Brown is an Idiot, Vote for New Ideas

[starman™]

Saddam was a tyrant not escaping that but what did he do to get in the bad books with the west? After all we (US & UK) didnt mind him killing 10s of thousands back in the early 80s and we were only too happy to sell him weapons to do this, or was it because he was alleged to be stealing oil (a far bigger crime then killing humans I guess) that upset the west more?
End of the day, countless young lads (and lasses) in the prime of their lives have been killed or maimed and lets not forget the 100s of thousands of innocent iraqis also killed on the back of a lie. We was told he was involved with 9/11 (untrue) and he had WMDs (hold on, dont we and north korea have them?).
Also I was one of the 2 million people that marched in London against the war just before it started but I guess labour didnt want to listen. The party that allowed this should not be let back in power and also would be nice if a few of the instigators (tony blair) were sent to the Hague for trial.

[Scunner]

I replied to a comment about Iraq. To confirm, I don't think our forces should be in any country so I am probably not the best person to ask. But then Tony Blair isn't the best person to ask about buying property in Calis. I don't think we should be in Afghanistan and I don't think we should be in Iraq. I believe that we need to protect peaceful nations that need our help when they have been attacked (such as Kuwait) but I have never lost any sleep over the activities of the Taliban or Saddam Hussein when they were in power. People must change the status quo of their own country if change is needed. If there is to be chaos in a country thousands of miles away whether British soldiers are there or not, best they are not and the chaos is not affecting us.  

My understanding is that stability in the Middle East and Taliban links with Al-Qaeda were reasons to go to war. I'm not qualified to comment on whether or not it was the correct Government decision based on either of those, nobody on here will be. My wish is only that we leave nations to sort out their own tyrants or accept them.

There wasn't any chaos in either, under Saddam and the Taliban. They knew how to keep things quiet  

[stoop]

If you haven't seen 'The Ghost' then go. It portrays the ex PM (Blair) as a man who's decisions were pushed by his wife who was allegedly working for the CIA. Fiction mixed with fact but none the less it gives food for thought.

[Scunner]

I actually had to do a search because I couldn't really remember why the war in Afghanistan started. It seems like generations ago and I'm still not quite sure what it was all about []

[Scunner]

One question for you to consider and perhaps answer truthfully here.

If Afghanistan was Reagan and Thatcher, would Thatcher have sent our troops?

I think you know...

[Colwyn]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

I couldn't really remember why the war in Afghanistan started.

It was claimed that the Taliban regime ruling Afghanistan provided a base for Al Qaeda terrorist training camps and that graduates of these camps were responsible for many attacks on "Western" targets. That seems to me to be a fairly plausible claim - although the neighbouring country of Pakistan (where the government was one of our "allies") was probably also the training base for large numbers of potential murderers. The Western forces had more-or-less eradicated significant Taliban power in the country before they were distracted by a ludicrous and evil adventure in Iraq that diverted troops and political attention from Alghanistan and allowed the Taliban to regroup and return more quickly than they probably would have otherwise.

Well, that is my take on the history.

[stoop]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

One question for you to consider and perhaps answer truthfully here.

If Afghanistan was Reagan and Thatcher, would Thatcher have sent our troops?

I think you know...

No - probably just a bomb

In reality we will never know.

[tinkerman]

Reagan would go and round up a posse, meanwhile maggie would be on her trusty steed,lance in hand and galloping across Europe

[Scunner]

I'm not sure Lance would like that

[tinkerman]

I think he did