Question of the Day | 04/10/2008 12:00 am

How do you feel about Iraq right now? What is your biggest fear, and what is your biggest hope?

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germany and japan surrendered and admitted they were defeated. whatever we find in iraq, we do not find humility and cooperation with us.

By mary lou s on 04/10/2008 9:20 pm

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Mary lou, We can describe the attitude of the Axis however we, the victors, want. We are the one writing the history.(?) It doesn’t matter because there is as much a cultural understanding gap as there is with the Iraqi.Can we maintain understanding that culture is people responding to the needs of their family, village, government in the enviornment they find themselves. I’m supporting this interpretation more because of the differences in strategies I’ve observed among new neighbors, within a completely new enviornment, from the change I’ve made moving from LA, west coast to WNC, southeast. Different methods for similar goals. We have different cultures in the US even among people of similar ethnicity. I’ll restate: Agreement to our ideas or methods should not be an expected part of a settlement.

By quiltsis one on 04/11/2008 11:30 am

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Germany and Japan were defeated in ways that Iraq never was. The investment in troops and determination was so much higher. A comparison comes to mind. Kosovo, to keep the peace and to make the country work, had at one time some 56,000 foreign troops, from controlling the traffic to making the court houses work… and Kosovo is 50 times smaller than Iraq. For the Iraqi war, how many soldiers were sent? 130,000? Iraq would have needed, not just to win the war, but to enforce the peace and to make it function, so it would not collapse, over 1/2 million troops. The USofA could not provide those troops alone without introducing the draft, which was not even contemplated. I know nothing military, but my common sense tells me that if to make Kosovo work you need 56,000 troops, to make Iraq work many, many, many more than the 130,000 sent were needed, and that the Iraq experience was doomed from start. What I wonder is how the teachings of Kosovo, so recent, had been forfotten in some 3 to 4 years. As for humility and cooperation; we have no idea what was found in Iraq, the media reported only one side. Sigh!

By María E. on 04/14/2008 6:22 am

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I cringe when the topic of War comes up! Yes, I know that wars are as old as time, and I thank God for those who have fought to protect their homes, the innocent, and to spread peace. However, I am so sorry that the president that I voted for has allowed older grey beards to bully their way into history books on the pretense of preserving democracy. My president had his moment in history to leave his mark for good. I feel he let others determine the destiny of his presidency and now the destiny of our world. I pray for my grandson, my former students, my neighbor’s sons and daughters to come home safely. No one will win…the damage to the war torn Iraq and her people is too significant. The damage to our sons and daughters who will forever have memories of the horrors they have witnessed will never be a victory. I pray for our future president and for our world.

By LJ R on 04/11/2008 5:58 pm

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My greatest fear is that we will continue to meddle in the Middle East for decades, if not centuries, to come. The war in Iraq was a total mistake from day one; the sabre rattling at Iran is foolish. Iran is a wonderful country and its people have always admired America … but first the British and then the US installed and supported dictators (Shahs) who robbed the country while keeping the people desperately poor. In the early 1950s, the US CIA, in cahoots with the British, overthrew Iran’s democratically elected prime minister, a Swiss-trained PhD in law, who wanted nothing but his country’s betterment. Harry Truman liked him and he liked the democracy movement in Iran. Then Eisenhower and his cold war mentality came into power and the CIA, acting out of the American Embassy, destroyed Iran’s democracy. Our disasterous involvement in Iraq is plain for everyone to see. We need to stop treating the countries and people of the Middle East as our inferiors; we need to meet with them on a level playing field and deal fairly with them. They have the oil we need, you say. Of course they do, and they need to sell it. They’ll be happy to sell it to us in a fair trade. Our press must stop demonizing the people of this part of the world, and we must stop molly-coddling Israel. Israel needs to grow up and come to a FAIR aggreement with the Palestinians. They could’ve ended the conflict years ago, but their greed for land and water has made them continue the conflict while pretending to be the victim. Our press is so biased on this issue, that few Americans have any idea what has happened and is still happening in this conflict. What we need is a very well-informated, rational, and fair policy for dealing with all the countries of the Middle East. They could easily be our friends if we implemented such a policy. If we do not do this, conflict all over the area will continue, putting our lives, our children’s lives and our economy at great risk. This is my greatest fear.

By Lilly Alexandra on 04/10/2008 10:03 am

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Your comments seemed to be the most rational. I think it is worth the try to try and regain respect and honor in these countries.

By Joyce Racette on 04/10/2008 11:46 am

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Lilly, Absolutely…however if we have a president that tries this sane and reasonable approach he will be shot or otherwise contained by the corporate owned press….they simply make too much money in these phony invasions/occupations and the oil companies/military etc are in lock step.

By Buh-Bye Hillary Hillary Buh-Bye on 04/11/2008 5:36 am

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Lily A: at this point, I do not want to vote in november. Simply it is not my style. But that is how I feel up to this minute. That tells me how much I trusted the two of the three candidates, as for the third, I think I have the fear that most white people has had but did not want to discuss it. I am a Chinese-American, I have seen a lot of things in my life time. I think most white folks still have doubts about having a black man to be their president, because of the slavery issue…. As for Hillary… well, forget about her! But I do agree with the view about Israel though. Israel’s ” survival” worries me. In the name of “survival” they treated the Muslims just as the way the Nazi treated them during WWII. But Israel seemed already put Washington in its pocket !—- invading Iraq, for example! I have fear— I have fear that my three grand children grow up to fight the Israeli WARS!————-If we don’t finish this planet with the powerful nuclear weapons before hand! There are so many good people could be the next president, but why pick the one who was a prisoner of war before? I am very suspicious about McCan’s mental stability!…. That is why I do not want to vote in november! I liked Ron Paul. but… dancewu(dot)net

By GEORGE WU, A.I.A. on 04/11/2008 9:31 am

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Quoting you ” Israel’s ” survival” worries me. In the name of “survival” they treated the Muslims just as the way the Nazi treated them during WWII. ” Really???? Where are the concentration / death camps for Muslims that the Israelis have set up, to follow your comparison? Where are the Auschwitzes where Israel has interned and eliminated the Muslims? And since when the Iraq war is an Israeli war? your coutnry (if you are American) has invaded Iraq for its own real or perceived interests, because it is the only world superpower and superpowers do invade others… and what is Israel doing there????? Are yopu even aware that 20% of Israel’s inhabitants are Muslims, Palestinians who are Muslims? Your affirmation is a nonsensical, anti-Semitic sounding piece. Read and get informed before you make such comments. First it is untrue, and then they ring anti-Semitic

By María E. on 04/14/2008 5:53 am

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Maria E.:—- Please don’t do the usual thing calling names ANTI-SEMITIC THIS AND THAT, JUST TALK WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW— IF YOU HAVE GOOD ARGUMENT; YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL ME NAMES!……….In 1949, Israel became a nation. and took the land from the Palestinians.( the movie “EXEDUS” with Paul Newman),…and had concentration camps in Lebanon years later…. The Muslims claimed that because the Jews mistreated the Palestinians, therefore there was 911….. Rumsfeld’s right hand man( a Jew, a PHD.in political science) had a global plan: the middle east, North Korea,…… Israel had lobbied Washington for years …. Israel’s survival: Iran’s threat is imminent…. Then Iraq…. Now Iraq…. The U.S. has been fighting an Israeli war in Iraq, and could not get out of there…… Pretty soon my three grand children will probably have to fight an Israel’s war when they grow up. That is my worst fear!—————dancewu(dot)net

By GEORGE WU, A.I.A. on 04/14/2008 11:30 pm

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Quoting you : “Maria E.:—- Please don’t do the usual thing calling names ANTI-SEMITIC THIS AND THAT” Your affirmation is anti-Semitic. That’s not “as usual calling names”. I am NOT calling you names, I am qualifying your writing and it is anti-Semitic. Don’t write that way, those nonsensical anti-Semitic things and I will not qualify them. “, JUST TALK WHAT YOU KNOW” I happen to know. And I know what I am talking about. You seem not to, and repeat idiotic anti-Semitic platitudes. “AND WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW— IF YOU HAVE GOOD ARGUMENT;” Here goes my argument : Iraq’s war is not “Israel’s war”. It is YOUR OWN COUNTRY’S WAR. It is your country, your USA, with your tax money, HAVING INVADED IRAQ AND KILLING IRAQIS, and being killed by Iraqis too. That’s it. Israel has nothing to do in this story, and to bring it in as if it were the Israelis fault that your country makes war IS ANTI-SEMITIC, in a very thin disguise. “YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL ME NAMES!” I did NOT call you names. I call your writing names because it is unacceptably anti-Semitic. In this side of the ocean (Europe) to make anti-Semitic comments can be a crime. “……….In 1949, Israel became a nation.” No, it became a state in 1948. Jews had always been a nation. “and took the land from the Palestinians.( the movie “EXEDUS” with Paul Newman)” Uy come on! as if the contents of a film where instead of History!!! “,…and had concentration camps in Lebanon years later…. ” NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO AND NO. Israel DID NOT, HAS NOT EVER MADE CONCENTRATION CAMPS… AND THAT IS TOTALLY AND WILDLY ANTI-SEMITIC. “The Muslims claimed that because the Jews mistreated the Palestinians, therefore there was 911….. ” Give me a break! do some basic reading and then discuss the subject. You are piling more nonsense on the idiocy.

By María E. on 04/15/2008 4:45 am

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Maria is a Christian name, isn’t it? Or am I talking to a coward who did not want to show its real identity!…. I am a Chinese-American——Here I think some one like Liz Smith can tell you some thing that can knock you off balance if she is herself by now. Because people like Hillary Clinton, in order to get elected, she would sell herself to Israel and keep the troops in Iraq indefinitely to protect Israel from the Muslims once she got elected and my three grand children will grow up to fight the wars for Israel!… She would do anything to be elected!—- By the way, a lot of people ,even you, know exactly what I have been talking about. Name calling had discouraged a lot of people in the past, that tactic scared a lot of people, especially those high up on the top…Any way I believed you know exactly what I mean, even you do not want to admit it. You reminded me of the Japs who denied that the Rape of Nanking ever happened, using the number games, such as they did not agree upon the number was 300.000 deaths, therefore they used that as an excuse to deny everything! I told them killing one is one too many! the Japs should apologize because they invaded China…..News for you the Jews would love the American troops go into Iran.—That is my opinion. Am I anti-semitic by saying that? If yes , SO WHAT?!!—-dancewu(dot)net

By GEORGE WU, A.I.A. on 04/15/2008 10:45 am

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Quoting Wu : “Maria is a Christian name, isn’t it? ” Yes, it is a Christian name, so what? I am Spanish and Roman Catholic, so what? what has it got to do with your anti-Semitic writing? “Or am I talking to a coward who did not want to show its real identity!…. I am a Chinese-American——” Again, so what? I am Spanish from Spain and you are Chinese from America, so bloody what? “Here I think some one like Liz Smith can tell you some thing that can knock you off balance if she is herself by now. Because people like Hillary Clinton, in order to get elected, she would sell herself to Israel and keep the troops in Iraq indefinitely to protect Israel from the Muslims once she got elected and my three grand children will grow up to fight the wars for Israel!… She would do anything to be elected!—-” And what all that rambling nonsense has to do with your anti-Semitic writing? “By the way, a lot of people ,even you, know exactly what I have been talking about. Yes, you bet I do, you utter brainless, information-less anti-Semitic nonsense. “Name calling had discouraged a lot of people in the past, ” I am resisting the strong temptation to call you names, being disciplined not to call you anti-Semitic bigot, uninformed gross racist nincompoop. You see? I don’t call you any of that, I simply qualify your writing as anti-Semitic. That’s all. “Any way I believed you know exactly what I mean, even you do not want to admit it. ” I do admit that I know EXACTLY what you mean. You mean to write anti-Semitic stuff and you do. Your anti-Semitic writing is as old as Westeen civilisation : “blame it on the Jews” Pfiew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ikhhhsssssss! (sounds of disgust) “You reminded me of the Japs …” You DON’T want to know who you remind me of. I’ll remain disciplined and will not tell you who exactly you remind me of. Ikkhhssssssssss!

By María E. on 04/16/2008 8:02 am

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Maria the Christian MAN—- OK, IT WAS 1948,N0T 1949. SO WHAT?! COULD THAT BE THE REASON WHY ISRAEL NEVER TOOK THE LAND FROM THE PALESTINIANS?—-dancewu(dot)net

By GEORGE WU, A.I.A. on 04/15/2008 11:35 am