Simon says:
I do think though that while Britain is involved, there is not the same enthusiasm or blind patriotism on display on this side of the Atlantic.<---Have you read any scholarly books on the Iraqi Middle East issue? I recommend "The Threatening Storm" by Kennith Pollak. It is the most balance book I have read and covers all the players in this current world problem. Personally I think that the so called "worldviews" that is opposed to the USA have a pathological stink to it. There is not any real reason behind it. Bush is bad and that is it.
Satan Says:
I have noticed a big change in the attitude of Americans towards 'freedom of speech. They used to say, 'i may disagree w you, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. They don't say this anymore.
If I were in charge I would bring back an updated version of the "Sedition Act." That would clear up the difference between lawful peaceful protest and sedition.
Matt says:
Simon has done a bloody good job of developing this forum, it is so clear to see the work that he has put into it, he has clearly stated along the way that this is a forum for us all to express our views, we are all different people from all different backgrounds and lives with one thing in common, we have all be strong enough to move on from that.
Yes, it always has been.
But Simon is all the speech here "free." Or are there rules? Are there punishment for not following YOUR rules? Does Simon only want opinions that are acceptable to him and his henchmen? I don't think that is a fair question FYI but, I see a parity to his origional question.
Random Task says
Do you take it as an insult when I state that you are biased?
If you asked me to be nonbias I would tell you that is not possible. I can try to be fair and open to the fact that I might be wrong or be able to improve my prejudices. I would do this because it is more important for me to find out if I am right as opposed to making sure that I am always right.
Francios says:
I think the sad state of affairs in the UK is directly a result of the influence of lilberals of all stripes weilding too much power.
Yes, And somehow believing that treating everyone as the same is somehow logical; believing that somehow everyone is good because they see themselves as a good person is delusional.
We of the conservative bent across the pond are fighting tooth and nail to keep what happened to the British from happening to us.
Yep.
Simon says:
Believe it or not, but politically I am Conservative. <--- No I do not believe you. I guess I'm a right-wing communist liberal conscientious abstainer <---- And that is why. Can you define what these terms: right wing, left wing, liberal, conservative, communist, socialist, and conscientious abstainer actually mean from scholarly definitions? Or, is this just political mental masturbation for you? I don't mean to disrespect you. Citizens are no longer taught that these ideologies of politics. They are not unsimilar to ideologies of religion. Your comments mean that basically you stand for nothing because you see it as a pot luck.
Xena says:
With Dakota I believe his outburst was situational and it was out of sheer frustration and anger.
Mine[outburst] was too. It was my hope that the personal slander would stop if enough people did the same. I came back because I saw the new posting rules and I had hoped that things were better. Now I am not so sure. It seems that often socialism now called neo-marxism or the 3rd way is a nice slide from a cult. Of course those ideologies are just another cult to feel warm with, to hate with, and to not deal with one's own problem with. Hate is such an addictive mindset. And anyone who speaks out against the cult mindset must be silenced. It is not DR's issue that I am speaking of I am being general. I however have such deep respect for DR as I watched him deal with so many personal attacks with integrity.
TH says:
It's ok Simon I'm always being accused of being a liberal<---Are you?"Don't like abortion? Then don't get one". <---If you have one, or perform one should you be allowed to profit from selling the baby parts? It is just not an abortion. It is also a harvest of the corpes for bio matter. Are you OK with that too?
Yerusalyim <---Just to say I always respected your thoughts.
TH says to Yerusalyim:
Haha, I can't help laughing at this, considering that Spousal Abuse is highest among people in the military.Yep that's why ya get paid the big bucks, because of your intelligence.<--- I have never read that stat. Where did you get it? Not that it matters. This is just a mean, hateful thing to say TH. It shows the lack of character you have. And, I have a friend who just joined the Army as an officer. His starting salary will be in the 35-40k a year. That's not bad IMO. And I will write a check for nearly $30,000.00 to Aunt Sam on the 15th of this month. And then another $2500.00 for property taxes on the 30th. How much did you pay TH? Do you make the big bucks that are so big you feel that you have the right to slam all the soldiers of the US for the great service that they do and, though innuendo say that they are abusers? Or is it just a bigoted point of view that you harbor? (Just wondering)
Simon says:
Well, I would guess that from their point of view they may think:
The Americans sold us the chemical weapons in the first place. They must have them themselves (and they do, having not destroyed their own stockpiles)
The Americans knew all about us using them last time during the Iranian war and allegedly helped with the targetting and so on.Given this, it does not sound too unreasonable to me to suppose that the Iraqi's did fear a threat of chemical attack. The USA were apparently considering the use of other WoMD such as tactical nuclear weapons (widely reported osme time ago) so why not chemical?The key point is: having a suit is not proof of having and using the weapons. If it was then the USA and UK are equally guilty.
Simon the point is that Iraq and Saddam was ordered to disarm by the UN and the cease fire agreement and he chose not to. The US and the UK were not; and are not in the same situation. And, if you see Iraq as equal to the UK then I am wasting my time. Do you know the breakdown of who sold what to Iraq in the last three decades?
Russia 25 Billion, France 5 Billion, Germany 5 Billion, China 5 Billion, USA 250 million. But all you talk about is the USA? Why just the USA who is looking to take away the threat? Why is there no equal talk over the other nations who sold so much more and continued to do so despite UN sanctions?
I know that I am talking to JW's or ExJW's (not that I see much of a difference anymore) and so all of this is probably a waste of time. But, you know when I first came here and real bonifed JWD's were in full swing "defending the faith." They kept saying this is just one big display of narcissistic wounds. Well, I think that there is truth to that. Socialism seems to be a comfortable slide for many exculties who need to new nipple for the formation of attitude. That is how I see it. I hope to be proven wrong. That would be refreshing.