some issues -- FawnDoo's Cavalcade of Whimsy

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Date Posted: 10:42:50 03/25/03 Tue
Author: Goktimus Prime
Subject: some issues
In reply to: FawnDoo 's message, "Points" on 10:07:01 03/25/03 Tue

Hmm... those are good points. But here are some things to consider.

(1) Why did we wait 12 years to do this? As justifiable as some of the _outcomes_ of this war may be, I still have doubts as to the intentions. If we were serious about getting rid of Saddam Hussein, we would have done it 12 years ago. I don't believe that our respective leaders - Bush, Blair and Howard - in this "Coalition of the Willing," are jumping into this war for the reason of ridding the world of Saddam Hussein. All three leaders have been in power of our respective nations for several years now (with Bush being the latest addition), and neither of them mentioned this in their electoral campaigns, nor did either of them mention this war shortly after election... before September 11, 2001. Make no mistake -- we are entering this war because the American President is sore that he can't find Osama Bin Laden and needs another villain to pound to make himself look good, and divert media attention away from his failing effort to bring Bin Laden to justice. Yes, we may succeed in bringing Saddam Hussein to justice, but Osama Bin Laden is still roaming free. Free to exact vengeance of the Coalition's assault on "Islam".

(2) I am still questioning the validity of this war. As Icon said, we've waited 12 years so far, what's another few months going to do? Did we *have* to rush in without approval of our UN Allies, and thus violating our charter? We *had* weapon inspectors in there. Saddam Hussein had already begun disassembling his weapons. Alright, he was taking his time and playing games with the inspectors -- but he WAS complying... complying with open defiance, but it was compliance, nevertheless. The UN asked for more time for weapons inspections -- and after waiting 12 years, why couldn't we have given the UN a few more weeks or months to do their jobs properly? Searching a country for weapons of war isn't like dusting crops.

In any case, all these arguments are purely academic now. The war has started and nothing will stop it until the Coalition stands victorious.

I can only hope -- for everybody's sake -- that this will be a SHORT war.

And I hope that people will be more welcoming to the flood of refugees that this war is creating. Don't talk to me about the "danger" posed by refugees when it was the war caused by our troops that forced them to flee their homeland in the first place. As noble as the outcomes of this war may be, make NO mistake that MANY innocent people will suffer for it, and the LEAST that we could do -- as the supposed "good guys" of this war, is to take care of the victims of this war.

Our three countries have been rather uncompassionate towards refugees in recent times -- *especially* Australia, but the UK (aka "Fortress England") and the US haven't been exactly welcoming refugees since September 11. These same countries have now formed a Coalition to fight a war to oust a dictator... a war that will create more refugees. Refugees that we ought to welcome with open arms.

And they're the lucky ones. When you see a missile blow up an Iraqi building -- have no doubt that there were probably some civilians inside, or near that building.

No matter how noble a cause may be, we must never forget the horrific consequences of war.

* 80% of war casualties are civilians. Most of them, women and children.
* 80% of refugees are women and children.
* Since 1993, war has:
- Killed 1.5 million children.
- Disabled 4 million children.
- Traumatised 10 million children.
...and that's not even looking at adult statistics... adults who are someone's father or mother.

So let us all keep the victims of war in our minds, and hope/pray for a quick end to this war. Regardless of whether you think this war is justified or not, let us ALL hope that it ends soon.

I think that is something that we can all agree upon.

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Replies:

Wait a minute.. -- Motocron, 22:09:21 03/25/03 Tue
- government propaganda -- Goktimus Prime, 08:47:49 03/26/03 Wed
  - Interesting -- WarCore, 20:54:16 04/01/03 Tue