[Scribbler1]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (G. Adams,)
What I see as difficult with supporting the troops is basically that you are declaring "I hope they can kill quicker than there enemy". Now I was against Hussein, but I am not against the guerrillas (although I don't think they should have started a war till the end of year, at least give the coalition a chance to fulfill its promises). I obviously don't want to see the soldiers killed, but neither do I want them killing civillians, nor guerillas who are taking up arms on behlaf of their people. It comes down to supporting one group simply because of their nationality, which I refuse to do. So I think it is best to say I hope they come home safe.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

G. I think you slightly misunderstoog my position. Let me try and clarify it. I do believe your assumption of killing quicker than the enemy. However, that is true *ONLY* in an "us versus them" situation, where WE are physically attacked where the intent is killing US! But that's the only time I support that kind of action. We have to face the reality that wars WILL happen in our lifetimes. We can only hope to figure ways to keep them from happening. I believe that day will come, but it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon.
As I stated before, the invasion of Iraq was unjustified and unnecessary. That is where I think the misunderstanding is. My feeling is, if you've got a dictator on your hands, deal with it yourselves. Usually that dictator was put in power by overthrowing a different dictator, and the cycle goes on. It's not our business to interfere militarily, and clearly Iraq was no physical threat to us. The same went for Viet Nam, Kosovo and the rest. Manuel Noriega was a good example. There is evidence he was on the CIA payroll until he no longer served our needs so, being the good and just liberators that we are, we took him out. Our embassy in Iran was taken over, mainly as a side effect of our support for the Shah, who was a WORSE dictator than Hussein (ever hear of the SAVAK?), and we were the main reason the Shah wasn't overthrown by his own people in the first place.
There are a lot of people pissed at us and that's fine, as long as they don't attack us. But someday some country just might do that so I support the troops and the existence of our military IF THERY ARE NECESSARY to protect US!
As for Iraqis taking up arms in the defense of their contry, I do not disagree. But since some idiot politicians and oil barons and the like decided to put our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens there, then if they get shot at, they will shoot back. If they weren't there in the first place no one would be shooting at them.
And if I read my recent history correctly, Iraq was the most westernized country in the whole region, so I find it a bit hard to think the entire country was in peril and impoverished, whether run by a dictator or not. In most dictatorships, all you have to do is not bitch about the leader and do what you're told and many Iraqis made out just fine doing just that. Hmmm. That sounds just like what our own right wingers are saying, doesn't it? Don't bitch about Bush and do what he says.

Hope that helps clarify my position.