RE: Iraqi Invitation

Agree with seahawk

The Belgian connection

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 19-08-02 AT 08:32 AM (GMT)]Hanging them or executing them won’t solve the problem. We live in a civilised world, so an eye for an eye would change us back into cave dwellers. The fact that I’m opposed to the idea doesn’t mean the persons don’t deserve to die. But capital punishment would harm the society more than putting these people into jail for the rest of their lives. Capital punishment is not for civilised nations, I hope the UK is one.

The girls were found not far from RAF Lakenheath, but I didn’t know of any aviation connection.

I don’t think we should blame the police, compared to the Belgian police six years ago they did excellent work. In Belgium, the investigation was slowed down due bad communication, corruption, incompetence (Dutroux even escaped once, two ministers resignd for this0 and rivalry between different police services. Since then, a lot has changed in the Belgian judicary system, like merging the 3 police services into one, the creation of child focus, a bureau which is specialised in child’s disappearings only, new laws. I guess the British have learned from our mistakes, not making the same faults again. Still, things like this are inevitable, but the people’s anger which is now among the British people will disappear very soon, believe me. Six years ago, everyone wanted Dutroux dead. Now, nobody cares. Next year there’s the trial (after almost 8 years of investigation), the world will be watching. See what will happen. The press is already warming up the public, and the disappearing of Jessica and Holly (?), widely discussed in the Belgian press, freshes up our memory.

Dutch-speaking only

‘Dutroux Dossier’
http://www.standaard.be/archief/dossiers/index.asp?dosID=83

English

‘Belgian child sex trial opens’
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/01/31/belgium.trial/index.html

‘Belgian police widen probe into child sex scandal’
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9608/19/newsbriefs.pm/index.html

RE: Iraqi Invitation

Why doesn`t the US pay attention to the leaders of Sierra Leone, Rwanda etc and call them evil? They are not better than SH.

RE: Have any of you met another forum member?

I have a relationship with PhantomII lol lol lol 😀

RE: Iraqi Invitation

Can we please stup using the word evil, I hope not everyone here has the same level of stupidity as Bush himself.

BTW, Saddam retalliated in 1991 because Kuwait shut off the oil supplies to the sea for Iraq and was pumping Iraqi oil out of the ground. So kuweit is not that innocent, and the regime is as corrupt and fraudalant as Iraq. America has no allies (nor the EU nor the Arab world) and it knows it can not sell their wars aymore. Let`s see how Bush`s reaction will be …

RE: monarchys

Than just elect some hot chick as next president if you want it, a stupid blonde 😀 That’s democracy.

RE: monarchys

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-08-02 AT 11:20 AM (GMT)]Yes, and you know Brad, it frustrates me. I find the idea of a non-elected head of state totally backward, even if he/she only has a passive role to play. In Federal Belgium, it is still the King (and not the federal parliament) who appoints the ministers, though in real life, political parties make the choise. In the regions and communities, it is the parliaments who have to appoint the ministers, though the minister-president of each region/community has to ask the king if it’s OK.

[link:http://www.belgium.be/en_index.htm|More info on the Belgian constitution]

Our previous King however, has helped setting up a gov’t and chosing ministers. He also refused to sign the abortion-law in 1992 which was approved by the parliament. Therefor, the gov’t declared him to be ‘insane’ for one day, so that the parliament could sign the law and not the king.

The King in Belgium still is a very powerfull man, though not many people know this. He plays an active role in politics, and all ministers, no matter what their political background is, obey them, even the Flemish nationalists. The King can also send the gov’t home if they aren’t doing their job well. He’s also the suppreme commandor of the armed forces (waaaw :D).

I think it’s time we ban all monarchy’s from Europe, and replace them with presidents. There’s a good chance our King would be elected as president (he’s rather popular here), but at least that would be democratic. In Sweden and Denmark, the role of the monarchs are reserved to ceremonial tasks only. Belgium, Holland and Spain are the only democracies where a king still has such an influence on politics.

But unlike the king of Jordan ie, our King does not show himself on TV or participates in international forums. That role is reserved for our PM (federal) and MP’s (minister-presidents, state) and his gov’t.

I think we should have the French electorrial system in Belgium, where president and parliament are elected seperattely.

Monarchists in Belgium use the argument that the King is the only thing that keeps Belgium together. This is however complete BS, Belgium will always remain one part for the simple reason that neither Flanders or Wallonia want to give up Brussels.

RE: Galileo

The Russian system LOL Nah, I think we can do it better ourselves. 😀 It’s good for our industry.