Fairweather

No Shit! This really pisses me off. Talk about anti-trust! I can see where the Tracker might cost a bit more, but the Pieps and Ortovox are basically just simple transceivers! Wow, what technology! Major research $$$ to be recouped! Good post Iain.

SC, You asked if I would ever consider the humanity of those I consider our enemies. Indeed I have; and do. In my opinion, this is the saddest aspect of war: The fact that almost any two individuals on opposite sides of a battle line could, in all likelyhood, carry on a friendly conversation (language barriers aside) about their views, dreams, families...probably even exchange photos of their children, maybe even sit down to a meal together. Maybe even become friends. Individuals generally like eachother. Add a few more individuals to either side though, and the dynamic starts to change. More suspicion, more probing, challenging. Add thousands, millions more, and the enemy becomes irrelevant; faceless. This is very sad, but at this point in human evolution the sociology is so complex, national disagreements so clear, that the differences are insurmountable. Indeed, I'm not sure I would want to live in a world where everyone agreed to the point that some weren't willing to die for their beliefs. Tough issues of which I never intended to make light of or deny. Ever seen a movie called "A Midnight Clear"? Seperate issue: I don't like Hugo because I believe he is a communist. I believe that while communism does look good on paper, in practice it is murderous...and even worse, it dampens (maybe even kills?) the human spirit as it is expressed through hard work, entrepreneurism, and the rewards thereof.

Sexual Choad, Re: Hogo Chavez. How about the fact that his guardsmen shot 18 peaceful protesters DEAD in the streets last year, and many more since. Are you seriously trying to tell us that Hugo is operating within the framework of the Venezuelan constitution? Does it allow him to shoot citizens in the street w/o due process? How about his siezure of the Coca Cola plant and several other private sector business interests and the distribution of their assets to his loyal guards? Funny, but I don't remember ANY protesters SHOT DEAD by GW's "elite guard" the other day.

How about the other 5,993,800,000?

You obviously did not bother to read ANY of my post, and decided instead to defend your position by creating a straw man reply. I never compared Saddam to Hitler. I said "As demonstrated by WWII, sometimes the quickest way to peace is through war." John Birch Society? I've heard of it...some sort of anti UN group. Probably close to a Libertarian philosophy? Probably much I'd agreee with. (?) Regardless, I'm certainly not a member. Are you a member of The Socialist Workers Party?

Sometimes I think you won't look past your ideologies when analyzing situations. You're so caught up in notions of right and wrong, assigning blame, that you can't at all begin to see that there are ALWAYS two sides to any given situation. Yeah, I admit it can be a bit scary to allow yourself to see the "enemy" as human, just like anyone else in many ways, but I think this is vital if we're going to understand at all the recursive international situation. Just my humble opining. SexC, Had thinking like this taken root in the late 1930's, we'd all be speaking German or Russan by now. "Notions of right and wrong"? Would you have negotiated with Hitler? Face it SC; your sypathies will always lie with any nation or group that opposes America. Especially if they have socialist or communist ideals. There IS right and wrong, good and evil. And, as demonstrated by WWII, sometimes the best path to peace is through war. The light-water reactor has been under construction in NK for several years. There have been reasonable technical/political difficulties/delays in its timely completion. NK promised to abandon its "plutonium seperation" efforts. Clinton/Albright/Carter, dupes all, forgot(?) to tell NK that its uranium enrichment efforts were included in this. GW could withdraw us from the Iraqi borders tomorrow and I suspect you would proceed to blame him for allowing Saddam to kick the inspectors out of Iraq once again, and for all subsequent brutality perpetrated by his regime. I stand by my statement. You're no different than Hanoi Jane or Tokyo Rose, or the idiots that spat at our soldiers upon their return from Vietnam. You're doing it again. You're comparing Iraq to Germany. You're a bad and silly boy. I don't know why I waste time with you. I guess I'm just a sucker who gets baited really easylike. Silly me. So anyways, like I was saying, you're a bad and silly boy. Shape up. And until you can come up with something better than the WWII analogy, I'm done with you, cuz you're making yourself seem as silly as George the Dumb. SChoc, I suspect you won't answer, because you can't. Since when is using HISTORY to illustrate one's point "out of bounds"? I guess what you are saying is, "I, Sexual Chocolate have no reasonable response here, so I'm going to take my ball and play with someone else". Then you come up with "you're a bad and silly boy" and "George the Dumb". Wow! Great debate. What a joke you are! At least AK has some backbone...and maybe even an open mind.

I was simply drawing the parallel between the Chavez situation- where business and unions are united in their efforts to recall this trojan horse president, and your call for Bush's impeachment. You seem to support the latter, but not the former. Hmmmm. Almost enough to make me think you are (once again) employing a double standard.

SC, Should Hugo Chavez step down because 500,000 citizens rally regularly in Caracass and refuse to go to work because they know their efforts are for naught under his creeping socilaist model? Do you really think there will EVER be free and fair elections under his rule? Sure, he was "elected". Being elected means nothing. It's the "stepping down" part that your favorite socialist leaders seem to have difficulty doing. Castro was "elected". When's the next election, SC? Saudi Arabia: I agree. They're bastards. Pakistan: Musharref led a fairly bloodless coup after the mentally unstable president there tried to have him (and a planeload of innocents) killed by rufusing to let their plane land while it ran out of fuel. Syria: Do you support our "meddling" there now? WTF are you talking about?? Egypt: Our ties aren't that close. Iran: They'll come around if we leave 'em alone. Afghanistan: You don't know any more than anyone else here. Please stop acting like you do. Chile/Argentina: I believe Peron and Pinochet may have saved more lives than they took. I'm not condoning their methods, but what if Columbia and Peru had taken similar action. Wherever communists take hold, death on a massive scale follows. (With the possible exception of Nicaragua, as you once pointed out.) Now Venezuela, and, I predict, Brazil have very dark days ahead. No doubt you'll blame America for this at some point too. The cold war is over. Both we and the Soviets (and the Chinese) did some awful things to other peoples to be sure. Maybe it is time you stopped judging America by the actions it was forced to take to protect us from the threat of totalitarianism. The proxy wars we fought were often horrible, but necessary, and I stand by every action our government took to protect me and my family from communism. This includes Vietnam, Korea, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Angola, etc. etc. The only exception was at the onset of WWII. We should NEVER have sided with Stalin against Germany. They were both equally evil IMHO. Roosevelt surely made a deal with the devil.

TTT! Where you been?

Sexual Chamberlain, I propose that you are THE LAST person on this board who should call another here "santimonious".

Did Clinton get, or even seek, UN approval for his boming adventure in Belgrade? Where were the protesters back then? Where was Sexual Chocolate and DFA? Where was their outrage?

SC writes: Sometimes I think you won't look past your ideologies when analyzing situations. You're so caught up in notions of right and wrong, assigning blame, that you can't at all begin to see that there are ALWAYS two sides to any given situation. Yeah, I admit it can be a bit scary to allow yourself to see the "enemy" as human, just like anyone else in many ways, but I think this is vital if we're going to understand at all the recursive international situation. Just my humble opining. SexC, Had thinking like this taken root in the late 1930's, we'd all be speaking German or Russan by now. "Notions of right and wrong"? Would you have negotiated with Hitler? Face it SC; your sypathies will always lie with any nation or group that opposes America. Especially if they have socialist or communist ideals. There IS right and wrong, good and evil. And, as demonstrated by WWII, sometimes the best path to peace is through war. The light-water reactor has been under construction in NK for several years. There have been reasonable technical/political difficulties/delays in its timely completion. NK promised to abandon its "plutonium seperation" efforts. Clinton/Albright/Carter, dupes all, forgot(?) to tell NK that its uranium enrichment efforts were included in this. GW could withdraw us from the Iraqi borders tomorrow and I suspect you would proceed to blame him for allowing Saddam to kick the inspectors out of Iraq once again, and for all subsequent brutality perpetrated by his regime. I stand by my statement. You're no different than Hanoi Jane or Tokyo Rose, or the idiots that spat at our soldiers upon their return from Vietnam.

Too old. Would if I could. Lame premise on your part, anyway.

Mattp The time table appears to be dictated in part, by the approaching heat of the summer. Our forces can't fight as effectively in the scorching temps of the desert summer. And maintaining the force that is already gathered in battle-ready mode until next autumn is probably too risky - politically and physically. So yes, it does sound like the time is almost up. Although I have grave reservations about the war (based on fears about China/N Korea and NOT lack of faith in our cause) I will stand behind our troops, country, and president 100% when the shooting begins.

SC writes: SC, You say N Korea is hostile to us "for very good reason"? Are you off your rocker? If the depth of your America-loathing goes this deep, you are truly beyond help. Possibly even a...dare I say... traitor.

When the UN inspectors are told to quietly leave Iraq is when the point of no return will have been reached. Could be after tomorrow's UN report. (?)

GW has been for war all along. It sure sounds like you've been for war all along. Why else would you start a topic based on this. I have questions. If you want me to be behind war then the administration needs to answer those questions. I think a LOT of people take my view. North Korea is run by a bunch of freaks so is Iraq. If either country tried to use nuclear weapons against the US our government would turn their country to glass. North Korea has nuclear weapons and means of getting them to us. Iraq may have weapons in the future, and they might have a means of delivery in the distant future. Since you love ( ) GW you are unable to ask critical questions. Going to war demands answers to those questions. AK, My "egg-on-face" comment was re finding the weapons that the anti-was crowd seems so convinced Saddam does not have. I'll ask YOU the same question that Dr Flashunamazing still has yet to answer: If GW had not massed troops on Saddams border, do you think the UN inspectors would even BE in Iraq? You folks seem to want to have your cake.....

Dwayner, The Soviet communists used to provide "counseling" for those who dared disagree with their positions as well. As SexChoc has expressed sympathies with the Marxist model in past posts, it should not be surprising that he prescribes "counseling" to those with whom he disagrees.

Yeah Fairweather and you represent the voice of the slack jawed motherfucker Seriously your too much in favor of war. I don't plan on marching for peace, but like a lot of people I have mixed feelings about war with Iraq. We aren't going to war with North Korea, but they could hit Fircrest with a nuclear missile. Hey Alpine K, Show me the post where I advocated going to war with Iraq! As usual, you jump to (clueless) conclusions. I HAVE advocated assasinating Saddam....not the same thing as war. I have expressed my disdain for the "anti-war" movement. Show me where I supported a war in Iraq. Then get a grip.

Jon, I tried to delete several of my photos and the reply came up: "you do not have permission for this action". ??

This was reported late tonight. According to KING 5 News, the story will break in tomorrows newspapers nationwide. You seem to be in a BIG hurry to help make Iraq's case. How typical.

No lattes for me. I drink cider!

Breaking news tonight that Hans Blix will report Friday that Iraq is in "Material Breach" of UN resolution 1441 and is in posession of banned missiles. He will demand that these weapons be turned over to the UN. You peace protesters might want to bring some hankies to wipe the egg off of your faces on Saturday. Looks like GW was right all along.

"War Protester!" What an easy way to attain unearned moral stature amongst one's peers.

J_B, ...oh... that's right. I forgot about San Francisco, France and Deutchland. The latter two now united by their hatred of Jews. what about UK, Australia, NZ, Danmark, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Czech Rep, Poland...... These days, the lefties only count France, Germany, and Belgium as "Europe". The other 19 euro nations that stand with the US are conveniently overlooked when the subject comes up.