CZAR,
I am not a pacifist. Using your analogy, of course I would support fighting and if necessary killing the terrorists who have taken over the plane. I would deal with the problem directly, subdue or kill the highjackers! I would kill them myself if I had to and I would be all for anyone else who was trying to save everyone on the plane.
But if five of us were agreed to act together to overpower the highjackers and on the way down the center aisle one of them sees a man they recognize as someone on the FBI's most wanted list and he diverts three of the five to get this guy, what sense does that make?
I say take down the guys that are about to kill us, when that's done then turn in the other guy. Saddam was a bad guy, so were his sons. In my opinion what we did was to divert our full military might and economic resources to go fight a bad guy sitting along the aisle. Saddam did not kill 3000 Americans, Osama did. Saddam is in prison, Osama is on the loose with his dialysis machine still operating.
I am sorry if I have offended anyone with this thread. I am for the troops, but I am not for the killing of our finest young people in a cause which my government has not been able to clearly justify before most of the American people. During WWll, there were critics of the war but there was also an overwhelming effort to not only support that war but to encourage enlistment. During the Vietnam war there was no national effort to support the war or encourage enlistment. There was a good reason for that. The government failed to convince the majority of Americans that the Vietnam war was in our own best interests, that the loss of life was justified.
The country is divided on this. But I think it is a mistake to think that those Americans who do not support the Iraq war are pacifists or not loyal Americans. Most Americans love their country and they would fight to defend it, imo. The problem is that the Bush Administration has failed to justify the war to the majority. Dr. Rice said there was no silver bullet that could have prevented 9/11, well, for many of us there is no smoking gun to justify conducting this war now. They made a tactical error, that has hindered the war on terror. If a General's poor judgement hindered the winning of the war, he would be recalled. I believe it is time to recall the Commander and Chief.
This is my first visit into politics and I do not like it one bit. Democrats are for Democrats, Republicans for Republicans. Who is for just the American people? Who is for just America? I am voting as an Independent against President Bush not because he is a Republican but because of this war. After this election I think I will do as so many Americans do, stay out of the political circus. It is a circus, they go round and round, spending money in this direction one year then when the other party gets in power they try to undo what the previous party did and spend more money in the opposite direction.
Neither party is balanced. The Republicans seem to be for the right to have almost any kind of weapon in the house but insisting that this country is under God and Christian. They are against abortion but repeatedly hinder the passing of increased funds to support the programs needed to help children who are brought into this world unwanted by their mothers.
The Democrats are for saving the Environment, but they are oblivious to the damaged social environment many of our young people are growing up in. The Right of Free Speech is now the flag above every kind of debauchery in the media and in our cities.
Both Parties have damaged the country, imo. I know my thoughts are not right on the mark etc. but they are my thoughts and not that of my political party or my religion or anything else. I think the hardest thing was leaving the JWs and finding out that many people on the outside are so polarized and so unwilling to put down their political differences for the sake of the country and the American people. Why do we have to be conservatives or liberals, why can't we just be Americans? The Conservative point of view has some merit, the Liberal point of view does also.
As for our young men and women in harms way in Iraq, I am voting for Kerry because I believe he will have a better chance at getting the U.N. and our European allies to help us in Iraq. He will be a fresh start, this is the political reality right now I think. In this way maybe the troops will have some relief and come home a little earlier and alive.
I am sorry if I put things the wrong way at the beginning of this thread. I was just so upset, not because of war but because of unjustified war killing our young. My intention was not to cause hurt, but it seems I have. I am very sorry about that and I think it's best I stay out of political talk and save my opinion for the election booth.
Sabrina
Edited to add:
The premise of this thread was childish...it was an attempt to shame anyone who might support this war in any way into silence.
No, Xena. That was not the purpose of this thread. The purpose of this thread was to find out if those who support the war support would it with more than just words. I'm glad we have some people here who would stick behind what they say.
