ive seen estimates that the war in iraq has cost so far $160,000,000,000 us
imagine what you could buy with that kind of money
1,600 hospitals
Simon - I'm shocked... are you advocating war on bad governments everywhere provided they have no oil reserves, are strategically worthless, and don't train or supply other bad guys?... Ok... Ummm....
I don't know whether to be horrifed at your change to be this keen on war, or puzzle over how these could be fair criteria for the liberation of the people... or even what countries could fit these criteria AND have a government that'd qualify for removal... Oh well...
Max
after all the discussion recenly and the seeming welcome the troops got in baghdad i'd be interested in your thoughts...
q: would you support your country's government if they proposed committing troops and tax money to a long-term program with a coalition of the willing* to:
1. remove all the very worst and most aggressive regimes from controlling sovereign nations by all necessary means which may include initiating war
Hi Realist - Thanks for your thoughtful response... Let me play devil's advocate for a moment....
i assume you mean US lead but without US economical interests lurking behind the scenes?!
Not at all... say free market economic interests are right up front. Economic interests have brought those of us in the West prosperity and a lifestyle of such luxury and freedom that it's beyond the imagination of most of the humans who've ever lived....
This system works for people of all cultures. Why hide that those benifits are bing offered to the most oppressed and disadvantaged people on earth? How about ''The de Beers Battle for Zimbabwe'' or ''The GM-Daewoo Korean Conflict''?
a) because some opponents are too strong...take NK for instance
Are they really? When they aquire nuclear weapons then the cost of war will increase tremendoulsy, but they're still a 3rd world conscript army of poorly trained, equipped and fed troops. In any case, should it really matter given the outcome is (or is expected to be) global peace and prosperity?
b) because wars are always faught for only one reason...economical interests.
But what's wrong with that given that the free market economy brings benifits to everyone - it's unevenly distributed, but we're probably all far more prosperous than our parents were at our ages.
c) it may be very debateable what is a bad regime and what isn't. depending on whom you ask....palestinians or israelis you will get different answers.True enough, this can be hard. But using this as an example... deal with them both. Enforce the Oslo Agreement by force if nessasary on which ever side dosn't abide by the timetable. Advances anyone? Cheers, Max
after all the discussion recenly and the seeming welcome the troops got in baghdad i'd be interested in your thoughts...
q: would you support your country's government if they proposed committing troops and tax money to a long-term program with a coalition of the willing* to:
1. remove all the very worst and most aggressive regimes from controlling sovereign nations by all necessary means which may include initiating war
After all the discussion recenly and the seeming welcome the troops got in Baghdad I'd be interested in your thoughts...
Q: Would you support your country's government if they proposed committing troops and tax money to a long-term program with a coalition of the willing* to:
1. Remove all the very worst and most aggressive regimes from controlling sovereign nations by all necessary means which may include initiating war
and
2. Attempt to reestablish those countries as economically viable and politically free societies?
…assuming that:
1. A majority of countries object to the program, as they do to the action in Iraq
2. A prime motivation is assumed to be stimulation of global economic growth by opening new markets
Could be interesting… Hope to hear from you
Cheers, Max
* Presumably US lead and UK backed
Garwd... can't get the post right tonight!!!
Nah... there's somthing up with the board... whole words are just going missing...
omg, how horrible is this:.
you know when you have a certain tune in your head, and you just can't figure out which one it is?
well, i just figured mine out, its "hey daar al gij dorstigen, komt en drink het levenswater vrij".
Isn't it more like: 'HAY there-all you thuuuuuursty ones...
Urghghhh....
.
.
what posters do you like the most on this forum and why?.
On 'ya Bruce!!!
Here I was thinking about posting a popularity contest for the best, most impactful and all round super-poster with a low volume of posts (say, about 115 – 120 or so) over a long period of time (say since late 2001 – perhaps no later that November?) and who’s got a name that suggests maximal divergence from the WTS or similar….
When **BANG**KABOOM** you, the Most Honourable Uncle Sir Dr Bruce QC OBE KBE OA PhD EtC ETal, A-Z, the finest poster of all time (you are now confirmed in this position for all time) pops up with yours truly's moniker amongst the uber class of all time posters (well, they are now anyway )….
Most of us here are truely lightweights at undermining the tower compared to Alan, Max, Kent, JH Focus and your good self. (or even our indefatigable ozziepost)
Well… how’s that, eh?
But in the very next sentence you bring me back to earth with the sad reality….
That said, people here do like playing with themselves
So, up goes the fly again
It’s chicken pizza for me with cheese, jalapeño and green peppers with pineapple (tinned, not fresh).
Cheers,
Max E. Divergent
i find something very distressing not to mention terribly sad about some of you people (and to those who are not one of these people i kindly ask to please don't fly into some "i'm so insulted!
" snit as if i'm wrongfully referring to you).
to those people i'm referring to i say: you rightfully hope for the british and u.s. military to destroy that saddam monster and its minions of mass-murdering/worshippers throughout iraq.
Is it acceptable to kill all 20 million Iraqi's and all 250,000 allied troops to impose a theocratic government upon Iraq* just because it's your God doing the killing? What makes me 'sad' is the irrational, emotion ridden thinking that comes out from 'some people' on these forums.
* Not to mention the rest of the globe
earlier this week, british cemetries in northern france were vandalised by persons objecting to the war in iraq.. .
a uk newspaper carried this report:.
the showpiece cenotaph at the graveyard in northern france was smeared in red paint with the words: dig up your rubbish.
Well, this post dosn't want to go up.... Maybe Simon's programmed brevity into the board :-) No more that 10 words...
earlier this week, british cemetries in northern france were vandalised by persons objecting to the war in iraq.. .
a uk newspaper carried this report:.
the showpiece cenotaph at the graveyard in northern france was smeared in red paint with the words: dig up your rubbish.
These self-indulgent wankers can't even get the swastika right. They're ignorant of the history of their own country.
how's your weekend going?
i trust that you're finding time for a bit of "peace and quiet".
mrs ozzie and i have enjoyed being out in the crisp autumn air here in the highlands.
2. So that one can be the prompter when the other forgets his lines. Yep
3. They just like each other - Yep, IME most of them dislike/mistrust each other, so when they find someone with a compatably twisted mind (or someone they can manipulate) they buddy up, that's why you often get the same pairings of them (or at least it's rare to see certian other elders paired up) ...
4. So that both can count the time. That's be a bonus
5. So that they have a witness to what is said. Of course
6. It saves time in preparing for a judicial committee. Of course
7. One is in training. Often
8. They have to make it look official. Intimidate, do you mean?
9. To save on petrol costs. Yeah, probably
10. So that one can hold the bag. More like 'carry the bag' as in take the blame if somthing goes wrong...
11. It saves leading the field service group. Yep, the ones who do lots of sheperding usually get fewer administrative jobs and are regarded as more spiritually qualified, so if they can stand going and talking to the troops, that's what they do.
12. Who knows cares????????
13. Other (please detail) Gives more of them a reason to be away from their wives more often... worldly blokes just play golf...
I only knew a very few who'd call on their own ... they were of the very few who were both Chirstians and elders ... a rare breed. They were quite open in acknoledging the failings of their fellow elders and the WTS and seem to spend half their time patching-up after the grosser excesses of some of their colleuges...
Cheers, Max
i recently traveled to new york city, but was not there to focus attention on the watchtower.
rather, ground zero was on my agenda, and i was not disappointed, though i discovered a few surprises.
i have been in the twin towers (wtc) several times, and have pictures of the view, including the watchtower buildings across the east river.
Thanks for that Amazing. I was in NYC (and Washington DC) for the first time in January and visited Ground Zero and spent most of my time in Midtown.
In contrast to your impression, I was suprised at the seeming normality and lack of damage of the buildings and hubub of life around the site. Maybe I was in a different spot or am less attuned to spotting building damage, but it struck me as being much like a planned building site.
Maybe in my naivity as a first time visitor (or because it was the holiday period, or because the Iraq war hadn't started,or becuase I was on the subway not driving), I was struck by the relaxed-ness of the city generally and the lack of obviuous security. I was allowed to film inside buildings too (except Macy's!).
The only time I noticed it was late at night when the army (?) were outside the Port Authority train station near (on?) Broardway (you know where I mean!) armed with MP5's. Through the day the were army uniformed security mostly drinking coffee and talking to their friends just with sidearms (Mmm... did they had M16's? If they did they were discreet).
Even airport security was less intrusive than I'd imagained it to be and seemed less intense than entering alot of public buildings. I had metal loops on my boots which set off the detectors, so provided I took those off it was quicker and easier to get through LAX, Washington National and JFK than the country airport I usually go through in a remote area of Australia (they only get half a dozen jets a day, so must like to be seen to earn their pay!).
I walked down to the base of the Brooklyn Bridge (past a KH and a public dog exercise obstical course!) and looked across the water at the Headquarters. I always thought you could see 'Read God's Word Daily' on top of the building, but all I saw was one of those flashing signs with the time and temperature! (It was COLD!!!).
I stayed in Sugar Hill, Harlem and it was great. And... there was a KH three doors from my accomodation!
Anyway, it was a great trip and we're planning the next one now! At the moment it's Chicago and NYC in December, but Anne (it'll be her first time in the US, my third) is talking about Maine or Las Vegas instead of Chicago...
Best regards, Max
