it's good to see that most people on board here seem to be of sound mind.
one thing that i have read over the past couple months about this entire conflict is in the actual military powers and the unrest of aforementioned in saddam's arenal. it is in hopes of the US that, with limited airstrikes and such, that the military force as a whole could easily be sent into chaos of sorts and crumble easily, not taking into account the great decrease in military power (not taking into consideration WDMs). i am certainly in hopes of this, however i would not bet on it as a certainty.
as far as a 'retalitory' use of WDMs are concerned, i am all for it, and i do not believe this war has 'oil control' as one of its primary concerns. i think the survival of our country would in fact be on a primary list of concern. this, in reference with saddam's anti-US sentiments and probably terrorist involvement. take into consideration if he supports the al quieda (SP?) with the task of sneaking a nuke into a highly populated region of the US, and it is detonated. this threat, amoung other WDM threats of similar nature, is why i would list this as a primary concern.
as far as the structure of the country, deeming most of the country as innocents i don't think i personally can justify. even in the case that they are forced by their superiors into such situations, it does not make them any less dangerous to us. look into history of events with the underlings of the leaders in WW2. they were not all supportive, but carried out their tasks nonetheless unquestioningly.
to add, slightly, to the scope of this rant over this conflict, i wish to voice my concern - and utter dismay - of the 'peaceniks'. these people make me so mad i could spontaneously combust. now, myself i cannot describe from first-person experience, only by closely related experience of loved ones and colleagues these things. however, i do have what i feel is a decent grasp of such. the people that want to stop us from killing soldiers over seas, and think that war is bad, and that everyone can settle this from smoking a phat blunt and singing songs. this is clearly not the case. i have discussed many of these things with relatives that went through wars, including those of japanese descent (and my elders). what these folks do not understand in any respect (peaceniks) is what has been taken to actually preserve our way of life of US citizens, and what conditions are like in these other countries. for example, i saw ani difranco on tv the other day, and she made me so mad i turned off the tv, and it wasn't even mine. these people don't take into consideration
OUR people and
OUR way of life.
consider it this way. so, by not going to war, we can save a few thousand casualties of foreign conflict. but what if these people came back to us, and 'dropped the bomb' on us, killing millions? does that not mean anything to anyone? if by killing a few thousand of them saves millions, or even just a few thousand of ours, does that not contain any merit? think about the way they treat their own people, even. if people like her do not like our way of thinking, then go live there, where a woman can be killed just for looking at another man. but, really, is there no merit in saving our own people, in protecting them, and preserving our way of life? would you rather live like they do, with such oppression of their people? i would rather live in a country that would do what it takes to protect their own, and live with those responsibilities on my nation than to live in a country that lives with such oppression and strife with thier own people.
i think as well that many of these people were not involved in any way with the terrorist acts of but a year ago, and have no idea what that is like as well. i was fortunate, and lost no one i knew or loved, but my beloved girl at the time lived there, with her father, and goes to school there. imagine, and entire hi-rise office building on a collegiate campus emptied, not because of the building was destroyed, but that the people that worked in it were all killed. and then the fact that you have to live next door to that building. or knowing good friends who got a call from their father saying "i love you honey, i'm not going to make it". can you imagine recieving that call? knowing your father was in a known targeted building, or not being able to get ahold of someone for hours that you love dearly and don't know if they are alive or dead?
i got lucky in those respects, so i can not even begin to know what that felt. but i realize it. is there no merit in preventing that further?
i also think in many respects that most of these people being my age, are also merely afraid to be picked for the draft to be sent away to die. i was, and still am afraid my number will be picked. but, i have made the decision, that i will go unquestioning if i must, will not run and will not file as a conscienscious (SP) objector. i know that many have gone before me, and have died to protect my way of life, my freedoms that i enjoy today. those may not have been here if it were not for that. i want to think that these freedoms i enjoy will be around for my children, and my grandchildren, and if that requires i be shipped off, then so be it. then my siblings will have to bear the burden of continuing the family name. sometimes i think some of these people just fear going off to war, so they oppose it altogether. in any respect, it is rather sad that they do not appreciate our country. please try it elsewhere, then. what scares me even more is that we live in a day and age that the people in power tend to listen to the smaller, more radical groups, not for the good of the country, but to stop them from bitching.
ok, this post was waaay too long, i'm going to bed
let the flames commence...
btw, just to make myself clear. i am not wishing on a draft, nor at the moment do i see it likely. i do not intend to enlist, although i have considered it greatly. but, i hope that my contribution will be towards the strength and what makes this country great, freedom and capitalism in the business world. i own my own business, one with great promise, and my desire (and hopefully skills) to excel in. the people who started companies like ibm, boeing, etc, are part of what make this country what it is, and i hope i can contribute in that way, while sidestepping the corruptions of recent in the news. i still would go, if the worst were brought upon us.
now i'm done. i swear.