4155

Chewing Wax:
I think the US went the extra mile, and really risked letting him remain in power, even though the risk was slight, if he had bent over backwards to disarm. I think if Blix had come back to the UN and reported that the inspectors couldn't be more pleased with the Iraqi cooperation, and disarmament was going forward happily and joyfully, then this military action would not have gone forward. Instead Hussein gave the UN the finger for the hundreth time, and instead of being justifibly outraged, the French and their types bend over and asked Hussein to see how far his finger could reach. Fuck it. I hope the bastard leaves but if not, it's time to go in.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:41:15 pm)

Heruka:
furious
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:42:02 pm)

Melana Zyla Vickers:

At its core, though, France's opposition to Saddam's ouster is less about self-improvement for Muslims than it is about self-interest for the French. France is Iraq's top trade partner, accounting in 2001 for $1.6 billion in construction, energy, and other services, as well as cars, drugs, and consumer goods. That's not to mention France's role as the Iraqi oil industry's principal financial go-between under the U.N. oil for food deal, and past bankrolling for Iraq's military. In a statist economic system, political ties are essential to clinching deals. From France's point of view, far better than regime change would be for Saddam's regime crumble sur place, so that today's key decisionmakers might remain in Baghdad's government offices and in Paris's government rolodexes.

Alas, there are more problems with France's view of Iraq than there are varieties of blue-veined cheese. It rests on a vast inferiority complex, and on inappropriate nostalgia. Why do French politicians assume that their companies cannot compete in a free-market environment? And why does France have such low esteem for its own model of governance that it's better off decayed and corrupted - as it is in today's Iraq - than it would be reformed - say, under an Iraq rebuilt through U.S., British, French, and other countries' cooperation?

(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:45:08 pm)

Queenie:
War makes me sad.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:45:49 pm)

Queenie:
The little girl in me still clings to the belief that people can get along.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:47:41 pm)

Heruka:
The day everyone gets along is the day I really begin to worry. cause something very wrong is happening. Like people who get along with everyone. They're always fakes. Liking everyone is just not natural.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 3:54:34 pm)

Decoy:
If it wasn't for the nepotism he is exhibiting, it might be enough to wait for Saddam to die, like we are with Castro. The point is do you leave Iraq to destabilize the zone OR make it the lead caddy in the parade by showing what democracy can do for a country stiinking rich with oil reserves. I mean hell, it worked in Kosovo. And congress is sitting this out on purpose and just waiting for it to be over. And how the hell do we change that UN charter to make France a permanent non-menber of the SC? All they've done this century is open the door wide for the Nazis - I mean if you aren't going to fight the Nazi's then who the fuck are you willing to fight? Hussein? I think not. They're a bunch of self serving pussies them.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:27:13 pm)

Decoy:
When France's empire was on the line 250 years ago, they were willing to help us fight the English, And now that it's their empire on the line again, they're going to sit and bitch bitch bitch.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:30:23 pm)

Decoy:
He won't leave, no chance. But the interesting odds are whether its more likely he gets offed by his own troops, the US, or himself as we're knocking down his office door.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:32:24 pm)

Fuck you too, Akhmed:
Saudi Arabia won't take part in war against "brother Iraq."
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:34:49 pm)

Fuck you too, Frenchie:
French ambassador says if Iraq uses chemical weapons, that would "change the situation completely"
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:35:14 pm)

Decoy:
1. There is virtually NO ONE in America who is gung-ho to go to war except people who understand what it means to tolerate people living under a terrorist despot.
2. The majority of Americans didn't vote.
3. The whole of bizzarro world is against you, Mr. Bush.
4. The Dixie Chicks have now come out against you! And they're the Dixie Chicks!
5. Of the 535 members of Congress, no one cares about this issue enough to pass a resolution.
6. Finally, we mock France. They owe us after letting the Nazis be their house guests for 4 years.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:43:32 pm)

Chewing Wax:
I blame Ralph Nader for the whole thing. I hope he's proud of himself.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 4:56:39 pm)

Chewing Wax:
I think old Saddam has been out of the country for weeks now.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:00:06 pm)

Decoy:
Yeah, him and Ralph Nader laughing it up in Brazil.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:00:38 pm)

Decoy:
Later, Nader.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:02:11 pm)

Chewing Wax:
I just have this feeling that if Clinton were still the president, the whole world would be behind us and we would have started bombing the shit out of Iraq a month ago.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:03:49 pm)

Chewing Wax:
it's HOCKEY NIGHT tonight.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:05:03 pm)

Sleepy:
Rebellion in the government. But still war.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:37:21 pm)

Heruka:
If this were just about Iraq, I'd be against it. Who the hell cares about Iraq? But I suspect and hope it's part of a larger picture about cleaning up the third world, and dragging ithem into the twenty first century. This would also explain Europes fears, as they cannot compet in an open market world. Not to mention why Pakistan has ectually been surpisingly helpful on everything. I suspect a lot of these countries, or the dictators that run them and the harcore religious findeamantalists are running scared. The whole New World Order thing ging on. It's the thrid world that
's going to benefiet from this immensely. Me? I don't give a fuck either way. It's only going to cost me money, and in the long run, my personal and civil rights will be decreased. But I suppose it's our responsibility to help out the underprivilaged in the world as best as possible. By help, I mean do something about and for. Not just write blank cheks to the UN or IMF which seems to do almost nothing.
But whatever. I'm tired of thinking and reading about it.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:37:38 pm)

Heruka:
sometimes, war is not such a bad thing. The US gov lied both times to get invilved in the Europeans conflict. And the US was never at risk from Germany.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:39:03 pm)

Chewing Wax:
They might have been if Germany had taken London. But that's as maybe. Hello Sleepy.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 5:42:41 pm)

Queenie:
i've got the cramps today. bleech.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 6:09:53 pm)

(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 6:11:46 pm)

Chewing Wax:
Cramps eh?
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 6:21:44 pm)

:
"This is how the game of international politics, especially in regions as unstable as the middle east, is played. it's played nasty, dirty, and to win. with just enough pacification and rhetoric on both sides of the table to keep the respective civilian masses under rule either pleasantly pacificed, or deliciously duped, or sufficiently scared, or all three."
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 6:26:39 pm)

Decoy:
Shlub. Yeah, good point. If the US government hadn't manipulated events to get enough popular support in order to enter ww2 the nazis would have been in England too.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:00:25 pm)

Sleepy:
Which means that Germany would have joined you in the current conflict. Wey-heh!
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:04:21 pm)

Sleepy:
Or not.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:05:04 pm)

Sleepy:
I think I'll get some toast. Excuse me.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:10:09 pm)

Sleepy:
It's about time someone said it.

It feels really excellent sticking a q-tip into your ear. But not too far.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:20:19 pm)

Sleepy:
Sometimes, when there's an international crisis, you have to find moments of joy where you can.
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 7:21:39 pm)

Dopey:
Come to mummy baby, let me hold you in her arms. Her petrochemical arms, her military arms. Made in America. Smoking, and non-smoking. The Iraqi's do have chemicals. They are configured into oil! And how did all that US oil end up under the Iraqi desert anyway?
(Tue Mar 18, 2003 - 8:10:57 pm)