|  | 
        
         |  | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 04:02 [#01656268] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | anyways, i took this photo of thelondon underground on sunday, and now dedicate it to alll those effected by it.. i didn't
 think it become this poignant within a week.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 04:06 [#01656270] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Exaph, i don't know where to start on your penultimate post.. it is wrong and misinformed on so many levels. the US
 armed iraq.. maybe you should remember that..
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 04:06 [#01656271] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Saddam was a ruthless bollix. His sons were sadistic bastards as well, and rapists.
 
 None of them were terrorists in the normal sense of the
 word.
 
 Yes, Iraq needlessly invaded kuwait in the 80s with weapons
 (chemical and biological...) provided by the US. Immediately
 began the UN sanctions and the Gulf War. After the war, Iraq
 was crippled, was without reasonable defense (i'm not saying
 more arms should have been given to the bastard, i'm just
 stating the facts) and there were thousands of ordinary
 people dieing of hunger.
 
 I'll now answer your last question, since its answer is
 related to what I just said - what to do with Saddam? The
 obvious thing to do is to do what the US have done
 throughout central American countries and, indeed, countries
 all over the world, when a unfavourable, often very popular
 regime (socialism, what? we can't have that...) takes hold:
 fund terrorists and revolutionaries who are living there and
 want change.
 
 I can give you links to documentation of lots of instances
 of the US doing this. The reason they didn't do it in Iraq
 is that it would have left an Iraqi-decided government in
 charge, and not some puppet government which would make nice
 economic and oil deals with the US.
 
 And don't bring up the Iraqi elections because they were an
 absolute farce -- less than 1/3 of all Sunnis turned out to
 vote due to intimidation.
 
 The last point to address - the hostage takers springing up
 from the smoke... Seriously, think about it. Where do you
 think they came from?
 
 It's inevitable that this was going to happen - an enormous
 influx of mujahideen from the Arabic world. What better
 incentive for a budding extremist than pictures of Iraq
 getting bombed, Arabs killed, Arabs holed up in Guantanamo
 bay, Arabs tortured in various sick ways, the Koran
 desecrated?
 
 Everything the Americans and British are encountering now is
 their own (mainly the Americans - Brits have more experience
 with how to treat victims of imperealism) fault.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 04:09 [#01656274] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I didn't relate my third paragraph back. IDIOT. 
 What I meant was, the obvious thing to do would be to fund
 and arm revolutionaries and have the regime overthrown from
 within - instead of starving the entire population and
 extinguishing any hope or possibility at all of a
 revolution.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 04:24 [#01656279] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to rustic: #01656270
 | 
| 
     
 
 | i take that point. mistrust? 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 04:25 [#01656281] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to redrum: #01656274
 | 
| 
     
 
 | who are you redressing? 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 04:32 [#01656284] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | The problem with regime change and enforced "democracy" is just that. It is enforced, and done for Iraqs rich oil
 reserves not for the iraqi people. People don't blow
 themselves up for no reason. They blow themselves up because
 their families have been murdered by American bombs in a
 frankly cowardly compaign by the US and British forces. If
 we marched into Basra and Bagdad they would have welcomed us
 with welcome arms. Instead we bombed supposed "military
 targets" in heavily populated residential areas killing
 countless men, women and children(and they haven't even been
 bothered to count and honour the dead).
 Saddams nuclear and military might was always exagerrated by
 him to hold onto power and anyone who knew anything about
 Iraq pre-2002 knew this.
 Our leaders fabricated information and played to our fears
 so they could rob iraq of it's rich natural resources which
 should be for the iraqi people and them alone.
 
 The solution to removing Saddam was heavy political pressure
 which was being applied by the UN with the successful but
 irresponsibly cut short weapons inspections. We should have
 helped arm the Kurdish insurgants in the north and encourage
 an uprising from within. Iraq although under a brutal regime
 was a fairly harmonious society with a proud history of
 education and medical excellence. I personally believe
 saddams regime at the time of the invasion was pretty
 impotent and no more or less oppressive than many of the
 other governments in the region, which the US/UK have
 overlooked and infact supported! (Uzbekistan gets 500m a
 year and has a former COMMUNIST dictator in charge / Saudi
 Arabia a kingdom which opresses women to a medieval degree /
 Isreal, a state borne out of terrorism which has been given
 a modern army and HAS nuclear weapons but won't admit it )
 
 Seriously fucked up our world is
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 04:38 [#01656285] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to rustic: #01656284
 | 
| 
     
 
 | very good points tom, so you agree though that he should have been removed?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 04:43 [#01656288] Points: 12878 Status: Addict | Followup to Exaph: #01656281
 | 
| 
     
 
 | i was addressing you with my posts. and myself with the 'idiot' remark.
 
 i'd appreciate a response.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 04:43 [#01656289] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Theres is a different culture. What about Islam Karimov and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 04:52 [#01656292] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | no worries, i was going to respond, just trying to understand what you are saying. but yeah, fair points, i can
 totally see that.
 
 although i cant think of a time when the us have adopted the
 tactics you say you have links for.
 
 i still maintain that terrorists dont grow overnight; but
 yes i understand their contempt for the west probably
 accelerated their activity..
 
 the approaches you suggest for removing saddam are surely
 much more risque though? do you think blair had our best
 interests at heart?
 
 always seems to trace back to us incompetence..
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 04:55 [#01656295] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Why pull weapons inspectors out? why rush into war? why go under the WHOLE international community? (other than a
 handful of sycophantical countries like bulgaria and spain)
 
 OIL
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Sire
             from the depths (Finland) on 2005-07-08 05:03 [#01656300] Points: 616 Status: Lurker | Followup to Exaph: #01656292
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Sorry to jump in the conversation in the middle like this, but i find it really disturbing that someone could honestly
 believe that "Blair had our best interests at heart" when
 going to war in Iraq.
 
 It's all about £ $ €
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:11 [#01656302] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I never suggested terrorists grow over-night.. America has been arming Israel for decades, for example. When it comes
 to a head like this, and there's so much fucked up shit
 going on, people are bound to turn radical.
 
 The methods I suggested are tried and tested by America.. in
 Chile, Nicaragua, Colombia, Haiti, Cambodia...LAZY_LIST
 of US military interventions since 1945. quite a few. I'll
 find a Chomsky lecture in which he details some of these
 atrocities and give you a link or something.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:13 [#01656304] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Rather easier to read 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 05:18 [#01656307] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | This whole debate makes me feel sick because they are getting away it and there is little hope.. if they try and
 go into Iran they are going to lose badly
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 05:19 [#01656308] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to Sire: #01656300
 | 
| 
     
 
 | to quote myself with the emphasis added; 
 do you think blair had our best interests at heart?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  nacmat
             on 2005-07-08 05:19 [#01656309] Points: 31275 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | over 50 deaths 
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 05:21 [#01656310] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to redrum: #01656302
 | 
| 
     
 
 | ok, i'll have a look at that, it really interests me. cheers.
 
 but isnt it one thing to try and bomb military targets and
 another to blatently blow up the innocent, with that
 intent?
 
 are we regarding this and 9/11 as totally unrelated btw?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:26 [#01656313] Points: 12878 Status: Addict | Followup to Exaph: #01656292
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Colombia - http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200412--.htm Haiti - http://www.chomsky.info/articles/20040309.htm
 General (i reccomend this) - http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200205--02.htm
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:28 [#01656315] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Oh, this isn't just military targets.. 
 this is hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 05:29 [#01656316] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to redrum: #01656315
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Thats speculation.. prove that! There may be some yes, but how many?
 
 The keyword here is intent anyway.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  euphonicfilter
             from illadelphia (United States) on 2005-07-08 05:32 [#01656323] Points: 2443 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | :rustic: 
 you have to read about the torture and mistreatment done by
 saddam before you can call him "impotent" - he was a savage
 (in many ways) and therefore needed to be removed
 
 not to say that my president (ugh i hate saying that) isnt
 himself, im sure he eats souls for dinner, but saddam was
 ruling with a physical iron fist most democracies dont
 
 he needed to be removed, dont ask me how, im not smart
 enough to know a peaceful / useful way of doing it - all i
 know is he is one bad mama-jama
 
 on another note - our hearts go out to london - having
 family who was and some who still are british i feel for you
 - and all level headed americans feel for you
 
 a shame...
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 05:39 [#01656333] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Corporal punishment exists in America.. do you not think that is a little backwards?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 05:40 [#01656338] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | sorry not corporal loil, capital 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  BoxBob-K23
             from Finland on 2005-07-08 05:41 [#01656341] Points: 2440 Status: Regular
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I don't know what to say: whether to express obvious sorrow over what's occured in the beautiful (if labyrinthine) city
 of London, or to tackle the muddy reasons for the current
 states-of-affairs that have led to the animosity that
 literally exploded in our faces yesterday.
 
 I agree with much of what redrum etc have said.
 
 Here's my ten cents' worth:
 
 It's a civil war between Christian, Jewish, Islamic and
 Secular fundamentalists:
 
 Bush and to some extend Blair belong to the first group,
 while Israelite Zionists to the second, together with their
 cohorts, U.S. "born-again" evangelists like Falwell or John
 Ashcroft (these goyim jews).
 
 The third group consists of the Bin-Ladenists and mullahs
 and ayatollahs and mujahadiins and shahids (=martyrs) of the
 Mid-Eastern or Far-Eastern variety. They've been receiving
 money and support from groups one and four, including
 weapons (either directly or via trade-offs like Iran-Contra
 or the Halliburton subsidiaries).
 
 The fourth group consists mostly of secular Marxists,
 ex-Trotskyists (like practically all of the Neo-Cons like
 Wolfowitz, Strauss, Horowitz etc.), imperial supremacists
 (the elder Bush, Reagan, Teddy Roosevelt), bleeding-heart
 globalist liberals (Clinton) and business tycoon McWorldists
 (Murdoch, Cheney, Rumsfeld), not to forget geopolitical
 hawks like Condoleeza Rice.
 
 ... Then there's the lazy-brained mixed breed Texan variety:
 An aristocrat at birth, a former drug-addict, a born-again
 fundamentalist Christian, an inheritor to corporate wealth,
 a hyper-conservative social fascist - namely G.W.Bush.
 
 I'm just saying all these groups are rather dimwitted and
 bastardly.
 
 They have one thing in common, too: They resort to
 short-sighted violence.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:46 [#01656347] Points: 12878 Status: Addict | Followup to Exaph: #01656316
 | 
| 
     
 
 | It's not speculation, it's fact. 
 The US has been chastised by the UN Security Council many
 times for its warcrimes, but vetos every resolution, so you
 never get to hear about it.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  i_x_ten
             from arsemuncher on 2005-07-08 05:51 [#01656349] Points: 10031 Status: Regular
 | 
| 
     
 
 | do you remember when people thought pictures like these were funny?
 
 
 
 | 
        |  | Attached picture | 
	
	 |  | 
   | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:52 [#01656351] Points: 12878 Status: Addict | Followup to i_x_ten: #01656349
 | 
| 
     
 
 | No, can't say i do.. :o 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 05:52 [#01656352] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to redrum: #01656347
 | 
| 
     
 
 | If its fact then you should be able to give me an exact number.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 05:56 [#01656354] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | “We don’t do body counts” --General Tommy Franks, US Central Command
 
 I'll find a good chomsky lecture, as I promised, where he
 goes through these atrocities once I have the time. He does
 a far better job at talking about this stuff than I ever
 could.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  i_x_ten
             from arsemuncher on 2005-07-08 05:57 [#01656357] Points: 10031 Status: Regular | Followup to redrum: #01656351
 | 
| 
     
 
 | well, they never were. 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 06:03 [#01656358] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Or even, fuck this - 
 how's about you spend some time doing a bit of research
 yourself, Exaph? It's obvious you could use it.
 
 I'm not wasting my fucking time educating one single
 ignorant randomer on the internet.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 06:05 [#01656359] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | THe problem is a lot of people have these strong very conservative views without knowing any of the details ..
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  Exaph
             from United Kingdom on 2005-07-08 06:08 [#01656363] Points: 3718 Status: Lurker | Followup to redrum: #01656358
 | 
| 
     
 
 | thank fuck you lot are so well informed, because you have done a body count. get fucked, i didnt want to argue.. i
 guess if you had been travelling the underground a couple of
 days ago you'd feel fucking differently. im off.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  redrum
             from the allman brothers band (Ireland) on 2005-07-08 06:10 [#01656364] Points: 12878 Status: Addict
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I didn't want to argue either, I just got pissed off by your vapidity.
 
 I think I've shown myself to be a hell of a lot more
 informed than you, with your "OMG FUCKING MUSLIMS THOSE
 PRICKS WILL BURN IN HELL"-esque post.
 
 yes i fucking know that's not what you wrote but it was just
 as racist and IGNORANT.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  rustic
             from London (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 06:16 [#01656366] Points: 151 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I was on the underground his morning and every day other than weekends
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  mylittlesister
             from ...wherever (United Kingdom) on 2005-07-08 06:33 [#01656390] Points: 8472 Status: Regular
 | 
| 
     
 
 | "i guess if you had been travelling the underground a couple of
 days ago you'd feel fucking differently."
 
 why's that then?
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  i_x_ten
             from arsemuncher on 2005-07-08 06:44 [#01656405] Points: 10031 Status: Regular | Followup to mylittlesister: #01656390
 | 
| 
     
 
 | yeah what happened on wednesday? 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  earface
             from somewhere (Yugoslavia) on 2005-07-08 09:10 [#01656582] Points: 492 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | I don't think 'IRA' and 'decency' are compatible terms. 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         |  thecurbcreeper
             from United States on 2005-07-10 10:05 [#01658304] Points: 6045 Status: Lurker
 | 
| 
     
 
 | Glad to hear no bad news so far from the people here. I thought of you guys when I had heard the news.
 
 
 
 | 
        
         |   | 
        
         | Messageboard index
 
 
        
 |