Well...

[Dancer]

There was talk of Iraq applying for UN peacekeeping troops when the US/coalition forces pull out.

Good luck getting an american soldier into one of those uniforms, even tho it would probably be the best thing they could politically do.

Even though your idea makes complete sense, it would probably go over like horse piss in the punch bowl.

[Dancer]

DM, you might be surprised who knows decent ppl who've had to hide in their basements scared shitless from the bombing.

I have seen and met these people. There are alot of decent, kind, and compassionate Iraqis. The extremist and the al-Qaeda elements are the ****ing savages most of us are referring to.

[Dancer]

For this, we ran up trillions of dollars of debt? I feel like some punks stole my purse and had a spending spree at the mall.

The worst part of it is that it was done in my name. As an American citizen, I've got some of that shit spattered on me, as we all do here.

I come from a military family, and guess what- none of my family was in support of this war. Not one person.

It's a mess. The Middle East was a mess before we stuck our oar in and we didn't help AT ALL. Now we're stuck in the middle of this crap, and for what?

And don't tell me this started with 911. It didn't.

I have lived a soldier's life most of my adult years and for the record I never supported our country's "Persian excursion". However, that being said, I did not have the luxury of questioning my orders. I had to follow them without reservation.
Please do not think I'm cold-hearted or cruel and thoughtless. I merely saw my duty and did it.

[Dancer]

the national drama

I'm sorry but for me the "drama" is very personal...today, i just found out that a friend of mine, whom I was very close to was killed by a roadside bomb. For most of us over in Iraq it wasn't an issue of blind patriotism. We were there for each other, I was there for my fellow Marines, I was there for my friends i served with.

[Dancer]

ARE YOU THAT FUUCKING STUPID?

Do you have any idea the great lengths we go to so as to prevent innocents from being killed? There are a group of people out there shooting mortars, rockets, and sniper fire at us from places surrounded by civilians, it's a fuccking miracle civilian casualties aren't 100x what it is. We could limit our own casualties so much more by allowing greater Iraqi casualties, but we don't so as to not kill civilians, then assclowns like you want to act like we don't care? Go fucck yourself

He obviously has never served in any military organization let alone on the front in the country of Iraq or he would never have made a statement like that.

[IndiReloaded]

DM & Dancer, are you seriously saying that if some foreign country *invaded* the US w/military force that you wouldn't fight them to the 9s to get them out?

I call bullshit on both of you. You're believing your own hype.

Sorry. There was NO request for assistance. They aren't trying to kill UN peacekeepers. The US are the uninvited interlopers. If you invaded Canada, I would fight you the very same way. Hmm, come to think, this already happened once before.

I agree w/everyone who says the US should pull out. If Iraq wants UN assistance, it is available. If they want civil war, well, there's that too. But let them CHOOSE their own history. The US needs to stop thinking about its oil interests & start cleaning up the shit in her own backyard. If she wants to make a difference to the world in a meaningful way, support & strengthen the UN, instead of destabilizing it.

[IndiReloaded]

He obviously has never served in any military organization let alone on the front in the country of Iraq or he would never have made a statement like that.

I have a relative who is a retired foreign diplomat, Dancer, just for a point of reference. A cousin in the Canadian military. And I've travelled & lived around the world & know ppl from that part of the world. You could say I'm reasonably well-informed.

[vashti]

Meh, I don't care at all for the UN. I don't care to strengthen it. Pull out of Iraq, though? yes.

And indi - I don't think Dancer was referring to your statements, but rather booba's.

[IndiReloaded]

Meh, I don't care at all for the UN. I don't care to strengthen it. Pull out of Iraq, though? yes.

And indi - I don't think Dancer was referring to your statements, but rather booba's.

I understood that. Thought he might find it interesting to know.

[IndiReloaded]

Meh, I don't care at all for the UN. I don't care to strengthen it.

Actually, I have said before I think the US pulling out might be for the best. It would encourage the other nations, including Canada, to rethink their global military policies instead of relying on the US to provide the majority of resources.

I just think that this would leave a big imbalance w/China on the security counsel. And those whiny french bastards don't even belong, IMO. Damn, did I say that?

[vashti]

I think the whole thing should just be shut down. It's useless. No - worse than useless, it's harmful.

[IndiReloaded]

Well, I dunno about that. There are a lot of emerging nations that could benefit. But reform is definitely necessary. I've been reading books on it but I still haven't come any closer to a good understanding. Its a complicated subject. The UN is a rebirth of an old, failed experiment called 'League of Nations' so it may be time to do something similar, completely dismantle it to dissolve the security counsel & try again with a stronger mandate.

[Dancer]

I call bullshit on both of you. You're believing your own hype.

Indi, I can't speak for DM, but you can call it whatever you like...i've been called and told worse before for how i feel. Suffice to say that we have plenty of people like you her in the states that feel the same way.

[Dancer]

I have a relative who is a retired foreign diplomat, Dancer, just for a point of reference. A cousin in the Canadian military. And I've travelled & lived around the world & know ppl from that part of the world. You could say I'm reasonably well-informed.

I never said you weren't Indi...

[Dancer]

I understood that. Thought he might find it interesting to know.

I find it very interesting Indi...and as far as I'm concerned your comments and thoughts are well qualified here.