sassa Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 WATCHING American TV can be a surreal experience. Sandwiched between ads for instant weight loss products, predigested fast food, and incontinence panties, cable TV commentators bay like rabid dogs for war against Iraq, and subject nations daring to oppose President Bush's crusade to venomous abuse or sneering disdain. France, which speaks with the strongest, most logical voice of those opposing war, has become the special target of vituperation and hatred in America's leading pro-Israel media - Fox TV, the Wall Street Journal, New York Post - and the Bush administration's bete noire. Particularly so, now that France, Germany, and Russia vow to veto US attempts to ram a war-enabling resolution through the UN Security Council. France, many Americans claim, should do whatever Washington orders out of gratitude for US 'saving' it in two world wars. US TV features angry veterans standing in American military cemeteries in Normandy, denouncing France for "stabbing America in the back" - as if invading Iraq to grab its oil and crushing Israel's enemies had anything to do with World War II. Few flag-waving pundits mention America sat out almost 40 per cent of WWII until attacked by Japan. In 1940, the German armed forces were the equivalent of the US armed forces today - a full military generation ahead of other nations. France's entire army was destroyed in battle by the invincible Germans; had the US fought Germany in 1940, it too would have been routed. The Soviet Union, not the US, defeated Germany, destroying over 100 Nazi divisions. So enough with all the bombast about Word War II. In the eyes of Europeans and most of the world, George Bush's administration looks dangerously aggressive, dominated as it is by petrohawks and neo-conservative ideologues linked to Israel's far right. These little Mussolinis have no time for diplomacy or multi-nationalism. No wonder a recent Pew Research poll found that formerly favourable ratings of the US have plummeted in 19 out of 27 nations surveyed. It seems at times that President Bush is even more eager to bomb Paris than Baghdad. In fact, the administration has been treating France like an enemy, rather than America's oldest ally and intimate friend. Neo-conservatives even accuse France of anti-Semitism, a disgusting slander. Far from being an enemy, France has been doing what a true good friend should do: telling Washington its policy is wrong and dangerous, unlike the handkissing leaders of Britain, Spain and Italy, who crave Bush's political support, or the East European coalition of the shilling, ex-communist politicians pandering to Washington for cash. Seventy per cent of British, and 90 per cent of Italians and Spaniards oppose Bush's crusade. France's President Jacques Chirac speaks for an overwhelming majority of Europeans and, indeed, the world's people, in urging the US to opt for diplomacy and UN inspections over a war that will not be worth the loss of a single American soldier, not to mention tens of thousands of Iraqis and chaos across Mesopotamia. So, too, warns the great and wise Pope, John Paul II. The contrast between France's reasoned diplomatic response and Bush's belligerent behaviour could not be more stark. As is the dignified, logical tone set by President Chirac and Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin compared to the bullying, low-brow, locker-room talk issuing from the White House that has seriously damaged America's reputation and image around the globe. This week Turkey's new parliament, chosen in the first truly democratic election in memory, followed Europe, courageously rejecting Washington's bribes and demands US ground forces be allowed to attack Iraq from Turkish territory. Washington's churlish response - withdrawing its bribes, threatening punishment - contrasted curiously to Bush's claims his goal in Iraq is bringing democracy to the Mideast. Democracy, its seems, is fine so long as it does US bidding. Inconveniently, Turkey's people and democratic government voted a resounding no to war. Pakistan would do well to follow Turkey's brave example, particularly in rejecting any UN vote on war. But how long the Turks can resist intense pressure from the US and its friends, Turkey's hard right generals, remains to be seen. Bush's crusade against Iraq will go on with or without Turkey. The war will be akin to throwing a grenade into a huge hornet's nest. France, which lives next to the Arab world and has five million Muslim citizens, warns an invasion and occupation of Iraq will roil the entire region, spark more terrorism, and hit Europe with a dangerous backblast. But Bush couldn't care less, as he would say. While Bush prepares war against demolished Iraq, he is ducking the surging nuclear confrontation with North Korea, which, unlike Iraq, truly threatens North America. His outrageous dereliction of duty over Korea, obsessive war-mongering against Iraq, crude, aggressive behaviour worthy of Leonid Brezhnev's Soviet Union, threats against the UN, $400 billion deficit that will infect the world with inflation, and damage to America's reputation - such are Bush's 'accomplishments' to date. Who needs enemies with world-class blunderers like this in charge?America's friends and neighbours, led by France, the mother of diplomacy, rightly warn the steroidal Bush administration to halt its rush to war. President Chirac and Foreign Minister de Villepin deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. Americans owe France an apology, and a hearty 'merci.'- Copyright Eric Margolis 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted March 10 Report Share Posted March 10 :laugh: What a bunch of bullshit ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 This is a joke right?"Mother of Diplomacy" :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpoppanils Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by sassa Few flag-waving pundits mention America sat out almost 40 per cent of WWII until attacked by Japan. In 1940, the German armed forces were the equivalent of the US armed forces today - a full military generation ahead of other nations. France's entire army was destroyed in battle by the invincible Germans; had the US fought Germany in 1940, it too would have been routed. The Soviet Union, not the US, defeated Germany, destroying over 100 Nazi divisions. i really wish i didnt have to wait until I went to college to learn this. and we denounce other nations for feeding their children propoganda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tribal Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 France, which speaks with the strongest, most logical voice of those opposing warthis is a joke. france said it would veto military action, no matter what happens. that is logical? so if tomorrow the inspectors found a nuclear warhead on a scud aimed at israel, france would say no to replacing husseins regime. fuck the lame filthy backbone-less frogs that they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by bigpoppanils i really wish i didnt have to wait until I went to college to learn this. and we denounce other nations for feeding their children propoganda. :laugh: Are you kidding me..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted March 11 Author Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by tribal France, which speaks with the strongest, most logical voice of those opposing warthis is a joke. france said it would veto military action, no matter what happens. that is logical? so if tomorrow the inspectors found a nuclear warhead on a scud aimed at israel, france would say no to replacing husseins regime. fuck the lame filthy backbone-less frogs that they are. oh yeah..what makes you think israel doesn't have any of its own scuds aimed at iraq and other countries??? it certainly has enough of its own....please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by sassa oh yeah..what makes you think israel doesn't have any of its own scuds aimed at iraq and other countries??? it certainly has enough of its own....please. Israel has much better rockets than Scuds...and seeing their history of being attacked by other arab nations, and now terrorists, i'd figure they damn well should.Israel is like the new kid on the block that got picked on by the locals, didn't take any shit and kicked their asses but now has no friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnice35 Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by sassa oh yeah..what makes you think israel doesn't have any of its own scuds aimed at iraq and other countries??? it certainly has enough of its own....please. have you heard of one incident were Israel was the aggressor? Israel has proven they can be trusted unlike Iraq, Iran, and other hostile nations.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 IRAN: NUCLEAR SUICIDE BOMBERS? By MICHAEL LEDEEN --------------------------------------------------------------------------------March 11, 2003 -- THE story of Iran's mad dash to develop nuclear weapons is finally attracting attention. The most recent alarm is in Time magazine, quoting various experts to the effect that Iran is far more advanced than previously believed. Much of this information has been in the hands of the United States government, including some that has not been made public - including reports of a clandestine heavy water project, and the identities of numerous nuclear physicists and technicians from the former Soviet empire, above all Ukraine. Just a few weeks ago, Georgia's President Eduard Shevardnadze warned the world that top Georgian atomic experts had gone to Iran to work, and he was greatly alarmed at the discovery. As we contemplate the significance of this "breaking news," keep two main points in mind. 1) The relationship between Iran and North Korea is still underappreciated. Many people laughed at President Bush when he included North Korea in the Axis of Evil. They are not laughing today, but they still have not understood the intimacy of the relationship between Pyongyang and Tehran. Iran has had many teams working with the North Koreans for years now. Iran has tested North Korean missiles, while North Koreans have dug a tunnel network around the west and north of Tehran, so that the Iranians can conduct activities safe from the prying eyes of our spy satellites. And the North Koreans have helped the Iranians with their nuclear program as well, which is one of the reasons Iran has advanced so rapidly. Moreover, the Iranians have fully appreciated the effect of "going nuclear." They think the North Koreans have buffaloed the United States, and they believe Iran will only be able to stand up to American power if they possess nuclear weapons. 2) The mullahs are determined to obliterate Israel. Former President (and actual strongman) Hashemi Rafsanjani gave a speech many months ago in which he said that the moment Iran obtained nuclear bombs, they would be used to destroy Israel. He added that even if Israel responded in kind, and wiped out Iran in its entirety, it would still be an enormous net gain for Islam: Nearly half the Jews in the world would be killed, but only a small percentage of the world's Muslims would die in a nuclear exchange. Many will say that this is sheer bravado, but not so long ago suicide terrorism was inconceivable to most of the experts. Remember that international airline security was based on the premise that nobody would get on an airplane if they knew it was sabotaged. Thus, the key to security was insuring that every suitcase on the plane was accompanied by its owner. That guaranteed safety - unless a new kind of terrorist emerged, a killer prepared to sacrifice his or her own life in order to kill large numbers of infidels. Suicide terrorism was not invented in Iran (I believe it was first used in India and Bangladesh), but the Iranians took it to a new level of effectiveness when they sent trucks into the American Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon in the mid 1980s. The cult of suicidal "martyrdom" was openly embraced by the Ayatollah Khomeni's regime, and as recently as last autumn, government-sponsored rallies in Tehran had sign-up tables for suicidal volunteers. All of this brings us back to the fundamental, unanswered questions about our war against terrorism: Why are we doing nothing to support the Iranian people's efforts to rid themselves of their monstrous regime? How can it be that Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage publicly claims that Iran is a "democracy"? Why are we making deals with Iranian-sponsored Shi'ites regarding the future government of Iraq? The true nature of the Iranian regime is obvious to anyone with a minimum of curiosity: It tops the State Department's list of countries that sponsor terrorism. It is now public knowledge that the mullahs are literally hell-bent on producing nuclear weapons. Will we finally move against all the components of the Axis of Evil, or must we wait until President Bush's analysis is confirmed by a new act of horror?I agree with most of the points in this article which confirms that the regimes around Isreal will use WMD to get rid of Isreal if they had them so.. who is the bigger threat ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted March 11 Author Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by dnice35 have you heard of one incident were Israel was the aggressor? Israel has proven they can be trusted unlike Iraq, Iran, and other hostile nations.... this comment is really ridiculous. tell me how they can be trusted and provide proof with sources, please. otherwise, i think you're just talking shit just to talk shit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnice35 Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by sassa this comment is really ridiculous. tell me how they can be trusted and provide proof with sources, please. otherwise, i think you're just talking shit just to talk shit... once again I am going to ask you, Do you recall an incident in the past 10 or even 20 years were Israel attacked another country? keep in mind the raids on Palestine territory are self defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted March 11 Author Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by dnice35 once again I am going to ask you, Do you recall an incident in the past 10 or even 20 years were Israel attacked another country? keep in mind the raids on Palestine territory are self defense. yeah...self-defense....read about the intifada of 1987. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnice35 Posted March 11 Report Share Posted March 11 Originally posted by sassa yeah...self-defense....read about the intifada of 1987. I'll make sure to look that up, when I have some free time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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