I agree with you, littleb. Every country in the middle east is at least suspect for harboring terrorists. The majority of folk in that part of the world do hate us. Their religious leaders have fulminated against the west, in general, and the most powerful western country, the USA, in particular, for decades, fulminations which further a devotional Holy War, a Jihad against infidels. Iraq was a secular Arab country - though secular, it was also a National Socialist totalitarian police state with a completely controlled press - a press which promoted hatred of the US as vitriolic as that of the Islamic Jihadist press. So, if you put yourself in the shoes of the average Iraqi, as you suggest, perhaps you are humiliated as you are told by Al Jazeera and the Arab press in general, because the US brought down the Nazi Ba'athist criminal regime of S. Hussein, and you did not - an insult to your honor. The average Iraqi should be grateful to the US, we delivered the average Iraqi from a nightmare system of systematic murder, rape, random arrests, torture if an informant thought you made a wrong gesture which signified disrespect of the Ba'athist regime.

Contrary to your suggestion, the US did not randomly bomb Iraq over the past decade - we did not bomb anything near civilian targets unless an anti-aircraft radar installation was purposely situated in a civilian area, then turned on thereby inviting an HARM strike.

So, why do they hate us? Because we are the biggest infidel, the most powerful kafir, we are successful, we are where the party is, the music, but really, you know there is an abundance of hatred in that part of the world for all kafirs, Buddhists (note the 12 Nepalese who were murdered today?), Christians, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, B'hai. Why blame us for their over-flowing hatred? Another reason they "hate" us is that we let the Republican Guard and Iraqi army live. We did not slaughter them. They stashed their heavy weapons, took their RPGs and assault rifles home and come out to kill us when they can.

Why Iraq? Because our intelligence agencies, the French, the Russians, even the UN all thought Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Maybe they're buried, maybe they're sitting in Syria. Does anyone have any doubt that Iraq had WMD? The Ba'athist celebratory footage of the bloated bodies of Kurd civilians, skin sloughed and burned, bore swolen testimony to the Iraqi use of poison gas against civilians. Anyone doubt that Iraq was part of Pakistan's dissemination of nuclear weapon technology through AQ Kahn's network? Why do you think Bush "made up" intelligence about Iraq's WMD capabilities? Had Iraq cooperated with the UN inspections there would not have been a war, and you blame Bush?

Why do you mock our concern and fear of Jihadist terror attacks? I lived in NYC for most of my life and thought the twin towers were wonders. I can't believe Islamic Jihadists brought down these buildings. I can't believe the celebrations all over the middle east - celebrations of carnage. Why did they celebrate? Because they finally struck back at the Crusaders. There's a great burning in their hearts for failing to take Vienna in the 17th century, and for having been turned back by the infidel Christians. You think there can be peace with these folks? Not so long as every institution in these countries preach hate and celebrate murder. Heard of any peace marches in any Islamic country - any public outcry for peace with the Jews or the Christians, Buddhists or the Hindus? No. Because although you complain that Bush lied to us, the true fact is that every source of information every instrument of public opinion motivation in Islamic countries speaks in favor of Jihad, in favor of murder, and tell the biggest whopping lies you can imagine... and you're stunned by the fact that we made war on Iraq? I'm stunned you're stunned.


In reply to:

I wasn't going to walk into this fray, but this issue has brought me out into the open. Considering the hatred of Americans throughout the Middle East, every country in the region could be suspect of harboring terrorists. Let's be objective here, and put ourselves in the shoes of the average Iraqi. We've been bombing them for 20 years, so it wouldn't be surprising that certain individuals would chose to take action against the US. The question I ask is why Iraq? I don't trust that the Bush Administration is going to tell the public the truth in regards to this. Are people so afraid of a possible terrorist threat that the President making up intelligence reports to start a war with a weak, middle eastern dictatorship isn't even questioned. I, for one, am appalled by this. We impeach a President for lying about a sexual adventure. We glorify a President who lies to start a war. I'm totally stunned by this



Enjoy the Music. Trust your ears. Laugh at Folks Who Claim to Know it All.