Opinion: the war in Iraq/Afghanistan

Well everyone, post your opinions on the topic here, and when we've got a nice fiery discussion going, we can combine all the replies into an opinions article!

So. Back in 2001, right after the U.S. was specifically targeted, there was not a doubt in anyone's mind that the only answer was war. I believe it was a nearly unanimous vote at the time. It was apparent that people who could slam planes into buildings and kill thousands of innocent people just to make a statement, weren't going to sit down and have talks and then actually make peace like they said they would.

No matter how many times there are peace talks, if people are taught from when they are born that killing everyone who is not like them is the right thing to do, in fact the BEST thing to do, they will want to kill people. You can't just sit them down when they're 18 or 30 or whatever and try to convince them to think like we do. They've had their childhood. They're probably not going to change.

So, back to the war. I believe at first, it was the best and only solution. Sort of a 'DON'T MESS WITH US OR YOU'LL REGRET IT!' move. And that was fine, as long as we were after Osama. But we didn't find him.

Then of course, they ventured over to Iraq, because they were the main funding behind the Afghanis, I think. So we toppled them, too. Great. Now what?

Now we're stuck there. We can't just bow out gracefully, because we want to make sure a stable government's there. But some people are beginning to think that maybe they should make sure their own darn government is stable.

Some people are saying: We made this mess, and we have to fix it. And some are saying: We started cleaning up the previous mess, and let them finish it.

I think that while initially it was a good idea, it's been dragging on too long. However there's no easy solution. We can't just pack the soldiers back home. That would mean that every soldier's life in the past few years was wasted, because the government will go right back to the corrupt way it was before.

So we don't want our soldiers to be there anymore, but we can't just pull them out. If there was some way to speed up the building of an uncorrupted government, that would be ideal. If I could wave a magic wand over all those poor confused people and make them see how RIGHT and GOOD the world could be if they loved instead of hated, I'd do it.

But I don't have a magic wand.

(XD I'm sure if my dad read this he'd have a fit cuz I haven't cited any sources. Lol he's really into politics and he could cite a gazillion sources for why we can't just pull out of Iraq. If they're needed I could look up sources later on, when the article is being put together perhaps. But for now this is just my opinion.)

What are your opinions?

Well, for me, i agree with streamies, whilst looking for Osama, i agreed with the war, however i also felt that some coutries were to cowardly to stand up for what is right and settled themselves out of the war.

But then it all ecame about Sadam, and WoMD and i fet that, no offence to america, GWB was just out to make a point that he was big and strong and wanted to stir up Iraq and make people fear him.



NOw i am furious and refer to GWB as HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED, when London was attacked TWICE in two weeks, what did our Coutnry do? We united, we did not call for war, our government did immediatley say "You have attacked us, we will attack you"

We rallied together, we showed the true meaning of being English, we united in crisis and reamined Calm, as the paper's remarked "It is like the blitz once more" we know how to handle such attacks, us Brits are made of strog stuff.

But, back to war. My brother is a marine, he served in Afghanistan and saw things which no man, woman or child shuld ever have to see, he fought for his life and thankfully retrned home safe, war changed him and im sure youll agree after seeing five of your best friends, your bothers in arms, kille dbefore your very eyes, you would change also.

And another thing, for the first time since we were attacked, i am proud to say i am British (thats right i said British not English) Gordon Brown our "you so werent voted in as PM" has told our boys in Iraq "You're coming home" "Merry Chritsmas War is over" they'll be home within 2 weeks, in time for Xmas, the biggest christmas gift of all to everyone single person living in this country.

War or not, i am torn. I hate how our boys and girls risk their lives fighting someone elses war, no offence, where is Osama? He's still out there, still mocking He WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED, still sending out video tapes of himself.........would it surprise me if anther ideo tape surfaced of Osama having lunch in the WHite House Cafe (does the white house have a cafe?) and no one would notice him....not in the least. Osama, like Voldy, is a clever man, GWB like Voldy is a well a man who underestimates other countries, these two men should just climb into a boxing ring and go 12 rounds, against maywether and hatton, THEN i will be happy.




did any of that make sense?

Some of it made sense. But do you know how the government of the United States works? We are not in the war right now because GWB decided to go to war. We are in the war because GWB decided to go to war, and PEOPLE AGREED WITH HIM. The president can do very little unless the senate or blah blah agree with him in a majority vote.

Then again, I don't know much about government because I find it very dull, so I should stop talking before I embrarrass myself. Hmm.

Well your government runs the same as ours, we could't go to war with the house of lords of whatever they are agreeing, but t should not be there descion, It should be our's, the people who are left behind watching their friends and family die.

At the end of the Day, Tony Blair wouldn't have led s into war had it not been for his nose being placed firmly up you know who's butt.

And one more thing, and this merely a question, Do you guys in the USA stand still on July 7th and 21st for two minutes, turn the channels on tv and see tributes to those killed over here in our terror attacks?

Okay Polly me dear, the question i asked was wether the Americans hold rememberance services for our country, not their own, i have a point with my question hun

Another thing, FRance, like Germany and many other countries in the UN said NO to going to war, they would join us simply because there was no EVIDENCE to prove Iraq had WoMD and it's true, neither bush or Blair had any concrete eveidence.

And i know its been abot 10 years since i studied histroy but wasn't it WW2 that America came in (at the end may i add ) and made a difference, by the way, to all American's my Grandma is still very thankful for those stockings lmao. Gravy granuales and eye liner just werent the same, so im told lol

About your question: I don't think we do. Do the Brits have a moment of silence on Sept. 11? Is that your point? That Americans care only about themselves, blah blah blah?

(Btw I think they make such a HUGE DEAL over this. Take a nation like Israel or those countries in Africa that are forever in war and have countless terrorist attacks...if they wanted to remember every one, they'd be having 2 minutes of silence just about every day...)

Yes, thank you for bringing up WWII. This is what annoys me about the rest of the world. You all hate America and are glad to blame us for all we do wrong. But when we do something RIGHT, people still point fingers and say, why didn't we jump in earlier? True, we could've saved many lives if we'd have intervened in WWII earlier. But we were TRYING to mind our own business.

There's some sort of policy, I think, that we don't interfere in other nation's wars unless we are personally attacked or unless our allies ask for help. And Britian joined us in this war because they do NOT want to owe America. If they ever have any problems, they want the American military on their side. You Brits are not idiots. You want to keep the American ally.

Now see, if France got into trouble, I don't think we'd be that anxious to rush over and help THEM...

Actually Streamies, yes that was my point, every year on 11th Sept we have 2 minutes of silence, and theres ALWAYS documentaries on tv on that day and during the build it, it feels like the whole world must stop and stand still whilst America mourns. Im being offensive,im just speaking my mind, where is everyone when its 12th October? 11th March? Thats just 2 of many dates which no-one in other countries remembers. Are those people inferior to those who died on the 11th Sept? No, everyone is equal, all of them were victims of a heinous and uncalled for crime.

And as for France, pfft, "cheese eating surrender monkeys" is a sentence used frequently here, but if France were attacked, we would be there to help them, not because the British are fools, but because we rather enjoy taking on big idiots and kicking their butts. And hey, if America wants to join in, the sooner the better i say!

However, when World War 3 starts (and there is no denying it will start in the near future if our countries continue to act as they are) i can guarentee i will be on the first TARDIS outa here! Because this time, there wont be no air raids there'll be nuclear bombs dropping like hot cakes.

And what does this have to do with the war in Iraq/afghanistan, well, that war is just the beginning of WW3 imo

Urgh ...WW3...hopefully not. No, in my opinion, we're electing another president in a year, so GWB is gonna try his hardest to finish up this war. And if he doesn't, the new president will end it like THAT, cut our losses and leave, because the next pres will be able to do it without losing face, and everyone is pretty much in agreement that this 'war' is taking too long.

Also, 'war on terror'? What the heck? Terror will exist forever. You cannot declare a war on terror and think that you will win. It is historically and probably scientifically impossible. Has there ever been a period when terrorism has not existed, and the entire world was in complete peace?

EXACTLY!

Also, look at this, Blair(aka rat face) stepped down, in comes Gordon Brown, i dont like him, never have, but in the months since he took overm we have the answer we have oonged to hear, "War is over you're coming home" he did that to our guys in Iraq, he has also said that it wont be long until our guys in Afghanistan come home also, personally i believ GB is not only stomping his feet on the war, he's also telling GWB "i aint Blair, i am looking after MY people." I mean look at this, right, when was it GWB said "we need more troops"? When GB said "we're leaving laters alligater!"

I hope that how ever takes over as Pres in the USA has a brain, or least a brain cell, something more the GWB has, no offence to you americans! But seriously, you need a real leader, isn't your econmeny suffering or something? *must remember what she heard about USA and finances/econment not being all its glorified to be* Too much time and money has been psent on this whole war on terror and like streamies said, it will NEVER END!

I am TERRORified of Spiders.....Will there be a war? It falls under Terror so yes, lets declare war on spiders!

Streamies, it shouldnt be about the scale of murder committed, every country almost has suffered at the hands of terrorism, we should show respect every year for every country who have suffered, but at the end of the day it all comes down to September 11th, there would be no war if America was attacked, if America and England and other countries had not joined forces and attacked back, would there have been more attcks on other countries?


I'd also like to take a moment to say one thing, let us remember those who were killed this morning in the Algeria attacks.


Its never over, no matter what our governments do, we will always be under attack, every single person on this planet is in danger.

Mmm...but then, like I said, we'd be in mourning every day of the year. And hadn't the attacks in other countries been planned in advance? Or at least inspired by the success of the 9/11 attack...so I think those attacks would've happened even if we didn't go to war...actually, even MORE so if we didn't go to war...we didn't want them thinking they could get away with it just like that.

I just one thign to add because this is annoying me now.

Your basically saying that, all the other terror attacks have happened since 11/09/2001...well, let me just check em dates.

Right, 1939.

Anyone know what this date is important for? No its got nowt to do with War.

THAT year was the VERY first TERROR attack, courtesy of the IRA on ENgland.

Fast Forward 30 years and they're doing it again, Bloody Sunday, (if you dont know what that it, google it.) 1972.

So, if anyone inspired the other terrorists, it wasnt 11/9.

oh and john says "/we have toilets older then America" i have no idea what the relevance of that is too this but he says i HAVE to put it......its rather funny to think, that should that acually be true, its rather disgusting, who wants a toilet older then a country? *goes off to make a drink*

Ah now you're just reverting to the petty European mentality that 'oh you americans are such a baby of a country' that you fall back on when you're just randomly trying to insult us. I won't dignify that with a response. Merlin knows I've argued enough about it with Rai.

I didn't say that all terrorist attacks were inspired by Sept. 11. In fact, in my earlier post I specifically said that terrorism has existed since the world began, which is why it is impossible to win a war on terror. I do believe though that the spate of terror attacks immediately following Sept. 11 were in fact inspired by the success of Sept. 11. Like a 'copycat serial killer' sort of thing.

im not being petty about nowt! All i did was put what as stated in my previous post, john said to put, i don't understand it, i don't care.

Al i care about is myself and my family and my huffies, i also care about continuing to act the way i was brought, i shall be respectful and remember those who have been brutally murdered all in the name of whoever it is the terrorist believe is up there.

And now i am off to bed because i am tired, so tired in fact that ive just nearly killed me self again in th bath. Nighty night!