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Post by ocelot on Dec 30, 2006 14:12:14 GMT -5
World's Reaction to Saddam's Execution: Mixed
Several European leaders joined the Vatican in condemning the execution of Saddam Hussein on Saturday, while other countries said it was an internal Iraqi matter.
Saddam was hanged around 6 a.m. local time Saturday in Baghdad, according to Iraqi state television.
The execution punishes "a crime with another crime," said Cardinal Renato Martino, Pope Benedict XVI's top prelate for justice issues, in an interview published Friday with the Rome newspaper La Repubblica.
"The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the state," Martino was quoted as saying.
Britain, a staunch U.S. ally in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, reiterated its opposition to the death penalty, but said the sentence rested on Iraqi shoulders.
"We oppose the death penalty in all cases, regardless of the individual or the crime," said Rob Tinline, spokesman for the British Foreign Office. "[But] it's an Iraqi trial, with Iraqi defendants, in an Iraqi court — it's a decision for the Iraqi authorities."
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said he didn't believe the execution would help bring peace to Iraq, adding it would carry "more negative consequences than positive ones."
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said every dictator must answer for his actions — to a point.
"I will never defend the death penalty, not even for the worst politician," he said.
A matter for Iraqis to decide Thomas Steg, spokesman for the German government, said Germany rejects the death penalty, but understands it is allowed under Iraqi law.
"There is no indication that these court proceedings in Iraq, including the appeals process, were not conducted in accordance with the legal principles there," he said.
U.S. President George W. Bush released a statement late Friday night, saying the execution comes "at the end of a difficult year" for the Iraqi people and for U.S. troops.
"Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq's course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain and defend itself, and be an ally in the war on terror."
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said due process in accordance with Iraqi law was followed leading up to the execution.
"And I believe there's something quite heroic about a country that's going through the pain and suffering that Iraq is going through, it still extends due process to somebody who was a tyrant and a brutal suppressor and murderer of his people."
Rev. Jesse Jackson, who opposed the invasion of Iraq, said Saddam's execution will not increase the moral authority of the United States in the world.
"Saddam's heinous crimes against humanity can never be diminished, but he was our ally while he was doing it," he said Friday. "Saddam as a war trophy only deepens the catastrophe to which we are indelibly linked."
Among Arab leaders, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi reacted to news of Saddam's hanging by declaring a three-day official period of mourning. Gadhafi had called the trial illegal.
On Friday, the Libyan and Yemeni governments made 11th-hour appeals to spare Saddam's life.
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Post by ocelot on Dec 30, 2006 14:14:23 GMT -5
From the sounds of it, this is more about the death penalty than it is about Saddam. I'm against the death penalty even in a situation like this.
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 30, 2006 16:01:31 GMT -5
I agree with you Leona that this issue seems to be more about the death penalty than about Saddam.
This is very difficult for me, and I tread lightly with it. I am a Catholic, and so therefore the word from the Vatican is important to me. However, I disagree that the death penalty is to be condemned.
Cardinal Martino says, "The death penalty is not a natural death. And no one can give death, not even the state."
There are a lot of things regarding crime and justice that are not natural. Rape is not natural....it's a pure act of evil. The state taking away a rapists freedoms and jailing him is not natural either. Does that make it wrong?
This was not the same kind of unfair trial and execution that the Iraqi people faced under the thumb of Saddam Hussein for thirty five years. He was tried, found guilty, given an AUTOMATIC appeal, and then executed. Justice was served.
I also disagree with the notion that the death penalty somehow deters crime or violence. Saddam was executed for his actions, and it was for that reason and that reason alone that he was executed. It was not to deter others. It was to bring to justice the evil that Saddam had done.
Not only am I Catholic, but I also am a great admirer of Charles Colson of Prison Fellowship. He too, I believe, is against the death penalty. So I am very respectful of those who disagree with me on this issue.
One thing I can tell you is that even though I support the death penalty for certain crimes, it brings me no pleasure or cause for celebration to learn of Saddam's execution. As evil as he was, and as much as I despised him, I am torn by the thought that the true Evil One can seduce a person to such an extent.
Thank you for this post, Leona. I am curious about what others think about this topic. And Leona, do you have any observations to add to it?
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 30, 2006 16:04:46 GMT -5
One more thing, Leona....isn't it typical for you and me to disagree about an issue? Ha ha!
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 30, 2006 17:55:03 GMT -5
Iraqi Shiites Hail Saddam's Execution By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqis awoke Saturday to television images of a noose being slipped over Saddam Hussein's neck and his white-shrouded body, the pre-dawn work of black-hooded hangmen.
In Baghdad's Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, victims of his three decades of autocratic rule took to the streets to celebrate, dancing, beating drums and hanging Saddam in effigy. Celebratory gunfire erupted across other Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad and other predominantly Shiite regions of the country.
There was no sign of a feared Sunni uprising in retaliation for the execution, and the bloodshed from civil warfare was not far off the daily average — 92 from bombings and death squads.
Outside the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of the capital, loyalists marched with Saddam pictures and waved Iraqi flags. Defying curfews, hundreds took to the streets vowing revenge in Samarra, north of Baghdad, and gunmen paraded and fired into the air in support of Saddam in Tikrit, his hometown.
Still, authorities imposed curfews sparingly in contrast to the several-day lockdown put in place after Saddam was sentenced to death Nov. 5.
The responses within Iraq to Saddam's death echoed the larger reaction across the Middle East, with his enemies rejoicing and his defenders proclaiming him a martyr. While Iranians and Kuwaitis welcomed the death of the leader who led wars against each of their countries, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the execution prevented exposure of the secrets and crimes the former dictator committed during his brutal rule.
Some Arab governments denounced the timing the 69-year-old former president's hanging just before the start of the most important holiday of the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha. Libya announced a three-day official mourning period and canceled all celebrations for Eid.
Within Iraq and across the world, the airwaves were alive with pictures of Saddam in death, a bruise on his cheek, his neck elongated and twisted impossibly to the right — grisly proof that the man who had tormented and killed so many during a bloody quarter-century rule was truly dead.
But some Iraqis — like 34-year-old Haider Hamed, a candy store owner in east Baghdad — wondered what would really change with the execution of Saddam, who was just four months shy of his 70th birthday.
"He's gone, but our problems continue," said the Shiite Muslim, whose uncle was killed in one of Saddam's many brutal purges. "We brought problems on ourselves after Saddam because we began fighting Shiite on Sunni and Sunni on Shiite."
At least 80 Iraqis died in bombings and other attacks Saturday, and police said 12 more tortured bodies were found dumped in Baghdad. The U.S. military announced six more service-members — three soldiers and three Marines — were killed.
The execution took place on the penultimate day of the year's deadliest month for U.S. troops, with the toll reaching 109. At least 2,998 members of the U.S. military have died in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, according to an AP count.
Arab satellite television channels said Saddam's body had been be returned to Tikrit for Sunday burial next to his sons Odai and Qusai in the main cemetery in the nearby town of Ouja, where Saddam was born. The sons and a grandson were killed in a gunbattle with the Americans in Mosul in July 2003.
State-run Al-Iraqiya television later confirmed the body had been handed to the Salahuddin province governor and the leader of Saddam's Albu-Nassir clan.
Um Abdullah, a Sunni and teacher in Tikrit, 80 miles north of Baghdad, said she would wear black to mourn the city's favorite son.
"Saddam will be a hero in our eyes," she said. "I have five kids and I will teach them to take revenge on Americans."
Police blocked the entrances to Tikrit and said nobody was allowed to leave or enter the city for four days. Despite the security precaution, gunmen took into the streets, carrying pictures of Saddam, shooting into the air and calling for vengeance.
Security forces also set up roadblocks at the entrance to another Sunni stronghold, Samarra, and a curfew was imposed after about 500 went into the streets to protest the execution.
Among minority Sunnis there was deep anger, born not only of Saddam's execution but of the loss of their decades-long political and economic dominance that began with Saddam's ouster in the U.S. invasion nearly four years ago.
"The president, the leader, Saddam Hussein is a martyr and God will put him along with other martyrs," said Yahya al-Attawi, who led prayer at a towering Sunni mosque constructed by Saddam in Tikrit.
There were cheers at the cafeteria of a U.S. outpost in Baghdad as soldiers having breakfast learned Saddam had been hanged.
But members of the Army's 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, on patrol in an overwhelmingly Shiite neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, said the execution wouldn't get them home any faster — and therefore didn't make much difference.
"Nothing really changes," said Capt. Dave Eastburn, 30, of Columbus, Ohio. "The militias run everything now, not Saddam."
Staff Sgt. David Earp, who also fought in 1991's Operation Desert Storm, said the execution worried him.
"In my opinion, something big is going to happen," said Earp, of Colorado Springs, Colo. "There will be a response. Probably not today because they know we are looking for one, but soon."
Saddam went to his execution dressed in a black overcoat, dark trousers and a hat. It was unclear if he had been told in advance that he would be hanged just before dawn Saturday. He looked baffled and uncomprehending as one of the hangmen explained the procedure.
He refused to put on a hood that was offered before a black cloth was wound around his neck and the noose draped over his head and tightened.
After that, Saddam was taunted by some of those invited to watch him die, according to a new video apparently shot by someone with a cameraphone and broadcast exclusively on Al-Jazeera satellite television.
One of the official witnesses to the execution called out praise for Dawa Party founder and Shiite cleric Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr, who was executed by Saddam along with his sister in 1980. Al-Sadr is the father of Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical cleric, and Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a key figure in today's Dawa movement.
Saddam appeared to smile at those taunting him from below the gallows and said they were not showing bravery.
I find it interesting that leaders or those in positions of power all over the world are condemning the death penalty while those who were so effected for so long by this incredible monster are having no problems expressing their joy at knowing that this beast is gone.
That does nothing for the argument of whether the death penalty is right or wrong. But still, I find it very interesting.
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Post by lapayin on Dec 30, 2006 21:19:43 GMT -5
I am against the death penalty. I agree that "The execution punishes 'a crime with another crime' "
That said I was also concerned that there would be an attempt to somehow free Sadam. It is a sad day for all of humanity - one that there was such an evil person on this earth and two that it had to end like this. My only hope is that it will put closure to the terrible situation in Iraq. I doubt it will but I hope it does.
They say things happen in threes. The death of President Ford, James Brown and Sadam. Three extremely different individuals.
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Post by ocelot on Dec 30, 2006 22:14:22 GMT -5
Mixed Reaction to Saddam Verdict on Arab Street Arab News Team
AMMAN — The Arab street was divided yesterday in its opinion on the verdict in the Saddam case. Some Arabs saw him as the victim of a US-inspired show trial while Kuwaitis, who suffered a seven-month Iraqi occupation in 1990-91, applauded the Baghdad court’s decision.
Prominent Jordanian lawyers denounced the verdict as pre-decided by the US-led occupation forces. They saw no possibility of the appeals court reversing the rulings, “because justice cannot be guaranteed for the defendants under the present political and security setup in Iraq.”
“We believe that the verdicts have been prepared beforehand, because what we have seen so far is nothing but a theatrical play,” Chairman of the Legal Committee at the Jordanian lower house of Parliament, Ghaleb Al-Zoabi, said.
His opinion was shared by the head of the Amman-based Arab Human Rights Organization, Hani Dahleh, who said “there is no chance whatever for overruling such verdicts by the Iraqi appellate courts, which are virtually subject to the will of the US military.”
In Bahrain, parliamentary candidate for upcoming elections Sheikh Ibrahim Bu Sandal said Saddam was the personification of tyranny and what happened to him was a drop in the sea compared to what he did to his people.
“We have a lot of Saddams in the region. He is the first to be convicted and I hope that the others would follow,” he said.
“I also hope that US President George W. Bush is brought to trial for his crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, because these are no less serious than those committed by Saddam,” Bu Sandal added.
Muhammad Al-Sabri, a Yemeni political analyst, said the verdict would likely trigger more violence not only in Iraq, but also in other countries.
“This show trial has been watched on TV by hundreds of millions of Arabs, and the seeds of violence have been disseminated throughout the region by this ruling,” Al-Sabri said.
Jamal Anaam, a prominent commentator, agreed. “Although Saddam is not an effective factor in the Iraqi arena now, this verdict will bring more tension to the already terrible situation in Iraq,” Anaam told Arab News.
“It was an Arab leader being ridiculed in a courtroom in front of TV cameras, and such a situation makes people feel frustrated,” Anaam explained.
“We would have celebrated if the verdict was to hang all American soldiers in Iraq,” said Yemeni student Yousef Melfi.
Hamid Al-Mohkami, a schoolteacher in Sanaa, dismissed the trial as a charade, but said Saddam deserved to die anyway.
“This is good news,” Kuwaiti political analyst and former Oil Minister Ali Al-Baghli said. “Saddam deserves to be hanged because of the atrocities he inflicted on his people for the past 35 years and on his neighbors also. He sent millions of people to their deaths.”
There was widespread sympathy for Saddam among Palestinians who had admired him for defying the United States and for firing missiles at Israel in the 1991 Gulf War. He also sent money to families of Palestinian fighters.
“I am very sad today. Giving the death penalty to the Iraqi president is oppression, it is unfair,” said weeping housewife Najah Jabajy, 30, in the West Bank city of Nablus.
Osama Issa, a 23-year-old tradesman, said: “This is an insult to the Arabs. Saddam committed big mistakes. But look at Iraq today: Blood and daily massacres.”
Asked about Syria’s view of the verdict, Information Minister Muhsin Bilal told reporters in Damascus: “Any trial conducted under occupation is illegitimate.”
Mustafa Al-Sayyid, political scientist at Cairo University, described the trial as “victor’s justice,” adding: “The law on the basis of which this trial was conducted was not an Iraqi law but a foreign law, imposed by occupation authorities.”
Magdi Mohamed Ahmed, a 51-year-old Egyptian street vendor, decried what he called a “show trial sponsored by America” and said Saddam would die a “martyr for his nation.”
Iran said it hoped Saddam would still be brought to book for offenses Tehran accuses him of committing during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. Ali Farhoudi, a 38-year-old veteran of that conflict, expressed a widely held view among Iranians that the noose was too merciful a punishment for the former Iraqi president. “What I have suffered during the war will never be compensated, even if he is hanged 100 times,” Farhoudi said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said his country welcomed the verdict.
Watching the verdict on TV, some Pakistanis in Islamabad said Americans wanted to kill him because he had fired a few Scud missiles at Israel. Others questioned the fairness of the trial when American and British troops were in occupation of that country.
“The Iraq chapter for Americans is over. They will divide it into three zones before they leave the country,” Najam Sethi, chief editor of Daily Times and Friday Times told Arab News” adding that before their departure the Americans will try to use the Tariq Aziz card.
He said ever since the US occupation of Iraq, Tariq Aziz has been treated like a VIP by the Americans. Sethi was of the view that the “Americans will never execute Saddam and instead use him for their next agenda.”
Iraq remained a countervailing factor for the Americans viz Iran till the late 80s and even now they have not closed the chapter. The could use it in some other form in the future.”
Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, a former foreign minister of Pakistan, said: “I do not agree with the timing of the verdict. It has a strong linkage to the American midterm election. It will further deteriorate the situation in the region. The entire Middle East will face the consequence.”
He said that the trial was not conducted in accordance with the law, adding in jest that there is no law in Iraq. What law? There’s a civil war going on.
An Arab journalist based in Islamabad, Abdul Rehman, said, “Saddam Hussain should not have been given the death sentence after all he was the president of that country.”
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett also welcomed the fact that Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants had “been held to account for their crimes,” contrasting with a muted response from French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy who merely “took note” of the decision which “belonged to the Iraqi people
The celebrations in Baghdad came despite a 12-hour curfew was placed on the city and on three nearby provinces, including Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, where thousands came onto the streets to show support for the former leader.
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Post by ocelot on Dec 30, 2006 22:15:54 GMT -5
No Arab euphoria at Saddam death By Ian Pannell BBC News, Cairo
Although the news of Saddam Hussein's execution was widely anticipated in the region, it has been greeted with a mixture of surprise and anger in some quarters - and notable silence in others.
For many ordinary people in the Arab world, Saddam Hussein was admired if not particularly loved.
He was an active and strident supporter of the Palestinian cause and many regarded him as a strong leader who dared to defy both America and Israel. Images of the former leader having the noose pulled around his neck will shock many.
Libya has declared three days of national mourning.
Lawmakers and members of the militant Palestinian group, Hamas, have condemned the execution, with one calling it "a political assassination" that "violated international laws".
There is little reason to think the execution will change much in a region that heads into 2007 in a precarious state. Opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq was almost unanimous in the region. So perhaps it was no surprise that his trial was also regarded as unfair, as an exercise in 'victor's justice'.
Many Arab governments and people saw the legal process as instigated and controlled by Washington.
Despite the insistence that the trial, verdict and now execution was a purely Iraqi affair, few in the Middle East will believe that.
'Victory for Iraqis'
Saudi Arabia said it was surprised and dismayed at the timing of the execution on the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al-adha. There was also criticism at how quickly the trial was over amid accusations it had been politicised.
But for those who crossed swords with Saddam, his execution is welcome news.
Iran fought a long and bloody war with Iraq that killed hundreds of thousands of people on both sides. The country's deputy foreign minister called it a "victory for Iraqis". Hamid Reza Asefi predicted it would lead to more violence in the short-term, but would ultimately benefit the country.
Official reaction in Kuwait has been muted
But the response from Kuwait, a country Saddam invaded in 1990, was more muted. The state-owned news agency reported the only official reaction which was that this was "a matter for Iraqis".
Most other governments in the region have remained completely silent. To be fair, this is the first day of Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday in the Islamic calendar. Even so, it seems many have chosen not to step onto what is widely regarded as extremely delicate territory.
There are real worries that the instability in Iraq will be made worse by Saddam's execution.
Sectarian tensions across the Middle East have risen since the US-led occupation and the fear is that this news could make that even worse.
However, while it is possible that the troubles of the region could be affected by a single event - the execution of Saddam Hussein is unlikely to be it.
There is violence and instability in Iraq, continuing tension between Israelis and Palestinians, a peace process that (at best) is at a stand-still and an ongoing political crisis in Lebanon.
The optimism many felt this time last year that real political change may finally start to trickle through the Middle East has all but vanished.
The execution of Saddam Hussein may prompt some reflection and probably plenty of analysis, but there is little reason to think it will change much in a region that heads into 2007 in a precarious state.
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Post by ocelot on Dec 30, 2006 22:28:07 GMT -5
"Saudi Arabia said it was surprised and dismayed at the timing of the execution on the first day of the Muslim festival of Eid al-adha. There was also criticism at how quickly the trial was over amid accusations it had been politicised."
I really do question the timing of this. I've heard comments from Arabs (shown on news programs) that say that the execution was insulting because of the timing of it. The execution on the first day of the pilgramage to Mecca which is considered the holiest holiday of the Islamic calender. Alot of Arabs consider this the US's trial and this could be damaging to American efforts in the region. Too many "mistakes" like this and the whole region could really turn on the US.
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 30, 2006 22:33:44 GMT -5
Quote:
"Prominent Jordanian lawyers denounced the verdict as pre-decided by the US-led occupation forces. They saw no possibility of the appeals court reversing the rulings, “because justice cannot be guaranteed for the defendants under the present political and security setup in Iraq.”
Unbelievable! No matter what happens in the world, the United States takes the blame for it. Sadly, most of the world will agree with these "prominent Jordanian lawyers.
Also, explain to me how this can be a point of concern? Is it to say that the justice system under Saddam Hussein was guarenteed? What a joke!
Quote: “This show trial has been watched on TV by hundreds of millions of Arabs, and the seeds of violence have been disseminated throughout the region by this ruling,” Al-Sabri said.
Jamal Anaam, a prominent commentator, agreed. “Although Saddam is not an effective factor in the Iraqi arena now, this verdict will bring more tension to the already terrible situation in Iraq,” Anaam told Arab News."
More violence? Yeah, right! Until now everything was relatively calm and peaceful. But Saddam Hussein has been executed, so I expect to see lots of violence now in the Middle East. Go figure.
Quote:
"Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, a former foreign minister of Pakistan, said: “I do not agree with the timing of the verdict. It has a strong linkage to the American midterm election. It will further deteriorate the situation in the region. The entire Middle East will face the consequence."
Consider this, Sarder Assef Ahmed Ali, the Middle East has been and continues to be in deterioration. But it is due to those in power in the Middle Eastern countries, not the United States. Maybe consider a worldview and political system that is not violent and does not oppress your own people. That, or continue to blame America.....I'm sure there will be lots of worldwide support for that notion.
There is so much, point by point, to respond to all of these comments.
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 30, 2006 22:39:13 GMT -5
Leona, in response to your comment, all I can say is that no matter what the United States does it is seen as a "mistake." And no matter what we do the world, let alone the Middle East, will turn on us.
Keep in mind that there is unbelievable pressure to get this thing in Iraq over with quickly by just about everyone in the world. Efforts get stepped up to promote the advancement of the Iraqi government, and the very first thing that gets questioned is the timing. It's a no win situation.
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Post by lapayin on Dec 31, 2006 14:05:41 GMT -5
OK Mark. This is a first but here goes. I agree with you.
It does not matter what the U.S. does. We are in a no win situation. Saddam was found guilty and the sentance was carried out. Perhaps if he didn't make such a mockery of the system, in the first place, the timing might have been better. It would have happened sooner. Again I do not believe in capital punishment. I believe there is no "good time" for this sort of thing to happen.
Now here is where I know we are going to disagree.
I think the Bush administration brought this attitude on themselves. They have created such bad and derisive feelings torwards and within the U.S. that I am sure this came as no surprise to them or anyone else for that matter. The world is now one because of the media. How easy it is for those against the U.S. to use the media for their own gains. We have been doing it for years.
I would just like to add that my hope is, after the initial reaction, 2007 will bring stability to Iraq and an end to the U.S.'s involvement in there.
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Post by achebeautiful on Dec 31, 2006 14:45:03 GMT -5
It's a good thing my basement is fully furnished, because when I read that Paula agreed with me about something I fell out of my chair! The carpet cushioned my landing! LOL I'll have to mark this down as a very special occassion!
As far as your other point, I think it is a good one. I'm not so sure that we disagree about the fact that the Bush administration has brought this attitude on themselves. In fact, I think they absolutely have brought it on themselves! Where we possibly disagree is whether or not they are wrong for it.
I am learning that the radical Islamists who are terrorizing the world are committed to fighting this war for 100 years if that is what it takes. If that is true, then the good people of the world who hope and work so hard for peace had better gear up for a long struggle. And for every man, woman and child who has been raped, tortured, torn apart from his homeland or family, violated or murdered....for every person on this planet who is threatened by terror or the possibilty that ruthless dictators would rule their land and bring down Western, democratic civilizations, I am proud to have a President who would fight against them at the cost of personal popularity.
If words matter, and the things people say are their bond (and I believe they are), then we had better start listening to the words that are being said by the leaders of these terrorists. They, in my opinion, are much more clear about this fight we are engaged in, and are in no way apologetic for it. The world expresses no outrage over their words or their actions.
Anti-Semitism dominates the United Nations, and so Israel is left to decide for itself whether to fight or not. When they choose to fight, they are strongly criticized for it. Much is the same for the United States.
I ask you this....for all of the criticism of the United States, what hope is there for the West if they lose this struggle? What will it mean for Europe, for Canada, for Israel?
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Post by lapayin on Jan 1, 2007 18:12:27 GMT -5
Don't tell anyone I agreed with you Mark. I will deny it if you do. LOL
"for every person on this planet who is threatened by terror or the possibilty that ruthless dictators would rule their land and bring down Western, democratic civilizations, I am proud to have a President who would fight against them at the cost of personal popularity."
First let me say I really don't think that was the President's thinking, but I know we will never agree on that issue. There are so many "ruthless dictators" that America can not fight all those battles.
IMO The radicals, whether they be Islamic, KKK or anything else, will never stop their fights and quest to upset the world and cause havoc to be heard. The best we can do is, as a united world, keep them in check and not fuel their fires. But first we have to be a united world.
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Post by ocelot on Jan 1, 2007 18:42:55 GMT -5
I agree with you, Paula. The thing I'm most concerned about is not fueling their fires. I know that there are people who will try to find everything that goes wrong to be the American's fault. I agree with that the Bush Administration brought this on themselves, when they went into the Iraq war they had a hard stance of either you're with us or you're against us (and other stances like that). It really damaged the relations that the US had with the rest of the world (including Canada).
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