The Military Thread

[Diomedes]

Saddam was good for that country.  He kept the peace.  By killing people, sure.  But here is what you've got for options in Iraq:

Chaos and civil war, criminals running what the religious clans don't, people being murdered all over the place.
Oppressive government killing particular people...peace and order otherwise.

Freedom and democracy are not options.  That's it, those are the two options.

Tito was a real bastich too, but he kept this tight.  What happened after him?  Genocide.

[shorebird]

I don't know if I'd say Saddam was good for Iraq, especially after using chemical weapons on his own friggen' people.

[Diomedes]

Chemical weapons the U.S. supplied and knew he was using.

Besides, the Kurds aren't his own people. 


Viva Saddam!

[ice grillin you]

there arent many things in the world shore cares less about than dead muslims...hes just wants to legitimize the us going in any way he can

[Sgt PSN]

As twisted as Saddam was, he kept the Kurds, Sunni and Shi'ites in check and for the most part, they all stayed in their respective yards.  Once he was removed from power, those boundries went with him and shtein really hit the fan. 

At the time, I was all about getting Saddam out of power, but hind sight being 20/20, Iraq was actually more stable under his rule.  Don't get me wrong, I don't miss that sumbitch at all, but at the same time, he did something that we have failed to do in nearly a decade of occupation......provide stability in Iraq. 

[BigEd76]

but they have soccer back!

[Sgt PSN]

I know......that's the worst part. 

[ice grillin you]

yeah time for another bombing campaign

[shorebird]

there arent many things in the world shore cares less about than dead muslims...hes just wants to legitimize the us going in any way he can

You don't have a clue as to what I care about or the fact that I've wanted the U.S. outta' the middle east for years.

As twisted as Saddam was, he kept the Kurds, Sunni and Shi'ites in check and for the most part, they all stayed in their respective yards.  Once he was removed from power, those boundries went with him and shtein really hit the fan. 

At the time, I was all about getting Saddam out of power, but hind sight being 20/20, Iraq was actually more stable under his rule.  Don't get me wrong, I don't miss that sumbitch at all, but at the same time, he did something that we have failed to do in nearly a decade of occupation......provide stability in Iraq. 

At the time so was I, but I don't call "providing stability in Iraq" the genocidal gassing and murdering of over 180,000 people. Anfal was a slaughter, no more, no less.

But, like I said, 5 years, might even be less, it'll be like we were never even there and all the lives lost over there will more or less have no more meaning than the lives lost in Nam.

[Drunkmasterflex]

It wasn't nearly as stable as it was perceived, I talked to many of the Iraqi nationals I worked with about it.  For the most part the Kurds still do stay in the north and don't have much to do with the rest of the country. 

I don't know if democracy will work there or not, at this point it sure doesn't look like it.  The way I look at it though is at least there is an opportunity.  Is it worth the cost maybe....maybe not. 

[rjs246]

Peace, by means of fear, genocide and oppression, is not a preferable state of being.

[shorebird]

It wasn't nearly as stable as it was perceived, I talked to many of the Iraqi nationals I worked with about it.  For the most part the Kurds still do stay in the north and don't have much to do with the rest of the country. 

I don't know if democracy will work there or not, at this point it sure doesn't look like it.  The way I look at it though is at least there is an opportunity.  Is it worth the cost maybe....maybe not. 

One thing is for sure, the world is a better place without Hussein. He was a little Hitler. Who knows how many people he would have slaughtered if he was allowed to go on. The bad is Bin Laden hasn't been caught, and it doesn't look like the Iraqi nationals will be able to hold onto power even if the Iraqi politicians can stop their arguing and finally form a new government. But, like you say, at least they have been given the opportunity.

[Seabiscuit36]

Saddam was a psycho who kept the really bad guys in check.  Necessary evil, probably, but he had an expiration date, i just dont approve of how it was done. 

[shorebird]

Saddam was a psycho who kept the really bad guys in check.  Necessary evil, probably, but he had an expiration date, i just dont approve of how it was done. 

Yeah, after 9-11 Bush and co. were looking for a reason, any reason, to take him out. And when they couldn't find any proof of ties to the WTC tragedy, it would seem they made something up. Still, even if Iraq had nukes, who is the U.S. to say that they shouldn't be allowed to have them? With the oil money in the middle east, it's only a matter of time before one of the countries there develops nuclear weapons. I just hope we don't end up with a president that thinks we should police the friggen' world and want to invade any country that gets WOMD just because he thinks they are too dangerous to have them.

[shorebird]

North Korea answers the South by firing artillery rounds into ROK waters and capturing an unarmed fishing boat. Unknown to them at the time, the fishing boat had three Chinease nationals on it, and China was not pleased.

It said North Korea had fired more than 100 artillery rounds into its waters off the west coast, near its disputed sea border with the South, soon after the latest military drills by South Korea had ended.

At the weekend, ties were further strained by the detention of a South Korean fishing boat by a North Korean patrol. Three Chinese nationals were among the seven sailors aboard.
The issue prompted a rare prod of its ally by China which expressed concern over reports its nationals were among those held.