RE: US plans for Iraq.

Cyrus.

“Kev, don’t you worry your precious little head about America and what we can and cannot handle at the moment. Of course, maybe if you Euros weren’t so afraid of the big-bad al-Queda/Taliban/Kosovar Albanians/Bosnian Serbs/et al you would send more than a few dozen (whoops, I mean few thousand) poorly equipped targets (whoops, there I go again, I mean soldiers) over to where they are needed to secure and rebuild those countries and at the same time not need American soldiers there to back you up…then our forces wouldn’t be stretched so thin to begin with!”

What do you mean? Britain constantly supports America. We are, in fact, your own personal aircraft carrier anchored just off the coast of Europe. Britsh troops served alongside Americans in all the countries you mentioned. You even requested British support in Afghanistan specifically for their specialist skills. Who patrols the no-fly zones in Iraq with America?

And as for those few thousand poorly equipped targets it seems more and more that that is exactly what they are becoming to America. How many British troops did you manage to kill in the Gulf War? How about your New Zealand and Canadian allies? Your own Government is now charging your own Air Force personnel with negligence. Is it the fault of the targets or those doing the targetting?

“Why don’t you state what you really want…a way out of having to sacrifice and make a difference in the world.”

Have a walk round any British town and read the names on the war memorials and see just how many were willing to sacrifice their lives to make a difference in the world.

“Just get out of our way if you cannot stomach what needs to be done.”

Where was America when Britain was fighting in Malaya, Borneo, Aden, Kenya? Don’t commend Britain in one post for her resilience in WWII and then accuse her of not playing her part elsewhere. All this boils down to the question of necessity. How necessary is it to oust Hussein? This dossier will doubtless pull public opinion towards military action. Whether it is conclusive enough we shall have to wait and see.

Regards,

kev35

RE: US plans for Iraq.

DJ.

“Please don’t hurt us mister Saddam. We’ll stick our heads in the sand and ignore all the nasty stuff you are doing.”

If you bother to read anything written on this forum by a non- American you will find that quite a few of us share your concern but are unwilling to blindly follow our leaders (or yours) into a conflict likely to result in massive casualties without the evidence that a military operation is necessary. I’ve said before, get the evidence, get the proper mandate and then go in and do the job properly. I have no qualms about that and if enough evidence is found, and likely will be, gather the international community and oust him.

I do find it worrying that America has turned it’s attention to Iraq without finishing off other matters first. al-Qaeda is still active and far from beaten, Afghanistan is on the brink of collapse and you still haven’t dealt with the people who spread anthrax on your own shores. Would it not be wise to finish one war before starting another?

“Neville Chamberlain lives…”

He did what he believed to be right. His intentions were honourable and the year that elapsed after Munich gave the RAF the time to ensure they did not fight the Battle of Britain with biplanes.

Can we honestly say the same about Bush.

Regards,

kev35

RE: ID time

Sadsack,

I was convinced it was Heathrow. I visted there in 1968 when I was seven and that’s how I remembered it. Got any more photos?

Regards,

kev35

RE: Iraq; a question of oil.

Cyrus.

“Hmmmm…perhaps you’re just not intelligent enough to understand what I was implying? Let me try again. If you Eurowhimps wouldn’t have appeased Hitler like you did in ’39 (actually, starting in ’36 as the first German troops crossed the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne and began reoccupation of Rhineland) then there wouldn’t have even
been a need for America to get involved in Europe.”

Hmmmm…perhaps if you’d been intelligent enough to read my profile you would have realised that this ‘Eurowimp’ was in fact British. You do, however, have a point about appeasement. But if America was so worldly-wise to coming events in Europe why did you not intervene then? Please remember, Europe is not only littered with the graves of American soldiers whose sacrifice is greatly appreciated by the people of Europe. There were thousands of French, Belgian and Dutch soldiers who had been in their graves for years before D-Day. They died not only in defence of their homelands but also in the struggle for liberation from occupation.

“You didn’t lift a finger to stop Hitler then and you refuse to lift a finger to stop Hussein now. You are a weak people…(excluding the Brits who have actually managed to maintain a backbone even after years of living so close to the rest of you)…and thus we must carry the load once again.”

Thank you for the obvious respect you have for the British involvement in the war, but again, remember, there were people from the Empire, the Dominions and also many European nations. Americans also fought and died with the Allies long before America as a nation joined the war. Europeans have fought the two largest conflicts in history on their own soil, both within the last one hundred years. With the greatest respect America has not.

America is a great and powerful nation with fine citizens and a proud military history. This is why I find it incredible that such a nation should go off half-assed on a mission to oust Saddam Hussein. Obtain the evidence you need against him, garner international support, provide a sensible plan for the country for when Saddam is removed and then, and only then, go and do it. This will not be like the Gulf War, I think any attacker will suffer numerous casualties. So please America, do it if it is necessary but put those brave members of your armed forces into harms way for the right reasons, not just on the whim of a man who seems to lust for war at any price.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Iraq; a question of oil.

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 23-09-02 AT 06:53 PM (GMT)]Hi, Vortex.

“My government have the responsibility to first take care of my well being than anybody else.”

Agreed, absolutely no argument.

“If they can help others, they should, but not jeapordize American lives unless its worth the noble cause. If every country think like this, then you won’t see the abuse of human rights all over the world…”

Very noble but you know that isn’t going to work. If you really believe that why do you consider the cause of the people of Iraq to be more noble than that of the Palestinians, or the people of Rwanda, or Somalia, or the Balkans, or Chechnya?

“To be judgemental about it is to criticize the whole planet…which you know only a certain being up there have the power and the right to do so.”

I have to ask do you mean God or Bush? If you mean Bush, I appreciate the humour. If, however, you wish this to be a Religious as well as a political crusade I would like to point out that ‘God’ doesn’t appear to be showing an awful lot of interest or leadership.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Iraq; a question of oil.

Hi, Cyrus.

“…the Euros are whining about GW only going after oil and that we should sit back and wait for Madman Hussein to “do something” before we actually take him out. Gee, when have I heard that rhetoric before??? Does 1939 ring a bell?!!!”

Yes, it rings loudly even now but not as loudly as it did in Europe in 1939, 1940 and 1941. Apparently the speed of sound was extremely slow back then as it took over two years to reach America, or was it just that America was suffering from selective deafness? Several thousand Americans heard the ringing of the bells and responded and paid the ultimate price long before the American Government decided to get involved.

“Second, the folks from “third world” countries on this board are nervous because they now fully understand that America is no longer just going to sit around and wait for a country to do something about the terrorists or psychopathic leaders among them…we’ll be glad to eradicate the problem ourselves if necessary.”

Good luck, and I hope you do a more convincing job than you have in Afghanistan, or dare I say in America? Of course, I forgot you’re still hunting the people who, literally, threw anthrax in your faces.

“Its best that everyone come to this realization now rather than later…America’s influence and power will be here for a long, long time to come. You can either follow us and help us fight to keep your democratic freedoms in tact or be overrun by the “barbarians” who’s only desire is the destruction of what you hold dear…the choice is yours.”

Now you’re injecting humour? you must be as that is really quite funny. Who was more barbaric than Hitler and the Nazis? Where was America in 1939, ’40 and ’41? It’s perhaps as well we didn’t just pack up in 1939 and wait for America to come and ‘save’the free world then.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Quake

Oh yes! I certainly felt it. And perhaps even more uncomfortably heard it. It was around 12:54 am and it lasted for a good few seconds. The house shook quite violently and ornaments, pictures and windows rattled. At a shop nearby items fell from the shelves and a friend who lives half a mile away had drawers come out of cupboards and a wardrobe door fell off. No apparent structural damage in the area where I live. It brought many people out onto the streets and set off numerous burglar alarms. I live in Walsall which is about 9 miles from the reported epicentre in Dudley.

It was an experience, but I don’t think I’d like to be around a bigger one.

Regards,

kev35

RE: What Are You Scared Of?

Didn’t somebody famous once say “there is nothing to fear but fear itself…”?

Who was that? And what do they know about it anyhow?

Regards,

kev35