One year on

[dude66]

Today is one year from when the london bombings happened, and as you
probably all know, al quaida have released a video timed exactly for
one year after the last assault showing the main bombers talking about
their reasons for what they didbrbrWhats your views?brbrMy
views are. Although I dont agree with murder in any way
shape or form, I prefer to see things in a balanced way and I
personally believe that the terrorists are no more murderers than the
soldiers in iraq and afghanistan who are fighting an illegal and
unsanctioned war. I also believe that the soldiers cannot possibly
justify their actions there when the majority of the country they are
supposed to represent voted a big no against participation in the
illegal war. So given a choice between the two id be forced to side in
empathy for the supposed terrorists who at least are fighting a cause
based on truthbrbrWhat do you think?

[Anita]

The problem is that one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter. having said that, I am a peacemonger.I am against all wars, and would prefer that nations and groups settle their differences peacefully, or barring that, with as little bloodshed as humanly possible.

As for the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, well, as a loyal, patriotic American, I didn't agree with either. I though that our main reason for going into Afghanistan was to find Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.I don't get it. Here, we've sent a man to the Moon, have folks in orbit as we speak, have rovers on Mars, and have a probe on its way to Pluto, and almost five years on, we can't find Osama!

As for Iraq, we now know that we went there based on a pack of outright lies. There were no WMD's, there was no connection between al Qaeda, and Saddam, and the only danger that Iraq presented was to its own citizens. Now we're in a situation where though we need to out of there quick, fast, and in a hurry, we can't ethically do so.

As for Gitmo, come on--there has got to be a way that those folks can be tried, and not languish thereforever, not knowing their fate. I highly doubt that we would allow another country to do that to an American citizen.

Having said all that, I have to say that I do support our troops. They don't have a say, really, about being over there. When the order comes, they have to jump, and that's it. I am deeply ashamed to hear of the raping and killing of civilians, and the atrocities at Abu Garaib(sp?), and I think that there was complicity, tacit, or otherwise, from top levels. Too bad, that the only ones punished were the low-level grunts.

I tell you, I'm scared about this War on Terror. Silly me, I thought that it meant that we'd hunt down al Qaeda, and Osama. I though that it meant protecting our own borders.What it seems to be about is giving us an excuse to go into any country we want, and wage war. First, Afghanistan, now, Iraq, and we're eying Iran, and North Korea. Call me silly, but i don't think that iran would be stupid enough to do anything preemptive against us, and though they wouldn't mind wiping Israel off the map, they wouldn't be so stupid as to do that, either. As for North Korea, come on, what can they do? Their missiles don't even work! For all their brinksmanship, they don't pose a real threat. I feel that the only thing that the War on Terror has done is toeat into the civil liberties of ordinary Americans, and create a huge budget deficit that doesn't impact the rich, but the poor and themiddle class.

The really tragic part of all of this is because of the actions of our president, who depended on information from government officials, the world hates America and Americans. Ordinary American citizens cannot travel outside of the country without risk to their lives. Those people who are out there taking joy in killing us don't care that it is not ordinary Americans who create international policies that harm other nations. Many Americans are against the wars, but it's hard to come out and say it whento do so causes the gung-ho, hardlinefolks to question your loyalty and patriotism.I love my country, but I'm terrified of my government. I don't think we'll ever be at peace again.