The Cellar - View Single Post - Antiwar protests increase probability of war

Undertoad · 02-24-2003, 09:42 AM

A few days after Powell's presentation, another presentation was given to NATO which was, apparently, twice as damning. Behind closed doors the intel information could flow a little more freely.

On Saddam's neighbors who find him charming polite and friendly and easy to work with -- does that include Israel?

Does that include the people within his own nation such as the Kurds and Shias? Do they not count because they're within his borders? Is he allowed to do whatever he likes to his own people?

Are the newly-found longer range missiles allowed? Should Saddam be punished for building these missiles which he is in theory not allowed to have? If he decides not to destroy them, what should the international response be?

If the US didn't have 5 aircraft carriers in the gulf, would Saddam go along with the inspections which found these missiles? If no, should the US continue to threaten force during an extended version of the inspections? If yes, why did he not cooperate with years upon years of inspections ending in 1998?

Iraq is directly supporting terrorists who are attacking other countries besides the US. Is that OK? Can the international community address that matter? (Why has it not done so?)

Let's pretend for a moment that Iraq really does threaten American security. Setting aside France, the US's ability to address that problem may rest on its ability to convince Cameroon to vote with it. Does that make any sense whatsoever?

Does Blix have any reason to question the notion that his inspections are being scuttled? Does that affect his credibility to you? Is Blix more credible than Powell?

Do you believe that Blix's discovery of forbidden items is an indicator that inspections are working, or that they are NOT working?

If an administration acted in bad faith 30 years ago, is that proof positive that the current administration is acting in bad faith? If past acts of bad faith constitute a resume by which ones current administration should be judged, what does that say about Hussein's Baath party administration? What does it say about Clinton? Do you believe the Baaths over the Republicans? What about the vast majority of legislators who voted in favor of Clinton's "regime change" policy in 1998?

02-24-2003, 09:42 AM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	A few days after Powell's presentation, another presentation was given to NATO which was, apparently, twice as damning. Behind closed doors the intel information could flow a little more freely. On Saddam's neighbors who find him charming polite and friendly and easy to work with -- does that include Israel? Does that include the people within his own nation such as the Kurds and Shias? Do they not count because they're within his borders? Is he allowed to do whatever he likes to his own people? Are the newly-found longer range missiles allowed? Should Saddam be punished for building these missiles which he is in theory not allowed to have? If he decides not to destroy them, what should the international response be? If the US didn't have 5 aircraft carriers in the gulf, would Saddam go along with the inspections which found these missiles? If no, should the US continue to threaten force during an extended version of the inspections? If yes, why did he not cooperate with years upon years of inspections ending in 1998? Iraq is directly supporting terrorists who are attacking other countries besides the US. Is that OK? Can the international community address that matter? (Why has it not done so?) Let's pretend for a moment that Iraq really does threaten American security. Setting aside France, the US's ability to address that problem may rest on its ability to convince Cameroon to vote with it. Does that make any sense whatsoever? Does Blix have any reason to question the notion that his inspections are being scuttled? Does that affect his credibility to you? Is Blix more credible than Powell? Do you believe that Blix's discovery of forbidden items is an indicator that inspections are working, or that they are NOT working? If an administration acted in bad faith 30 years ago, is that proof positive that the current administration is acting in bad faith? If past acts of bad faith constitute a resume by which ones current administration should be judged, what does that say about Hussein's Baath party administration? What does it say about Clinton? Do you believe the Baaths over the Republicans? What about the vast majority of legislators who voted in favor of Clinton's "regime change" policy in 1998?