did i really read that right? you wish that middle eastern people were not allowed to travel to the US, at least without being heavily searched? that's racism pure and simple, i strongly disagree with the racial profiling thing. it matters not what i think though, because racial profiling IS in effect, and middle eastern people are held up at borders all the time. even crossing from canada into the US. you could encounter long delays, and possible incarceration, just because of the colur of your skin and who your parents were.

as for the west and the middle east, you have to understand the israel is not the west. the arabs are pissed at israel, and at the west, but the causes are different. despite israels claim to jerusalem (yes, i've read the bible) the arabs would have wiped them out of the entire region long ago if it weren't for US military and financial support. The arabs don't the the US presence in the area, and as long as it continues, there will be wars.

as for israel and the scuds? 3 people might have died? well, that's sad, but.. it's not even as many as died when an american accidentally dropped a bomb on a canadian training unit in afghanistan. 3 people dead in a war is insignificant. imagine how many innocent iraqis will die in the first few minues of the US bombing, probably at least 300.

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Originally posted by JohnSmith did i really read that right? you wish that middle eastern people were not allowed to travel to the US, at least without being heavily searched? that's racism pure and simple, i strongly disagree with the racial profiling thing. it matters not what i think though, because racial profiling IS in effect, and middle eastern people are held up at borders all the time. even crossing from canada into the US. you could encounter long delays, and possible incarceration, just because of the colur of your skin and who your parents were.

well firstly, i have always been a proponant of profiling, race or any other factor if it serves its good purpose, such as eliminating terror in this case. what i meant to say that i wish american customs security was more efficient, i still belive it is rather easy to enter the US, no matter where you are from.

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as for the west and the middle east, you have to understand the israel is not the west. the arabs are pissed at israel, and at the west, but the causes are different.

i disagree

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despite israels claim to jerusalem (yes, i've read the bible) the arabs would have wiped them out of the entire region long ago if it weren't for US military and financial support.

if the reason they differ is because of the shared claim to jerusalem, all i can say that no where in the koran does it mention the word jerusalem.

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as for israel and the scuds? 3 people might have died? well, that's sad, but.. it's not even as many as died when an american accidentally dropped a bomb on a canadian training unit in afghanistan. 3 people dead in a war is insignificant. imagine how many innocent iraqis will die in the first few minues of the US bombing, probably at least 300.

true, my original point of the scud thing, regardless of the actuall statistical outcome, the potential was there to cause mass civilian loss.

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If God is the answer, it must have been a very stupid question.

yes, i know it does not mention jerusalem, it is the arabs folly for thinking that the land there belongs to them.

however, what i am saying is that the reason they hate the US is because they support this, and have bases all over saudi arabia, quatar etc.

the difference is religion vs soverginty.

if the US were to close it's bases, and stop providing military aid to israel, i have no doubt that the arabs would NOT stop attack israel. however, they would stop hating the US, that's where the difference lies.

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as for the west and the middle east, you have to understand the israel is not the west. the arabs are pissed at israel, and at the west, but the causes are different. despite israels claim to jerusalem (yes, i've read the bible) the arabs would have wiped them out of the entire region long ago if it weren't for US military and financial support. The arabs don't the the US presence in the area, and as long as it continues, there will be wars.

Here I think US involvement actually is necessary, because, as you say, if they stopped all their aid to Israel, it would surely soon fall. And I don't think that's a good thing, and even though they are not angels, they are more or less the most civilized country in the region.

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1+1=10

The Arab hatred towards the US is much, MUCH more complex than u think its is. US troops on Saudi soil is definitely not the only reason.

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Originally posted by JohnSmith One, the US, UK, and UN have so mistreated the iraqis that they are willing to strap bombs to themselves just to prove their point. who's fault is this?

The Iraqis. Strapping bombs to themselves doesn't prove anything other than that they don't have a sufficient degree of sanity to be negotiated with. I can't be justified in any way. Morally, it serves no other purpose but to further perpetuate violence on both sides. Strategically, it only serves to further enrage a far stronger opponent, almost certainly leading to greater casualties on one's own side. It doesn't accomplish your goals, it merely strengthens your opponents hatred for you and hence, also your opponents desire to keep you from accomplishing your goals. Strategic suicide bombings against key military or infrastructure in time of war is a valid strategy for accomplishing your goals. Blowing up a handful of random civilians is not.

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Originally posted by XxremedyxX Does anyone agree with me? I mean this guy has so much confidence that he will defeat the US. The damn inspectors haven't found anything yet but everyone knows this guy has weapons of mass destruction because otherwise he wouldn't have so much confidence it defeating the US. I'd like to know everyone else's views on this. I think the US should not make the first move however be on alert. I live near the capital and i hope they would not nuke it or else i'd be dead along with a few million others. But my point is that no one would have that much confidence unless he has something up his sleeve... WHY CAN'T EVERYONE JUST GET ALONG?

He is confident because either way, he wins. If the US finds no evidence and acts rationally, they won't attack, leaving him there. If the US Finds no evidence but irrationally attacks, then the whole world will hate us and we'll be fucked over for quite some time, at best. The only way we can get decent support against Iraq is if we have a concrete reason, not speculation.

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Originally posted by Izzy it does not take a genious to think of the multiple ways iraq as a nation could target washington right now. you dont need missles or long range aircraft, all it takes is an exploding 'dirty' breifcase or emptying a vail of certain materials in key places. maybe he is so confident because he has agents ready to go within a calls notice? this is all speculation but one should not ignore all future possibilites when making a desicion

I know I've already said this, but America can basically destroy any country in the world, and are capable of any kind of terrorist action, but are any other countries in the world trying to declare war on us? It's not like Iraq is the only country that could and would ever do this. I'll almost laugh if some random country bombs us while we're sitting here worrying about a relatively crippled Saddam.

Last edited by DJ_Skaya on Feb-05-2003 at 00:07

exactly

what about the other countries that have religions fanatics out to kill the US?? Lets be honest, even if the US were to destroy Hussein's reign....this would make a very very minor impact in context to the threat issued by terrorists. So Bush is willing to flush billions of dollars to get rid of..what is literally "a fruit fly on ur arm". You've got to be kidding me. American coporations I consider are the smartest in the world. Sure, Bush may be as dumb as a stick...but certainly his admininstration isnt. This whole "threat" from Iraq is bogus....having the media big it up, basically asking for war from the president as soon as he said his "axis of evil" comment. It'll be interesting to see what will be done about North Korea. I heard they have good lobster

whatever happened to our buddy osama anyways? CNN doesnt find it headline news anymore heh. It's prolly cuz they dont allow news cameras in vegas casinos

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look at the ex-employers of the secretaries of state in the US administration and the president himself... you have the answer!

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