theloniusfleabag

Dear Montgomery Burns, Most of the resolutions pertaining to Iraq date from the first Gulf War, circa1990, and had the weapons inspectors been allowed to complete their work, most would have been found 'in compliance'. The UK, especially, wanted firmer grounds to legitimize the use of force against Iraq. Even so, their prima facie case was Iraq possessing illegal weapons, the bulk of the outstanding resolutions, were not found before (or even after) the invasion. Nowhere in the UN resolutions was there anything regarding 'regime change', nor granting unilateral power to any nation to interpret and execute any UN Resolution. Besides, 16 is a paltry number. The media is so pro-american and right wing, it often doesn't even report resolutions passed against the USA.

Dear August1991, I think you mean 'existing socialist world' (at least in Canada). Socialism is merely having taxes for the common good in a free market economy. Marxism, or 100% taxation, is the extreme end, and 0 taxes, or pure capitalism, is at the other. 'Socialism' is any form of taxation from 1-99%. (As long as that taxation is meant for 'government', or common needs)

Dear Melanie, What a 'psy-op' that would be! Those kids would be the biggest score out there for the 'terrorists'. Then, they could be 'drawn out' into a fight, instead of desecrating bodies to do it. I'm not sure the Bush kids would like being the central figures in "Operation Live Bait", though.

Dear Argus, There were translators there, with bullhorns, to make sure that there was no confusion over the fact that it was a deliberate desecration. In fact, if the individual soldiers were ignorant, then it is a 'military policy decision' which guided them. There haven't been any other burnings up till now, they have buried them. No???? Some were killed when they were severely wounded, a 'coup de grace', and I do not consider this wrong. However, there was a case in the news about a soldier walking up to a prisoner and shooting him dead (claiming the prisoner was 'faking death'). Then, there were several murders at Abu Ghraib, although some of them could be classified as 'accidentally tortured to death'. Indeed, I have just read a book called 'War Without Hate", by Colin Smith and John Bierman, about the North African Campaign of WWII. The gallantry and mutual respect of both sides was incredible, and sadly, incredibly rare. You are correct, but it is difficult to see as honourable, the support of 'Pro-American murderous dictators' versus 'Pro independence murderous dictators', when the former were often found to be worse than the latter.

Dear Argus, The problem with suggestions like this is that the words 'conspiracy theory' squash any impartial investigation. Further, the words 'military industrial complex' imply the same thing, but if one looks at who is connected to whom, there is only two choices, conspiracy or coincidence. Let's look at Halliburton, for example. Pure coincidence that they got the rebuilding (and supply) contracts for both the destruction and rebuilding of Iraq? By coincidence, I mean that a former director of the company was also the NSC advisor, and is now the vice-president.

Dear Argus, I too, have seen it often, However, it is a vital function to hinder 'flame/troll posting'. I have seen the effects of not having such a function. I agree your amendment makes sense, as you would be able to write for that 30 seconds, but to me it is a small burden to bear to have a high quality forum.

Dear Yodeler, I have been on a 'death watch' before, where a loved one was nearing death. There are tell-tale signs that show when 'the end is near', and it could well be that the doctors saw those signs. We don't know what those doctors saw. Robertson may have had a ruptured spleen and /or kidneys, which can poison a person to death very quickly. Sometimes people can go to ER with a shopping list of trauma injuries, and if they are lucky, they might live. Others are doomed if they are the 'wrong ones' where each are handicapping to the others. Collapsed lungs, for example, require immediate re-inflation, and you can't really do too much other abdominal surgery while this happens. Also, I had a hockey buddy severely wounded in a vehicle roll-over. His brain had swollen to the point of putting pressure on his skull, and there was nothing the doctors could really do until the swelling stabilized, or it killed him. His 'shopping list' of trauma' was extensive (fractured vertebrae in his spine and neck, broken arm and leg), but he lived, and came back to play hockey within 2 years (although his pro hopes were gone, as he was playing Major Junior at the time of the accident) All of the traumas listed above could still leave a victim 'conscious', until shock sets in, a possible killer in itself. Before judgement on motives is passed, we should find out what the circumstances were.

Dear Montgomery Burns, Speaking of 'exploiting the dead, I thought I already covered this subject...

Dear Montgomery Burns, There was no 'broken ceasefire', at least not one that wasn't mutual. 16 broken resolutions? The inspectors were on their way to dispelling these myths until the invasion came. There was only one, vaguely worded resolution to come out of Gulf I that had any relevance, and even then the world and the UN did not think it held any legal water (and neither did G.H.W. Bush, or Rumsfeld, Powell or Cheney). They could have passed two hundred 'acts of congress' and invasions of countries is still against international law. Argus, Excellent post, that is indeed the only strategy one can play from an 'overwhelmed position' (apart from capitulation). The US has 'cranked up the heat' in the ME, but the risk is boiling over the pot. Can they make a 'democray soup' in the ME,, or will it boil over and burn everything to shit?

Dear Tawasakm, No, I don't truly believe that your style is so crude. I don't believe you have postd anything like this in the past. However, it appears to have come from your computer. Do you have a smart-aleck roommate? This is only because of your 'apparent contribution'. I can only think of two ways that this could have happened. Firstly, as I said, someone else posted something from your computer. Secondly, a malignant troll. A while ago, someone appeared on this forum, trolling. They registered names (among hundreds, as is my contention) such as .August1991, *August1991, and .theloniusfleabag. I had seen this exact behaviour on another forum, and it's sole purpose was to sow discord on the forum. I don't see how this could have been the cause of this post, though, as your personal info was included with the post in question(#number of posts, member #, etc.) . Unless, of course, this particular troll managed to 'hack' the forum site, in which case I urge you to report it to Greg immediately. My sincere apologies, and hopefully this can be sorted out without anyone else besmirching your good name.

Dear Argus, Well, the desecration of bodies is against the Geneva Convention, so anyone who does it isn't on very high ground at all. It is similar to crucifixion for a Christian, or the dismemberment of a Jew. I believe that the US did indeed use different methods to kill their prisoners.Those decapitations were truly an abomination. I should hope that those responsible should someday be held accountable. However, I also hope that whomever I support does not do things like this, nor fall back on playground excuses like "He did it first, so I can do it too." Or, "At least I'm not as bad as that guy". Being on 'morally higher ground' is more than just standing on a bigger pile of turds in the sewer.

Dear Tawasakm, Surely you can come up with something better than this. It shows very little imagination. Insults are golden when witty, while this one is more like a 'golden shower'.

Dear Black Dog, I realize many in the US wish to scrap the UN, but is the US announcing that it intends to abrogate and discard the Geneva Convention? That is indeed a bold step.

Dear August1991, That is what the thread was originally about, as I understand it. I don't believe I implied that, in fact I implied that John D. Rockerfeller is equal to anyone else, rich or poor, in this case. I suppose one could argue that 'a fool and his money are soon parted', and one should have let Rockerfeller learn his lesson the hard way. I once gave a ride to someone who ran out of gas, to a gas station and back to their car. They offered me cash, but I refused. They asked, "How can I repay you?", and I replied "By helping out someone else down the road". To me, the morality began and ended there. I don't care what that person, or you, think of me. I do not write this for accolades, nor did I make it up. I just try to practice what I believe. I don't believe in karma, either. None of that matters to me. Here's a 'moral poser'... suppose a very strong man from a villiage happens across two other people, a midget and an old nun from the same villiage. They are dragging a wounded elephant on a pallet to the vet, and ask for assistance. (They depend on the elephant to plow their field, say). The man has a choice to agree or disagree. He also could say, "I'll help, but it is not fair that I be expected to pull harder just because I'm stronger. I'll only pull as hard as the old nun." Or, the nun and the midget might be from a rival villiage, and the strong man could slay the nun and the midget and take the elephant. Is this 'fair'? Absolutely. Is it 'moral'? It depends on your outlook, and what you yourself would do in either position, and it matters not what others think.

Dear eureka, Sadly, you are close to being 'too right'. Still, just because we're used to being bilked, doesn't make it any more right. In fact, that is the greatest danger...acceptance of wrongdoing as the status quo. Excellent, I hope you find it as enlightening as I did. The author doesn't pull any punches, it was a refreshing read. Curse you! (I mean...well done!) I paid thirty for it new. Well worth it, though.

Psychological warfare is one of the worst parts of war, and indeed, the darkest part of the human soul. However, it exists, and is sometimes useful, but not usually. The latest from Afghanistan suggests that the US troops might have gone 'too far'. http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/WorldNF....rticleID=188024 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/WorldNF....rticleID=188022 Is there such a thing anymore as 'the moral high road'? Or has morality gone out the window, and the US can be just as bad as anyone else, with final victory the only thing that matters? When it comes to both sides desecrating each other, both sides torturing people to death, how can I hope for one to be victorious, when I'd rather see them both be gone?

Dear eureka, That shouldn't matter. Saying 'so and so is worse' should not be a justification. Who cares what others are doing. The only influence the corruption of others should have on us is to make us wary of travel or trade. (Not that it should stop us, it should just make us open our eyes wider)

Dear PocketRocket, (forgive me, I have to do this...) Land mines? Or the old abandoned kind filled with rats and zombies like I have seen in those George A. Romero documentaries? Is it on 'Amityville Street'? Surrounded by lovely Karst formations? I am having trouble imagining 'luckier'....PocketRocket, I envy your optimism. Where the pessimist sees an empty glass, you see the ring of moisture on the coffee table where the glass used to be!

Dear Sparhawk, Eureka also claimed that this was a factor, and I agree, but do not think it was the main factor. No, it would have no bearing, but might bring down a lot of audits on our head. RevCan does taxes their way, no matter what you say. (as told to me by my former employer worked for RevCan for almost 20 years.) No way. Not that much. As I said, I could see 50% over, maybe even 100%. Maybe even double that, or at a stretch, triple. Definitely not 750 x the cost.

Dear Toro, Not too far from the truth, really. I worked in a warehouse, sorting freight, with a guy who had a B.F.A, and the running joke was that it was a 'Bachelor of F#ck All'.

Dear Shakeyhands, It wasn't. It was supposed to be a 'mail-in registration', the cheapest form of gov't registries known. I would not be surprised that great many guns that are in Canada are owned by relatively few people, and many of these guns are probably 'illegal', dating back to days before mag limits, etc, plus the collectors of assault rifles, and whatnot. Most of these owners are 'good gun owners', but technically criminals for possessing 'grandpa's shotgun' that held 5 or 8 rounds instead of the now mandatory maximum of 3. ('plugs can be bought to use up extra magazine capacity, mind you) A cost over-run of even 50% would have been understandable. However, if it is going to cost me (the taxpayer) a million bucks for every gun they register, I say drop the program.

Dear Toro, To the best of my knowledge, none whatsoever. I am sure that the gov't would be flaunting any such report as a 'tremendous victory', but no such thing is heard.

Dear eureka, They may indeed have, before. There can be no question, though, that there is a problem with our government. Incompetence I can handle, to a degree, though I would prefer inexperience. Outright corruption, though, is too much, and I am surprised we rated as high as we did. This goes beyond the old jokes that 'politicians are crooks', etc. It is much too real, and has gone on for too long. It is not a simple case of political 'jousting' and spin, even though that is a part of it. The worst part is, Harper and the conservatives have had their opportunity to use these 'revelations' as the forge to hammer out a 'dragon-slaying sword' worthy of King George, but have only managed to press the case home with an annoying thumbtack. I guess this proves that they just don't have the right 'mettle'.

Dear shoop, Actually, I was thinking Canadians might breathe a sigh of relief at a coup by a junta, thinking "Thank God, no elections for a while!"

I have to agree with both Argus and Renegade on this one. If anyone pursues a degree (or even a phd) in philosophy, or even psychology, they should understand that they will either become a teacher of the subject, or a waiter. Even with other degrees, sometimes markets have gluts. A symptom of the free enterprise system, I charge. Everyone is preoccupied with profits in this quarter, not the next one.