[Mephisto]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Actually, that does not make it illegal. The UN is not the source of legality.

It is not the only but the main source of legality. Face it, the legality of this war is on very shaky legs. No UN resolution to date demanded or threaten a change of regime and the Iraq, without even a border to the US or any means to reach the US soil with its weapons, can hardly be accused of an aggressive stance that legalised an pre-emptive strike. Such a pre-emptive strike is possible but only under very narrow circumstance all of them requiring undeniable proves for the planned aggression. The pure possibility that someday the country will attack you is not enough in the international law.

Originally posted by TerranC:
If this war succeeds, it will give a sign to the rest of the world that developing WMDs will only get your regime toppled, no matter what the world opinion is.

Playing devils advocate: It will give a sign to the world that you have to be fast like North Korea. If you are fast enough they will attack weaker nations and leave you alone. You can even try to blackmail the rest of the world!

Originally posted by TerranC:
This war does not give those countries to invade those regions/countries. This war isn't about conquest, for god's sakes. And welcome to the 21st century. Tibet is already a part of China. It has been for a long time. Also, Russia is seriously starved for cash; it sure isn't going to wage war with all of it's neighbours with a under funded under maintained army.

You know what he meant. How can you deny Russia for example the right to intervene in any of the southern Caucasus republics. Devils advocate again: Some Caucasus terrorists even stormed a theatre and hundreds died in the incident. “We, the Russian people, have every right to protect us from those terrorists and will invade their country where they rule as clans over all the civilian people down there. We will free them and bring them democracy!” Never mind that this brought the terrorists to the theatre in the first place…
Arguing with money shortage and other outside facts isn’t valid. The point is not if the can do what the US did but if they have the same right to do it. Tell me they don’t.

Originally posted by TerranC:
Because the world is against it? Wow. That's certainly going to stop superpowers in their tracks. World opinion certainly stopped Serbians from raping and pillaging Bosnians.

You certainly don’t want to compare war criminals in Bosnia to the US. Criminals might not be stopped by reasoning but honest and rightful man.

Originally posted by TerranC:
Harmful Israeli policies? I'm sure you'd march up to Tel Aviv and tell Ariel Sharon to stop killing Palestinians, after they've killed members of your family and close friends.

Actually, I hope I would have the strength to do exactly this. All the killing in the world will bring none of my beloved ones back to me. Killing will only result in more killing. Only if I bear the pain and extend my hands in peace will bring peace back to me. Of course the murderer should be put to jail. How many of the Palestinians and how many of the Israelis really want to kill each other? For centuries there was a bitter hate between France and Germany and both sides were more then willing to kill each other any time on the battlefield. This hate gave birth to two World Wars. Now, finally, both sides have swallowed their pride and hate for each other, forgave (but not forgot) what each side did to the other. This brought as the longest period of peace in Europe ever. I think it is just an alien thought for both sides to kill each other just for being German/French now, a thought not uncommon just 50 years ago.
Point is, force will only provoke force and only the ability to forgive and try to live in peace with your neighbour despite what has happened in the past will bring a bright future.