"Free the People" pro war propaganda.

[Tmy]

I'm all for taking out Saddam, but it bugs me to hear "freeing the Iragi people" as a justification for war. AS if we care about the Iraqi people! We just want Saddam out.

Just last week I heard a feel good story about the first Afgani woman to get a drivers licence. Oh the things they can do now that the Taliban is gone!

Did we care about the Talibans abuse all these years? I firmly believe that we would have let the Taliban retain power if they had turned over Bin Ladin and AL Queda. Isnt that what Tony Blair said prior to the invasion?

[aerocontrols]

Originally posted by Tmy
I'm all for taking out Saddam, but it bugs me to hear "freeing the Iragi people" as a justification for war. AS if we care about the Iraqi people! We just want Saddam out.

Speak for yourself.

Originally posted by Tmy
Just last week I heard a feel good story about the first Afgani woman to get a drivers licence. Oh the things they can do now that the Taliban is gone!

Did you also read about how the UN is meeting, for the first time ever, it's food relief targets? Did you read about the measles vaccinations, which will save 100s of thousands of lives every year, did you read about the tetanus vaccinations, which will save the lives of 10s of thousands of pregnant mothers and newborn babies?

Originally posted by Tmy
Did we care about the Talibans abuse all these years? I firmly believe that we would have let the Taliban retain power if they had turned over Bin Ladin and AL Queda. Isnt that what Tony Blair said prior to the invasion?

Yeah, some of us did care. 'We' leave a lot of people in power who many of us would not. (http://host.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=226538#post226538)

MattJ

[The Don]

my goodness what a scoop "Politician guitly of hypocrisy!"

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by aerocontrols
Yeah, some of us did care. 'We' leave a lot of people in power who many of us would not. (http://host.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&postid=226538#post226538)

MattJ

I would agree with that statement. Too often, the U.S. intervenes in a situation, allowing violent and dangerous individuals to remain in power simply because they tout the right lines. That's why you now see South America in such a mess, and why Africa is rapidly becoming a graveyard.

[Blue Monk]

Originally posted by Tmy
I'm all for taking out Saddam, but it bugs me to hear "freeing the Iragi people" as a justification for war. AS if we care about the Iraqi people! We just want Saddam out.

Just last week I heard a feel good story about the first Afgani woman to get a drivers licence. Oh the things they can do now that the Taliban is gone!

Did we care about the Talibans abuse all these years? I firmly believe that we would have let the Taliban retain power if they had turned over Bin Ladin and AL Queda. Isnt that what Tony Blair said prior to the invasion?

You are 100% correct!

If our motivation were truly humanitarian then we would have been in Sadam's face when he gassed the Kurds. One would be hard pressed to find a more despicable act.

But of course we let that slide.

But when he moves into the Kuwaiti oil fields………

[rikzilla]

Originally posted by Tmy
I'm all for taking out Saddam, but it bugs me to hear "freeing the Iragi people" as a justification for war. AS if we care about the Iraqi people! We just want Saddam out.

Just last week I heard a feel good story about the first Afgani woman to get a drivers licence. Oh the things they can do now that the Taliban is gone!

Did we care about the Talibans abuse all these years? I firmly believe that we would have let the Taliban retain power if they had turned over Bin Ladin and AL Queda. Isnt that what Tony Blair said prior to the invasion?

So true,

This is where we're missing the boat on Iraq. The purges and rapings, tortures, etc that Saddam was known to use against his internal enemies....as well as the gassing of over 5,000 Kurds should have been the primary focus of US foreign policy all along.

-z

[Loon]

Originally posted by rikzilla
This is where we're missing the boat on Iraq. The purges and rapings, tortures, etc that Saddam was known to use against his internal enemies....as well as the gassing of over 5,000 Kurds should have been the primary focus of US foreign policy all along.


But this is a problem in a lot ways, if you want to maintain a consistent foreign policy (though I'm not saying that's a necessary or valid goal):

Plenty of countries are abusive to thier people- China has done some nasty stuff, and I don't think I like the idea of tangling with them over the issue, even though I'd like to see things improve in China.

[Tmy]

China is too much to handle. But we could easily role over alot of these 3rd world countries while carrying the banner of human rights.

More hypocrisy: "The War on Drugs", which apparently is just a civil war. I heard a report that the post-Taliban Afgan poppy crop has increased dramatically. We couldve wiped out the poppy fields when we were hunting down the Taliban. But no....that wouldve angered the local warlords. Couldnt do that!!

[Crossbow]

To: Tmy

Thanks for the insight!

Free Iraq is definitely a propaganda stunt and not a matter of US policy.

After all, the 91 Gulf War did nothing to support democracy in Kuwait.

Ugh!

[rikzilla]

Originally posted by Crossbow
To: Tmy

Thanks for the insight!

Free Iraq is definitely a propaganda stunt and not a matter of US policy.

After all, the 91 Gulf War did nothing to support democracy in Kuwait.

Ugh!

Sadly you are right,....

But if the net effect of the attack on Saddam is infact freedom for the people his police state abuses....then what's the difference? Even if the US goes to war for purely selfish reasons....the Iraqi people will still enjoy freedom from the oppressive Mukhabarat etc...

We obviously did not go to war to free the Afghan people,....but our troops were still and all greeted with the spectacle of kids joyously flying kites, music playing, and women free of their burkhas. So we Americans are not pure and altruistic....so what, if the net effect is the same why quibble?

-zilla

[a_unique_person]

http://www.theage.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1043534039714_2003/01/28/toon2801,0.jpg http://www.theage.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1042911365084_2003/01/21/toon2101.jpg