[jimbob]

By attacking Afghanistan, we have removed a major safe area once enjoyed by the extremists.

I agree regarding the Afghanistan change... but if the regime currently in power isn't propped up for a significant period of time, and more importantly, if the nation (re)building is not done in the right manner/is done insufficiently, then the prevalent (and obviously arguable) opinion held by many in the world will not change - that America does what's good for America, full stop. Don't get me wrong, I personally think that the issues are far broader than this, but it must be remembered that the World Superpower (Greece, Rome, Mongols, Great Britain, and yes, even the US) needs to 1) build peace, 2) develop others, 3) remain humble.

The US did a fine job of this in WWII (as has been said several times now in this thread). Yah! Applaud! Whooo-Hoo! I give credit where credit is due - the US is probably the first nation in the history of the world to engage in this type and scale of Nation Building, post-war. But that was nearly 50 years ago - half a century! The USA needs to continue in that type of diplomacy/international policy.

And by removing Saddam, we will be able to create a democratic state in an area that has not been able to live under the rule of democratic law in a very long time.

I'm confused as to why people think that a democratic country will be a friendly country. Democracies tend to be spineless when it comes to international intervention, and unbelievably selfish as well, not surprisingly becuase they are literally run by small, selfish, inwardlooking people - lots of them. This is true of Canada, the US, Norway, etc. This does not however make them friendly to one another! Look at Turkey for example, the average Joe in Turkey would like nothing more than the total annihilation of the USA, and if the military didn't keep a lid on things, you sure as heck wouldn't see American troops landing on their beaches to attack Iraq!!

Just my opinions,
jimbob

Edit: perhaps this should have been in the other OT thread regarding impending doom (Another heated discussion about the Iraq siutation). Sorry if this post wasn't "Nukey" enough for ya.

[ March 02, 2003, 00:08: Message edited by: jimbob ]