thwarted democracy, stifled freedom and trampled human rights. That’s why it is hated around the world. And that’s why we’re the target of terrorists.

People in Canada enjoy democracy, freedom and human rights. So do the people of Norway and Sweden. Have you heard of Canadian embassies being bombed? Or Norwegian, or Swedish?

We are not hated because we practice democracy, freedom and human rights. We are hated because our government denies these things to people in Third World countries whose resources are coveted by our multinational corporations. That hatred we have sown has come back to haunt us in the form of terrorism -- and in the future, nuclear terrorism.

Once the truth about why the threat exists is understood, the solution becomes obvious. We must change our ways. Getting rid of our nuclear weapons -- unilaterally if necessary -- will enhance our security. Drastically altering our foreign policy will ensure it.

Instead of sending our sons and daughters around the world to kill Arabs so we can have the oil under their sand, we should send them to rebuild their infrastructure, supply clean water and feed starving children. Instead of continuing to kill thousands of Iraqi children every day with our sanctions, we should help Iraqis rebuild their electric power plants, their water treatment facilities, their hospitals -- all the things we destroyed and prevented them from rebuilding with sanctions.

Instead of training terrorists and death squads, we should close the School of the Americas. Instead of supporting insurrection, destabilization, assassination and terror around the world, we should abolish the CIA and give the money to relief agencies.

In short, we should do good instead of evil. Who would try to stop us? Who would hate us? Who would want to bomb us?

That is the truth, Mr. President. That’s what the American people need to hear.

Robert Bowman flew 101 combat missions in Vietnam. He is presently bishop of the United Catholic Church in Melbourne Beach, Fla.

National Catholic Reporter, October 2, 1998

Cut and paste, cut and paste, cut and paste.....

Robert Bowman is a Catholic Bishop with a political agenda.

Do I trust those who are members of the clergy, who are running for President, to have open minded secular opinions?

Ya, right....

http://www.rmbowman.com/
http://www.rmbowman.com/Bowman2000/index.html

Some people will quote anyone or their website to rationalize their position on a topic, without doing any research into the individual who wrote an article, or their history and/or agendas.

Personally, I have no respect for clergy members who leave their flock to propogate their religious beliefs on others in the name of politics.

 

[TM_Direct]

I watched roots TF.....Dutch and German captains went into the jungles of Africa and then sold them to french,dutch and English settlers in america.....This speaks volumes about the type of people europeans are....spineless cowards..

 

[max401]

Quote from TM_Direct:

I watched roots TF.....Dutch and German captains went into the jungles of Africa and then sold them to french,dutch and English settlers in america.....This speaks volumes about the type of people europeans are....spineless cowards..

Yeah, but who was doing the selling to the Captains?

 

[TM_Direct]

Rufus and Chaka Kahn? .....Or was it OJ?...No , he played Kunta's father in law right?

 

[stu]

Slavery always existed in Africa
During the African Songhai Empire period Africans captured Africans from other tribes to be sold as slaves for guns etc.
Islam prevailed in Songhai .

 

[TM_Direct]

...So that makes it ok? Murder has existed since Cain and Able....does that make it acceptable or some how more reasonably explained?

 

[stu]

Quote from TM_Direct:

I watched roots TF.....Dutch and German captains went into the jungles of Africa and then sold them to french,dutch and English settlers in america.....This speaks volumes about the type of people europeans are....spineless cowards..

Slavery always existed in Africa
During the African Songhai Empire period Africans captured Africans from other tribes to be sold as slaves for guns etc.
Islam prevailed in Songhai .

I'll spell it out for you. If europeans and Americans are are spineless cowards by your definition then so are Africans, Muslims and You too

 

[wild]

The Biggest Threat To Peace

Which country really poses the greatest danger to world peace in 2003?

TIME asks for readers' views

Who really poses the greatest danger to world peace? Iraq and North Korea are certainly high on President Bush's list though Iraq is still working hard to deny him a reason to attack. A 12,000-page report on its nuclear, chemical and biological programs has been given to the United Nations but Bush and his dependable friend Tony Blair say they have "solid evidence" that Saddam is lying and have called for weapons inspection teams to step up their work.

Meanwhile, as the fuel rods go in and UN inspectors go away, the specter of a nuclear-armed North Korea is keeping the reclusive regime on everybody's radar. Washington and Pyongyang are talking tough but is the biggest danger to peace closer to home? European antagonism towards Bush's robust stance is now being mirrored in the U.S., with even those he might normally consider his allies now urging caution.

So TIME asks you: which country poses the greatest danger to world peace in 2003?

North Korea

Iraq

The United States

poll at http://www.time.com/time/europe/gdml/peace2003.html


regards

wild

 

[hapaboy]

Quote from fairplay:

Oh my, Hapaboy, if I am not mistaken, this entire thread is on the repercussions of a US attack on Iraq, but, tedious as it may be, let me respond:

(followed by nothing)



Either you are trying to be clever or simply have nothing of substance to respond with. Probably both.

 

[OPTIONAL777]

Quote from wild:

The Biggest Threat To Peace

Which country really poses the greatest danger to world peace in 2003?

TIME asks for readers' views

Who really poses the greatest danger to world peace? Iraq and North Korea are certainly high on President Bush's list though Iraq is still working hard to deny him a reason to attack. A 12,000-page report on its nuclear, chemical and biological programs has been given to the United Nations but Bush and his dependable friend Tony Blair say they have "solid evidence" that Saddam is lying and have called for weapons inspection teams to step up their work.

Meanwhile, as the fuel rods go in and UN inspectors go away, the specter of a nuclear-armed North Korea is keeping the reclusive regime on everybody's radar. Washington and Pyongyang are talking tough but is the biggest danger to peace closer to home? European antagonism towards Bush's robust stance is now being mirrored in the U.S., with even those he might normally consider his allies now urging caution.

So TIME asks you: which country poses the greatest danger to world peace in 2003?

North Korea

Iraq

The United States

poll at http://www.time.com/time/europe/gdml/peace2003.html


regards

wild

Wild, searching for something new, reposts once again an old and invalid internet poll.

Laughable.