[Andrés]

I had just heard that comment I quote on the radio and wanted to know the opinion of my "American friends" around here.
Maybe I should have edited out the mention of atomic bombs, I don't think this has anything to do with the Iraq conflict.

I agree with you Dogscoff, this is one of the few places where I can see both opposite opinions confronted and compare them.
I don't think we'll ever convince each other in this issue, but that will not change the respect I hold for other members of the SEIV community, and hope they feel the same way towards myself.
I don't think this disrupt any friendships as VampiricDread feared.

The reason I posted it here and wouldn't want this thread to be moved is that I never visit any of the other forums in shrapnel. My bookmarks point directly to the SEIV section.

It's scary to see how most Americans, who always have claimed to support free thought and speech, have been convinced by their propaganda and supporting this war at any cost.

I don't think he is half as bad as you describe but no one is defending Hussein.
Even if Americans turned him into a monster, the fact that he's a monster remains and something needs to be done about this monster.
I just think that war will make more problems that it will solve.
If they just wanted Saddam killed they a few infiltrated agents could have done it. They could support an internal revolution from the Iraqi people and maybe even place their own puppet government in power.
But they need to make an example out of Iraq so no one else dares to defy US authority, and also need an to place troops permanently there.

The international community is not standing for such a blatant act of imperialism now either.
The only ones that have been convinced by all this "war on terror" propaganda are Americans themselves and a few pro-Americans in their closest allies.

As a matter of fact all this discussion is pointless. Even if we could make some Americans see how wrong this war is.
The decision is already done, the invasion of Iraq was planned long before 9-11.
American government, or whoever is actually in charge seems to excel in manipulating masses.
First leaving themselves open to a terrorist attack, that may have been worse than what they expected. Then skillfully manipulating the people's emotions to extract the worst part of their hatred and xenophobia and direct it towards their previously chosen enemy.

So after Iraqis hate you after you've been provoking them after more than a decade. What did you expect?

I do mind my own business when the discussion is about internal USA affairs. (although I found that your discussions and complains about politician are not so different from the complains we have about own)
But here the US pretends to have higher moral standards and that it's their duty to save the rest of the world from its own barbarism.
While they are actually doing it for their own reasons. OK it's not only the oil, there's also the need to justify their military expenses, and of course unite their own people and distract them from the problems in their own country.
You have no right to accuse those who do not support you of being cowards o traitors.

You will never convince me that this war will be for the good of humankind.