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• Antiwar Protest (Score:3, Insightful)

  by davorg (18)

  Most of this news coverage has taken the form of Tony Blair speaking on behalf of Parliment, and Parliment speaking on behalf of the British people.

  Tony Blair is deliberately misrepresenting British public opinion. The opinion polls are mostly showing the majority of the British population don't support the war (at least, not without another UN resolution).

  On what grounds are the British people not supporting war in the gulf?

  It's not just in the UK. Much of Europe seems to have the same doubts. Ther
  • Re:Antiwar Protest (Score:2)

    by pudge (1)

    As to it being "clearly just about the oil," what do you mean by that? Do you mean the US is trying to steal the oil; if so, why didn't Bush 41 and Cheney march into Baghdad when they had the chance? If not, what do you mean?
    
    As to stability, the whole point -- one which the UN Security Council has agreed with on many occasions -- is that Iraq is a threat to the stability of the region until it is disarmed. And all of us know that Iraq has not, for a decade now, been cooperating with disarmament.
    
    As to r
    • Re:Antiwar Protest (Score:2)

      by davorg (18)

      As to it being "clearly just about the oil," what do you mean by that? Do you mean the US is trying to steal the oil; if so, why didn't Bush 41 and Cheney march into Baghdad when they had the chance? If not, what do you mean?

      This is what I mean. There are many countries around the world with human rights violations on their records, or who have weapons of mass destruction, or who have repeatedly ignored UN resolutions. So the obvious question is why pick on Iraq? And the answer that most easily comes to
      • Re:Antiwar Protest (Score:2)

        by pudge (1) on 2003.02.12 14:37 (#16957) Homepage Journal

        You are not actually saying anything there, you are insinuating, and I do not know what you are insinuating. Is America going to take Iraq's oil fields, something the Bush administration has said in no uncertain terms it will not do? Is it trying to get lower oil prices, despite that war will increase oil prices for the forseeable future? What exactly are you insinuating?
        
        Further, that the answer comes most easily to your mind isn't exactly compelling. More to the point, you have completely disregarded many things that make Iraq unique, including the fact that of all the other rogue nations you could mention, it is currently the only one that lost a war with the UN and is defying the terms of disarmament under the cease-fire that ended that war.
        
        Again, this is not a new thing. We are now coming up on 12 years since Resolution 687 [undp.org] was adopted by the Security Council, which mandated the disarmament that everyone agrees Iraq has never fully and unconditionally cooperated with, as required. Read Part C. Iraq has never submitted to this, then or now. Also read measure 34:
        
        

        [The Security Council] ... Decides to remain seized of the matter and to take such further steps as may be required for the implementation of the present resolution and to secure peace and security in the area.

        
        
        It is not insignificant that Iraq has lost a war with the UN and that it has certain obligations which must be met, and that the UN Security Council stated 12 years ago that if Iraq does not cooperate, that the Council will take further steps to implement the policies of the resolution. This difference between Iraq and other states is not insignificant, it is the point.
        If you like, you can continue to think Iraq is no different than any other rogue state but for its oil. But it's not true. I don't mind if you think we shouldn't go to war because you just think war is wrong, or because you think that the threat doesn't warrant it, etc. I'll disagree, but I won't mind. But when you just ignore the facts of Iraq being in a unique situation, it's a bit frustrating. Come on now, I came here for an argument. ;-)
        

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