scott_harpell

If oil was the deciding factor, why are we not in Sierra Leone?

It is really not my place to say, but I would have no problem going to Darfur. I think that we could do a lot of good. Only problem I see is that there is not anyone to take over the reigns. This would make our stay in Sudan indefinite. If you think that the post invasion goings on in Iraq was bad. Imagine trying to rebuild (really...just build) a country with no signs of viable long term leadership. I would love nothing more though than to ensure that every murderor I came accross would never harm another innocent person again; would never steal UN rations agan. I suggest that all of you that feel so strongly about Darfur work to convince your representatives that this is a noble use of our manpower and position.

I figured I would help out Kevbone. He is having enough trouble keeping up.

...I am glad that you are completely dependant on us. It works as great leverage.

Most complex opinions have some level of hypocrisy. You must be as complex as nuclear physics then cheif.

This is more true than you will ever know, or admit. You are welcome. That is the reason you have more subs in the West Edmonton mall than in your entire Navy. You have got a few brave lads in your country and I tip my hat to em for fighting for their country and comming back to the vile crap their fellow "countrymen" give to them upon return.

Finishing this Iraq thing is not a good idea. It became apparently a bad idea to me when the terrorists where doing and continue to use those bombs in civilian areas and against the military. Obviously the terrorists needed places to sleep, eat, and crap. It meant they were living "somewhere". And that "somewhere" was in civilian houses. If they were in civilian houses, and the neighbors knew, then what it meant was the the communities where these terrorists were at were supporting them. Even aquiescence is support. If the community was supporting terrorists in some way, then obviously the US was not wanted by those in the community. Let the Iraqi people decide their own path. Then I have had to ask myself when this thing goes to civil war, is that genocide? If it was genocide would I support stopping it? You are over simplifying the matter. The political-religious climate in Iraq is mind boggling. Promises are made that certain factions will be protected and others will be targeted in order to get the necessary silence. The militants are using the hatred of the varying factions to get citizens to comply. This is extrememly similar to the goings on in WWII in eastern europe. This is a very complex region and simple one paragraph answers, or one sentence answers (in the case of Kevbone) will not come anywhere near to describing what is going on over there.

War is ugly. We only see this now because of technology. Anyone remember CNN broadcasting the first invasion? Awe inspiring. No-one had seen anything like it. There has never been a war that was pure; that was ideologically sound. The decision to go to war rests heavy on those who have to call their nations' sons, brothers, friends and fathers to war. I made a decision to be a soldier for my country; the best I could be. I did not do so because of 9/11; I did not do so because I believe in a war, or any war for that matter. I did it because I love this country with all its faults and idiosyncracies. I have lived all over the world and love this country enough that I decided that I would commit to stand up for those that wish this country harm. It is not my decision where to go or what to do when I get there. I am just a willing conduit that hopes and prays that his government is making the right decisions. It is foolish to question such things while fighting an enemy ideologically bent to destroy you. You must fight for your life, the lives of your friends and more importantly your country. To let doubt cloud your mind at that instant is to resign to death. I think about politics while I am here. I cannot do it when I head out to a place where people want to kill based upon my ethnicity, my citizenship and the religion they assume I subscribe to. Kevbone, you say this is not a war. Why is it not a war? because the enemy doesn't follow the geneva conventions? Because they hid amoungst children to sheild their fire? Because they believe that they are doing God's will? This is war. It is ugly and it is necessary. Violence is a necessity to combat extreem greed and violence. I know that you would like to think that we are past that. We, may be past that, but some are not and that is the reason that there must be people ready to stand up to those that wish to visit harm upon the innocent; if nothing less than a deterrant. Truth be told, I would love to go to Africa. There are horrible attrocities that are perpetrated there every day. Problem is this: There is no money to fund any reconstruction and there aren't good rulers ready to accept a democratic rule. It would be wrong to go somewhere and oust a dictator only to let another one be swept into the position by the power vacuum that we created. We have done it before and I hope that we have learned from our mistakes. We helped Afghanistan get free from the USSR and let the oppressive rule of militants take over. I hope very much that you understand that we need to stay in Iraq to finish our mission in order to make sure that we dont let another genocidal leader take reigns from the last one. That is my opinion and I am sticking to it.

Pretty tough words coming from the biggest fucking idiot on this site. But you must admit that KB has an almost coherent point, and we should at least acknowledge that - if only for its rarity. If it weren't mired in hypocricy? Possibly.

You commend me only if I don't have to go to war? Huh, boy taht made sense cum dumpster.

oh, as always, you are damn fun to mock That's nice. Since you have so much to contribute to this discussion... please go on. you can't teach a piece of shit you got me there buddy

oh, as always, you are damn fun to mock That's nice. Since you have so much to contribute to this discussion... please go on.

present facts. you have presented none. I don't give a fuck about your opinion. then perhaps your time on this thread is wasted young man.

"Scott thinks that what we did was right to quash genocide, then why doesn’t he think we should stop the genocide in Darfur?" I would love to. Keep doing your part to petition your congressman and your president. I will shortly thereafter go.

:up: he chooses to blindy follow, chooses to spew his shit, then demands respect that he can't command I have done neither. You are so transparent. You try to put words in my mouth. You constantly change the subject to divert attention to the fact that you are unable to use emotions to sway me. I will not be assuaged because some two bit anonymous poster on a liberal climbing site calls me names. The entirety of my actions on this post are to point out something that maybe you have overlooked and possibly open up the possiblity that finishing this out is not such a bad idea after all. There are plenty of people that can look at other's opinions and learn while not changing their own viewpoints and ways of thinking. It appears you are not one of them.

"spell their leaders" WTF kind of grammar is that? I'm still waiting for Scott to comprehend the subtle differences between the US and a parlimentary democracy. I'm also waiting for granite to decompose. was that question posed? I didn't know I was supposed to be hashing out the two. Well, it certainly seems flawed in that there is no real distinction between the different branches. I would think you would have a problem with checks and balances... maybe that is why cretin was allowed to do such un-Canadian activities. I suppose the ability to vote a person into office rather than a party head would seem to be nice, but it hasn't worked out too well for the canucks. but then at the same time, you pretty much have a one party government, and it just changes with the ebb and flow. seems that there wouldn't be enough time for change to take place before another party came in and just washed all the progress down the tube. all and all it seems pretty uneffective and not very efficient.

When soldiers start questioning authority, that's the day we turn into the French. Absolutely he should be blindly following his leader's (legal) orders. Like a fucking robot, I hope. That is exactly it.

So, 1/2 of those quotes weren't even mine, I never said you hated America and... wow... you have amazingly thin skin. Hugh, you go ahead and enlighten me. I am sure you will launch into a diatribe about "freeing tibet" and shit. So Hugh, tell me why we should invade China then if that is what you are implying. If you are not, you are obviously just trying to call me the same names you call everyone you feel a threat: puppet, neo-con, fascist, ect...

who did this? Certainly not I.

I agree that it is incredibly lame to defame a soldier who sacrificed himself to save his comrades' lives. But to imply that this soldier's death had something to due with defending and protecting our constituional rights is absurd, and disregards the absolutely fucked decisions that put him in that situation. He took a solemn vow to put your rights over his life. That is not at all absurd.

I think an emphasis on spec ops would have been more beneficial. The main task is the rebuilding. Certain Special units are designed to teach and to train security forces within an indiginous population. They are also able to do site surveys which point out necessities and ways to go about getting them. Ie a well. I think having them there; being more culturally savvy would help win hearts and minds. Having the regular army there as extra security and to provide for logistics would also make a heap of sense. These units have done great things in Iraq and out of Iraq. In Afghanistan, they worked wonders working with indiginous populations doing in a month what the Soviet Union couldn't do in years.

I don't like Obama, but it would be a bad move for him to allow Hillary to force herself into this position. He needs to look tough to beat McCain. We have had a Bush or Clinton in the W.H. for what? over 20 years? Time for a change.

When was the last time "Chinas leader" used military nerve agent to kill his own people? How would we win that war while Western Europe and Russia have such close ties with them? You thought our coalition was lacking in International power in Iraq? Look out if you think that the rest of the World will let us take out their source of cheap labor. True, Russia, France, Italy ect were getting oil illegally from Saddam, but this economic tie would be unimaginable to break. It would turn the World's economics on its ass. That is why.

Kev. You need a reading lesson. We fought Iraq for as I said "weeks." Now, if this occupation is costing billions, how can it possibly be about the oil. I will concede that oil had a reason as to why we went to Iraq over some other equally deserving shit hole, but it was not the sole reason. That is as stupid as saying the Civil War was about slavery; or the Revolution was about tea. War crimes is a bit much Kev. He was given information that he says he took to be the truth. Whether or not he did or not is conjecture. You know very little how fucked up Mil. Intel. can get. The crux of this is that regardless of WMD's ect, we still have taken out a murderous dictator; charged, tried and hung by his peers of murders, genocide, real war crimes, and a lifetime of truly sadistic actions. What do you think the real reason we used the bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why did the benevolent USA sell military supplies from its ports to its allies instead of fighting in WWII for years? World politics is a confusing bitch. At least I can admit I don't understand it. You are so bold saying that you have figured out World politics with one word.