Are we Going to War?

[WiredTiger]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2002-12-19-us-iraq_x.htm

Disregarding the politics and how you feel about the President....

Are we going to war with Iraq? Should we be?

I think we are going to war with Iraq early next year. I think that Iraq has not proven that they are innocent of amassing weapons of destruction. I believe that if they don't get Hussein out of power then it will only get worse.

[poorme]

yes and yes

[Gosfgiants]

The administration is certainly looking for any reason they can to have this war. I would be very surprised at this point if the U.S. does not got to war after the sabre rattling and troop massing that has gone on in the past few months.

I do not believe that any nation should go to war except under extreme circumstances (such as the reasons for entering WWII). I feel that the U.S. is acting like a bully in this situtation. The administration knows that Iraq is funadmentally weak, and they feel that a war with Iraq will be quick. I think the administration has bigger problems abroad (N. Korea, Israel/Palestine) and at home (the economy) than Iraq. However, one thing thos administration has proved is that they will do what they want regardless of the opinion of the opposition.

[rcartman28]

As soon as we think we are ready to attack, yes. I don't like the idea of starting a war, but after 9/11, it's probably better to get them before they come after us.......

I would also guess that if Iraq goes down quickly, some other country like North Korea will pop up shortly thereafter in Bush's crosshairs.....

[satchel]

:warn: Tread lightly folks - both parts, but especially the second part, of Wired's question is hard to answer without overstepping the NDF BoP (Ban on Politics).

Because the questions are inherently political, in my opinion, I'm not going to contribute further to this thread. But I'll be reading it.

Please, folks, think long and hard before you post.

[WiredTiger]

:warn: A double warning. I was hoping to stimulate a discussion about the if and when we will go to war without it turing into a discussion about whether you like or do not like the president's politics. Please tread lightly.

[Skip]

Well ... that ought to pretty much scare off conversation.

Personally, I think we are going to war. What we do or do not find in Iraq will be nebulous enough to be interpreted as desired. Politics aside, I think that the current trend in DC includes a desire to go get Iraq.

[gyb13]

i'll stick to the prediction i've been making since around september: the war will start once the winter is over. that way, the economic burden on americans when oil prices shoot up because of the war will be smaller than in the wintertime, when demand for oil is higher

[Gosfgiants]

I just wanted to share with you all the attitude towards the war in the Bay Area. I have yet to find one person who lives here that supports a war outside of Rep. Tom Lantos. Back when the debate over the authorization of the war powers were going on protests were a weekly, if not daily, occurance in San Francisco. I happened to be downtown on a day when one of the largest protests was going on. Thousands of people turned out to protest war with Iraq. On local television news coverage they reporters tried to find both people for pro and con, but they could not turn up anyone that supported the war. The protests have since died down, but the anti-war sentiment has not. There are anti-war signs in windows and on cars all over the area. It is odd as a resident of this area to find out that the majority of Americans want war.

[pathogan]

no it is not correct...

[sweaver]

I think we are treading a thin line, and I hope that peace will prevail. But I am afraid that war is on the horizon.

[pwdennis]

Maybe and probably

Many think that a war with Iraq would be about oil. I personally think that it would be an attempt to put the atomic genie back in the bottle, something that most sane people would like to see happen.

[tortured angel]

A note to all who support going to war with Iraq, the occupation of Afghanistan and Kosovo, etc. There is a recruiting office near you.

[Skip]

Good point, tort.

[Gosfgiants]

If the past week has shown anything it's how dumb this whole Iraq thing is. North Korea has much more weapon of mass destruction capability, and yet we are not preparing to invade them.

[pathogan]

Originally posted by Gosfgiants
If the past week has shown anything it's how dumb this whole Iraq thing is. North Korea has much more weapon of mass destruction capability, and yet we are not preparing to invade them.

heavy heavy sigh...spoken by a man with a draftable age son...

[Ytown Tribe fan]

I'm a hell of a lot more scared of North Korea than of Iraq. Iraq actually has money coming in, although Saddam seems to be spending it all on himself. North Korea is shunned even by China these days. They are desperate, starving and armed to the teeth. You want some of that?

It's like riding the subway. You see a big bully -- that's one thing. You see someone who is flat-out crazy -- that's quite another thing. Saddam is a bully, but North Korea's leaders are either crazed or desperate. Or both. You go into a fight with them, you cannot win because they will likely never surrender until everyone is dead.

Plus, the kimchi alone will kill you -- especially in Summer!

[pwdennis]

I have the feeling that the adminstration thinks (or hopes) that if the North Koreans get too far out of line that China will move in and take care of the matter. There are reasons to think that this hope will be justified