RE: Feelings about War to Begin

[gnsmith]

 whitestar505
Dayton Dave . I don t criticize Bush 1 or 2 they didn t start this. I criticize the ones who start wars. Bush 1 did all he could. and did a good job doing it. Bush 2 is doing what he has to do. and I have to say . He is doing a good job to. I would not like to be in Bush 2 shoes with all thats hitting him at once. He didn t have Bin Laden do what he did. He didn t cause the economy proplems , he didn t put Saddam in power in Iraq. But he has to deal with it. Who here would like that on there shoulders. I do criticize the ones that would not let Bush 1 finish it in 91. We know then it was not over. as long as Saddam was in power it was not going to end.  so I will end know because like the war on Terrorism this argument can t be won.
 
 
 

[bikolee]

 gnsmith

so I will end know because like the war on Terrorism this argument can t be won.

 Agreed!

[Mahaffey-Family]

 whitestar505
I understand where you are coimg from.  But, for families like mine we would like to see more support behind them.  I am not saying we should be there.  But, I have a son over there.  Who believes that he is there for the good of this country.  We must stay focused on what is right.  The things that are going on  now has to stop.  The posioning, the threats, the attacks on us and so on.  We are in to far to pull back now.  We need to get the job over so our Children, Husbands, wifes, Fathers and Mothers and ECT, came come home to their families.  
 
 
 
 Mahaffey-Family
 U.S. Army son,( this one is in the Gulf)
 U.S. Airforce Son
 90 Son, 93 Son

[garym053]

 whitestar505
I was recently in a Hospital waiting room waiting for some blood work to be done and was reading several magazines that were dated last May, 2002. two of the mags ran stories about how Saddly Insane, I mean Saddam Hussein is practicing gassing and Bio-terror on the Kurds in his OWN country. The Kurds felt, and I would have to assume, still do, that the US was the only country that could or would stop him.
 As far as North Korea, they need money and food FAR more than they need a nuclear device, however, if they manage to make one who do you think will be the top bidder? I m betting on a country that produces oil!!!
 I am of the opinion the the top leaders in our country know far more than the media does and I m willing to put my trust in them and back them in their decision.
 You know if we were in Iraq, and having this conversation, we d be dragged from our house and shot for questioning Saddam!

[Wayfarer]

 whitestar505
Another two-cents worth.
 
 I am retired Navy, a Texan, and about as conservative as you can get, but I must admit I m having some real problems with " W"  or " Baby Bush"  or " Bush 2"  and his " shoot from the hip"  mentality and continual spouting off about going into Iraq and kicking some butt as if this were some college football game we re looking at.
 
 About Iraq:  Seems " W"  has given the people of Iraq the ultimatim of getting rid of Saddam themselves or, by Gawd, we ll come in and do it ourselves (at least, about 200,000 of our young people will, many of whom will be killed in the butt kicking).  Well, if getting rid of Saddam is the answer, and it just may be, then why not send in a hit team - yes, an assassin - and blow Saddam away?  Why not?  Because we don t condone political assassination, at least for the record.  So we are going to be politically correct and not just send in someone or hire someone (and, yes, we do have well trained individuals available to do the job); rather, we are going to send our young men and women in and let many of them get their butts blown away.  Yeah, I know they knew that would be a possibility when they signed up, but they signed up just the same.  I also know that " W"  managed to spend his " war years"  in the Texas Air National Guard and " Slick Willy"  before him just stayed home by the " pot"  while the shootin  was a-going on.  Reminds me of that old " Wild Kingdom"  show on TV when Perkins would say, " I m going to stay up here in the treehouse while Jim goes down there with the aligators."   Nuff said....  
 
 Another thing that bothers me about " W"  or Bush2 is this thing that we conservatives as well as everyone else are supposed to swallow hook, line and sinker the idea that giving a tax break to large corporations, etc., will have a " trickle down effect"  and be good for our economy.  Yea, remember Ennron?  Remember all the reports about the millions the CEO s of these mega corporations are pulling down and running away with?  Sure, give them a tax break and it will help our economy.  And Santa Claus is real.  And the next thing you know is these guys will be selling the government all that ocean front property in Arizona and our elected officials will be telling us what a great deal it is.
 
 Folks, makes no difference to me any more what political party is in office, whether it s " Slick Willy"  or " W"  or a swamp rat of any other name, whether in Washington D.C. or Huntsville, Tx, the general public is gonna get ripped off and our pockets picked and the politicians are gonna walk away richer than ever.  
 
 There.  I ve had my say and now I m gonna go campin  .

[Y-Guy]

 whitestar505
As for Iraq, I hope that our leaders know more than our press and the UN knows. I really don t care to know the details, just that if they really have the bad stuff as has been said find a wait to get Saddam out and not to be replaced by his kids.  
 
 North Korea, well I ve lived in South Korea and I was around the protests in the late 80s.  They are a joke, the students " protest"  in front of the college and then run back on campus after they ve trashed something since the police can t enter the campus grounds.  I m all for pulling out of S. Korea, the population doesn t want our protection so why bother.  The country is well enough off now, let them and the Japanese deal with their Nuke neighbor.  
 
 I have a lot of mixed feelings, but one thing I know for sure is I have respect for the men and women wearing the uniform and I hope we all show them that respect not matte what happens.  
 
 Peace & camping

[NightOwl]

 Y-Guy

 I was a young wife during Viet Nam and at first, I was in favor of that war--later I signed every peace petition coming down the pike.  I was NEVER against our fighting forces--nor were most people (except Hanoi Jane)  What I was protesting was the fat old RICH OLD MEN in Washington who were sending OTHER people s sons out to be used as cannon fodder.
 
 Just watched an interesting series on Teddy Roosevelt on the HIstory channel and everyone knows tha African proverb he loved to quote:  " Speak softly and  carry a big stick."  
 
 Seems  current politicians interpret that now as " Speak loudly and send other people s children out to  be killed."
 
 

[bikolee]

 Y-Guy
Just some words for thought.
 
 
 Travelin  Soldier
 (Bruce Robison, Farrah Braniff)
 
 Two days past eighteen
 He was waiting for the bus in his army greens
 Sat down in a booth, in a cafe there
 Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
 He s a little shy but she give him a smile
 So he said would you mind sittin  down for a while
 And talking to me
 I m feeling a little low
 She said I m off in an hour and I know where we can go
 So they went down and they sat on the pier
 He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don t care
 I got no one to send a letter to
 Would you mind if I sent one back here to you
 
  I - I cried
 Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
 Too young for him they told her
 Waitin  for the love of the travelin  soldier
 Our love will never end
 Waitin  for the soldier to come back again
 Never more to be alone when the letter says
 My soldier s coming home
 
 Well the letters came from an army camp
 In California then Vietnam
 He told her of his heart
 It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
 He said when it s gettin  kinda rough over here
 I think of that day sittin  down at the pier
 And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
 Don t worry but I won t be able to write for a while
 
 I - I cried
 Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
 Too young for him they told her
 Waitin  for the love of the travelin  soldier
 Our love will never end
 Waitin  for the soldier to come back again
 Never more to be alone when the letter says
 My soldier s coming home
 
 
 One Friday night at a football game
 The Lord s Prayer said and the anthem sang
 A man said folks would you bow your head
 For the list of local Vietnam dead
 Crying all alone under the stands
 Was the piccolo player in the marching band
 And one name read and nobody really cared
 But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
 
 I - I cried
 Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
 Too young for him they told her
 Waitin  for the love of the travelin  soldier
 Our love will never end
 Waitin  for the soldier to come back again
 Never more to be alone when the letter says
 My soldier s coming home
 

[Giffster]

 whitestar505
Pretty interesting stuff IMO.
 
 http://www.whitehouse.gov/ogc/apparatus/index.html
 
 Cheers

[LocomotiveMan]

 Y-Guy
It is a time for the Country to come together as one.  The bond we had after 9-11 seemed to fade.  We all need to support our Troops and our Nation.   However, I agree with Y-Guy we need to pull out of South Korea, they don t want us there.  Freedom comes at a price.
 As someone said
 It s the Soldier not the poet who gives you freedom of speech,
 It s the Soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag, that allows the protesters to burn the flag,
 It s the Soldier not the reporter who gives you the freedom of press,
 
 So please when you pray, pray for all of our Troops.  When you see a Soldier hold their hand and say " Thanks for all that you give us and do for us" .
 
 
 

[Camperroo]

 Y-Guy
did anyone see 60 minutes tonight and the spot they did on North Korea!  Those poor children and families living in such squalor.  The kids looked like living dead, the babies, too.  Broke my heart...he s starving his own people and yet lives life very comfortably for himself...heard he like American videos, has the internet, etc., yet I watched children squatting in the roads eating bugs for food.  It amazes me that this person s own military doesn t take him out, same for Saddam. Can they not see he is only one person...if they all go against him, he s done for.  I guess that logic is too easy as they people are trapped in their lives.  
 
 I also read an article someone posted on the Trailer Life forum by an Iraqui living here in this country - saying war would be the only way to liberate his people from Saddam s regime.  If I can find the link, I ll post it here.   Madman cannot be allowed to rule...we must have learned something from Nazi Germany...never again let people suffer because of a madman...there are times when one must help those who cannot help themselves.

[Camperroo]

 Y-Guy
found the article, it is definitely thought provoking...
 
 http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/outlook/1759872

[Gamecock Camper]

 Y-Guy
I believe in the " give peace a chance"  theory, but terrorism is real.  They will hit again without warning.  There are many bad guys out there besides Saddam, but he is probably the most dangerous and has been for his entire dictatorship.  My DD did a paper on his life and it was unthinkable what he has done to his own people.  He is a person to be feared......
 
 Here are some interesting items, food for thought if you may....
 
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/gunning/
 
 

[Gone-Camping]

 whitestar505
Personally, I think anytime we go to war, it s a terrible mistake. I know it can t be helped sometimes, but I think in this particular instance, it can be helped.... unfinished business or not.
 
 In 1991 we had a clear objective, to boot Saddam out of Kuwait (saving the oil fields was a nice bonus, and not coincidental either). And while I don t like it at all, I will support our troops just the same (USN Vet here).
 
 And yes, there are other area s we should be looking at instead. If perhaps they know Saddam is harboring Bin Laden, then I might change my veiws on this a little, but...

[whitestar505]

 Gone-Camping
Well, has anyone heard the speech given by Mr Powell yesterday? I have changed my mind. Anyone else ?