War is over... now where do you stand?

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[John Boswell]

Its just a question.

Back when the war began in Iraq, this forum (board) errupted with all kinds of dialoge about whether war was right, wrong, whatever.
Page after page of post and re-post followed explaining how wrong it all was or not and that it would be another vietnam... or not.

So, here we are in May of 2003. Iraqi kids are going back to school, aid is going in, power is being turned on, fugitives are turning themselves in, news of Saddam's son robbing a bank just turned up... wierd. So... my question:

Where do you stand on the war with Iraq? Has anyone changed their mind about it? Did anyone here learn something new about Iraq that they didn't know before? Think things will become better now that the "war" is over and clean-up is underway?

Just fishing for thoughts here. Not trying to start a thread war or piss anyone off. Just looking to see where everyone stands now that the "music has stopped playing".

[opherdonchin]

Actually, the Invasion of Iraq thread is still active and the discussion in it has recently become both civilized and interesting. I don't mean to head off this discussion, but please feel free to join those of us over there who are still plugging away.

[Thor's Hammer]

funny how they haven't found any weapons, funny how the USA and Russia can still kill everyone on the planet hundreds of times over

just my 2 cents

[Jeff Tibbetts]

funny how the USA and Russia can still kill everyone on the planet hundreds of times over
Not funny at all. I know you didn't mean funny, but this is true and downright scary. May as well add in all the other countries who can kill us all. I think that people need to seriously ask why the US won't sign any nuclear reduction agreements. They just aren't funny in any way.

[jxa127]

I stand in the same place I did before. Saddam Hussein was a bad guy and something needed to be done about him, but the WMD and ties to Al Quaida stuff was bogus and the war unnecessary. Oh, and the war apparently has lead to increased terrorist attacks, just as I feared.

You asked, that's my answer.

Regards,

-Drew

[rpnp]

I still dont agree that the war was justified... but simple-minded Bush thought it was....

I’m happy that the war in Iraq is over, but according to Bush we will have plenty more wars…...

[Neil Mick]

Considering all the posts I've written in the Iraq thread, it's about time I weighed in, with my 2 cents, on John's insightful question:
Iraqi kids are going back to school, aid is going in, power is being turned on, fugitives are turning themselves in, news of Saddam's son robbing a bank just turned up...

Where do you stand on the war with Iraq? Has anyone changed their mind about it? Did anyone here learn something new about Iraq that they didn't know before? Think things will become better now that the "war" is over and clean-up is underway?
Regarding the first paragraph, John: the future hardly looks rosy for Iraqi's, from my perspective. The UN has given the US the green-light to do with Iraqi oil what it wants, and now there's no oversight. Bush can manage Iraq as his Middle Eastern fiefdom, howsoever he pleases, with little international input. True, the Sanctions are lifted, at long last, but with announcements from Paul Bremer that the US is there to stay "indefinitely:" you can expect that independence and democracy for Iraqi's shall be put on the back-burner, IMHO. The cycle of appeasement continues.

Regarding what I learned: before I posted, I admit I knew very little about the international situation. The posts were an incentive to research the facts, to buttress my opinions. I stayed on-board for so long in order to more fully understand the views of the opposition, rather than try to "convert" anyone.

This approach has served me well: I have debated several anti-war ppl (once, on talk-radio), based upon the nature of the conversations here.

You see: the point to these discussions is not to "convert" or form a bully pulpit to preach, but to learn how other ppl think, as well as deepen your own perspectives on the world. Everyone has an opinion, but the opinions most valued should be those that speak from a wide net of experience, and insight, rather than from propaganda, or what authority-figures say, is true.

I also feel that everyone has a certain "native intelligence," a natural affinity for common sense that deepens from personal experience but can become misguided, from slanted media sources, or misinformation. I think that its obvious how much of a role the media played in showing Americans only a portion of the war (even THEY are saying so, at this point).

IAC, I do not think the discussion is over, and I welcome all to throw in your 2 cents over in the Iraq thread.

P.S. Don't give up the good fight: Robert's right...there are more wars to come, and it's only going to get worse (I have a bet with a friend that we'll be in Syria, before Nov 2004. I'm hoping I lose).

OFF OF YOUR COUCH AND ONTO THE STREETS! (from a protest-chant)