Why I don't care WHY Bush wants this war...
 

I have a friend who tells me, "We're only in this war because of oil. Bush wants to control those oil fields."

While anyone with a clear head knows there is no way the US could get away with simply appropriating the oil fields, Bush might want them in friendlier hands. But that is not just in the interest of George Bush, that is coincidentally in the interest of the US.

But all that is beside the point anyway. Consider a little thought experiment:

You come across a man next to a lake who is taking his shoes off and you ask him "Why?" "That guy drowning out there is Bill Gates and if I save his ass, he'll probably give me millions of dollars!"

You look out there and recognize Lester Smith, a webmaster from Arkansas who, while an asshole, and bearing a striking resemblance to Mr. Gates, doesn't deserve to die a death by drowning.

You don't swim, this fella taking off his shoes apparently does.

So, ethically, do you serve Truth by trying to prevent the guy from saving Lester by explaining that it's not Bill Gates but Lester Smith, or do you button up your mouth and let Smith be saved?

I think that ethically, one buttons up one's mouth and deals with the aftermath after Smith is rescued.

End of thought experiment.

Saddam Hussein has murdered political opponents; enriched his clan at the expense of his public; terrorized, incarcerated, and murdered minorities and dissenters; and let 400,000 children die of starvation while diverting food aid intended to feed the hungry to benefit him and his clan.

If Bush is doing the right thing for the wrong reason, the main point is that he is doing the right thing.

Establishing that it is "the right thing" is the problem though, since not everyone agrees that it is the right thing to do.

Interesting and thought provoking... however... how many kids in the USA go hungry and without the basics cause of the money that is diverted to these causes.

I 100% support the goals of freedom, and anti terrorism, and agree there is no room in this world for tyrants and bullies who run countries.

I am also proud of all the American soldiers out there that are basically doing what they are told to do by their commanders, and doing for the most part a great job of it.

Personally, if I had Bush's job, and was not in immediate danger from Iraq, I would clean up my own yard before worrying about my neighbors.

:ak47: Saddamn and his gang and keep :2 cents: for the families and kids at home.

:thumbsup

i totally agree. whether or not we're in it for the oil doesn't really matter, no one else is stepping up to the plate to rid iraq of saddam, we are. the oil and control is our damn reward.

of course innocent people will die from this war, it is war, shit happens.

but i'd rather innocent people die from a war in the name of a good cause, rather than innocent people dieing for no reason with a shithead dictator for years on end.

Nice, do you mind if I use this?

Isn't the term "Bounty" more appropriated????

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it's always has been about oil and religion:

1947-1948, Italy: Nazi Loot used to Rig Election

By Christopher Simpson

The Italian communist party was favored to score heavily in the 1948 elections and many said they might win. This created such alarm in Washington that George Kennan - the foremost, long-range strategist for the U.S. government - advocated U.S. military occupation of the Foggia oil fields.

Washington's apprehension was shared and enthusiastically fuelled by the Holy See. The church's hierarchy was under severe economic and political pressure in Eastern Europe.

http://www.ncf.ca/coat/our_magazine/...1948_italy.htm

I heard somewhere the only reason we want the oil is so it can be lit on fire so Cheney's old company can get a contract putting out fires.

Although I'm not sure what religion Cheney is.

Hmm...based on your content I'd be willing to bet you're surrounded by peaceful (and hot) doves.

regardless, we're still doing it. would you think the same thing if it were any other country taking the initiative?

i believe by this war, there is more good that will come opposed to us turning our shoulders and allowing saddam to rule.

boohoo, the US is greedy! so what, fuck the US intentions. if you look at it from a bigger perspective, logic would tell ya a lot more good will come out of this war than having no war at all and doing nothing about saddam.

Poor people in the US do not starve. They eat cheap food and get fat (go through a poor neighborhood and you'll see many more morbidly obese people than you would in say, Beverly Hills), even though there is also healthy inexpensive food, so ignorance is the problem with the US poor, not withholding food from the poor. People in other countries actually starve from lack of food.

It's not about oil!!

It's about what Sadaam did to Dale Earnhart

Answer=none...unless they have druggies/alcoholics or idiots for parents/caretakers. There are multiple/layered social programs to provide for the children.

Only the ones that slip through the cracks. Which does happen, but not too often. We have programs to take care of kids.

(go through a poor neighborhood and you'll see many more morbidly obese people than you would in say, Beverly Hills),

True in URBAN Areas... now drive out to where even more poor live that is 20 miles to the nearest gasmart (where food is super expensive)

Hopefully most have someone who can get them to a store once a week, but many do NOT and are there steps taken to help that? Not for the most part. It's not like those people can AFFORD to go to the city (if they wanted to)

Do you know how LONG the subsidized housing lists ARE?! Would you like to have 4 times as many low income in YOUR city? WOULD crime actually go UP or is that a fallacy? Have ANY of YOU ever fallen on reallllly hard times, had NO family, or friends to help out? Have YOU dealt with that sort of thing... welfare, food stamps and all the misc petty BS they have to deal with just to get fed?

Do you know they have to go in to an office every so often for a face to face in order to continue the assistance? Did you know there are generally NO means provided for these people to even get to the county seat to SEE the social worker??

If you ever get hurt and be down for extended time, trust that the majority of the friends will be in the wind and long gone inside of 2 years. If you have no family, you are screwed.

Did these people intentionally close the mine, sell the farm or other things that killed their jobs?

So before you think of other countries and what they might be worth if we hand them billions, take YOUR *ss to the welfare office and volunteer to go cater to the elderly, or the people with no means of trqnsportation for office (or doctor) visits.

You might just be enlightened to find they are real people that would work there tails off if there were jobs or if they only COULD get off of the crutches - wheelchair - bed.

Just so... the Iraqi's didn't PICK Saddam... He took OVER. Luckily it appears a couple of old friends stopped by and decided to help them out even though many might not even realize they need it.

Many poor that have BEEN poor for several generations, think not having things or enough food, no power, no toilet etc etc etc is NORMAL. Understand that they have NEVER been away from that small area where they were born.

Planting Saddam 40 years ago keeps reminding me of the lines from Aliens:

"...if I went and mad a major security situation out of it, everybody steps in....no exclusive rights for anybody. Nobody wins. I made a decision and it was a bad call Ripley. A b-a-d c-a-l-l ."

"...Ripley, I expected more out of you. I thought you would be smarter than this."