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| Author: Posted: Sep. 8, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 6,999,922 |
Question of the Week: 104 - 3/24/2003 Have You Changed Your Mind About the War in Iraq? Many people were initially for or against the possibility of a war in Iraq. Now that it is a reality and troops are on the ground, have you changed your mind or your position on the war? Do you think that anti-war protests should cease? Do you think that an even greater divide has opened up between those who hold differing ideologies? Do you think that the suspension of certain civil liberties for security reasons is appropriate during war time? Do YOU feel safer? Will the world be more secure because of this action? What – if anything – concerns you the most about the war in Iraq? |
| Reponses: There are 258 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Mind Hasn't Changed, War Unfortunately Is Necessary At Times | Apr 2nd. at 3:52:12 pm EST |
| Demetrius (Portland, OR) | Age: 21 - Email |
|
As I write this I see varying and very strong opinions on both side as to validity of this war and what it's real purpose is. First on the Oil question: As many have pointed out the US get's very little of it's oil from Iraq and if anything we'll be spending money to help them get that infrastructure fully rebuilt and modernized as it's been largely unmaintained since the first Gulf War. Secondly, as far as this being an imperialist American action to take land, when in the modern wars after the full realization of America as we know it today have we conquered a country to take it's land? If that was the case we wouldn't have been happy with just Hawaii or just Alaska as both have huge strategic values in multiple directions for the "conquest" that America is supposedly so interested in now. Third on civilian casualties I have full confidence in our armed forces to spare life wherever possible, civilian or not. If we weren't concerned about this then we wouldn't be dropping precision bombs that have the capability to destroy equipment on one floor of a building and leave the rest intact. Yes technology in bombs or otherwise malfunctions this is tragic any life lost is never good. However at this state of mankind's development war is still necessary we aren't all free and the utopia pictured in Star Trek is not reality yet, may that level of advancement in technology and evolution of the human mind come as soon as possible. On the anti-war protests I don't think they should necessarily stop but keep them peaceful and on the sidewalks, don't disrupt other's lives unneccessarily by blocking streets or highways when they're just trying to get to work in the morning. Do I think some self-freedom's should be given up in time of war? NO! which leads me to the next question of feeling secure or not. I do not support Bush in his "faith-based initiatives" that he wishes to enact nor do I like the Patriot act at all and am extremely frightened by further restrictions being placed on American's lives by certain elements within our government that want these controls/monitoring capabilities. Will the world be safer, hard to say at this point on the whole world, however the Iraqi people will certainly be safer without having to worry about their family being killed, tortured, or raped for simply speaking what is in their mind. What concerns me most about the war so far is the safety of our soldiers that are in the enemy's hands right now, we got one back, let's continue hoping, praying, sending energy, working spells, whatever works for you to help as many of our people come home safe and sound. BB -Demetrius |
| No | Apr 2nd. at 4:00:30 pm EST |
| Old Gray Mouse (Sturbridge, MA) | Age: 65 - Email |
|
No I have not changed my mind about Bushy's war. I was opposed to it before and if anything am more so now. My America, the one I served, does not attack another country unprovoked--but they did. For the first time in my life I am ashamed of my country. Of course I and most protesters support the military, we just don't support Bush or his war. The few protesters who spit on or insulted military people are just ignorant. This war has been planned for years and they finally went and did it. The contracts to rebuild Iraq were signed and sealed before the war. The company with these contracts is Halliburton headed by, guess who, Dick Cheney. Other companies were frozen out of the bidding. Condoleeza Rice (sounds like a side dish) is on the board of a petroleum company (Occidental?) . Bush himself has his Harken. Need more be said? mouse |
| The Most Important Thing | Apr 2nd. at 5:00:46 pm EST |
| Spencer Bilodeau (Vancouver, BC, Canada) | Age: 33 - Email |
|
My mind has not been changed. To me, war is wrong, for any reason. Life is the most fundamental, the most important thing. It is a gift that should be cherished. Politics, idealism, economy...none of these can override that, nor are they more important. IF a basic respect and love for life were universal, then there would be no such thing as terrorism or war. That, to me, is the bottom line. Life, and the love of life, is the most important thing. |
| No, My View Has Not Changed | Apr 2nd. at 5:44:13 pm EST |
| slackfoomaster (Oregon) | Age: 29 - Email |
|
I have not changed my position on the war. i am all for it, someone needs to step in and stop the garbage that saddam is saying and doing. i have a couple of friends that used to live in Iraq and 2 of them were in the republican guard and i have heard some of the tatics that saddam uses to get his troops to do what he wants and believe me if he walks up to me and says that if i dont't do what he says he will kill my entire family while i watch and then kill me I will do anything he says. One of my friends told me how he watched his best friend say no and then watched as his family was slaughtered and then he was killed and his body dragged through town. Now to all of those peopl who think that we are just over there for OIL well just think of what I just said and then rethink your position. Now, the protesters, if you want to protest thats fine but when you decide to spit on and throw things at the family's of service men and women well you have stepped over the line. I was out with my best friend and her husband is in the reserve's and we drove to a mall and she has a base sticker on her car window and there was a few people there who saw the sticker and started to thow things at her and her 3 year old child and that made me mad. i was about to step in when a cop stopped and asked what the problem was and we explained what had happened and because one of the things that were thrown was a rock and it hit my friend in the side they sited the person who threw the rock.Then we had to explain to her child why these people are trying to hurt us and what did we do to deserve what they did...I guess the main issue I have with the protesters is that they say they want piece and no violence but they have no problem spitting on people and throwing things at people and destroying property. I guess the hardest thing for me to understand is how can people act this way and then hide behind there rights to do what they do, when people many years ago gave up there lives so they can have these rights. I believe in the rights that we have and i cherish them but there are some people who cross those lines and they should be punished. Just like anyother war there are hidden motives and some are good and some are bad but remember this is war people and things will be done that are not popular to alot of people. For example the van full of women and children taht were trying to run the check point and they would not stop so they got fired on and inocent people lost there lives and that pist alot of people off but look at it from the other side, if they were not stopped and they had a trunk full of explosives and they were allowed to get to a public place and do a suicide bombing we would catch hell for not stopping them before they got there. Basically no matter what the americans do we are in the wrong. If we help we are wrong and if we dont help we are wrong. Well what can we do. Being as powerful as we are we have become the big brother of the world, we are expected to help everyone and if we dont we are we are bastards.So we have to take the good with the bad. Hopefully this will end as soon as possible so we can bring our men and women home... |
| Haven't Changed Mah Mind | Apr 2nd. at 8:23:21 pm EST |
| kitten (iowa) | Age: 15 - Email |
|
no, i haven't changed my mind at all about the war in Iraq. i am still very much against it and i will continue to be. i don't believe that this war should have started in the first place. |
| Where Does It End? | Apr 2nd. at 8:45:19 pm EST |
| Bochon (Florida) | Age: 36 - Email |
|
I don't disagree that Saddam is a horrible person and should not rule Iraq. However, I do disagree that we have a right to invade his country and remove him from power. Check out the number of countries on Amnesty International's list of nations with human rights violations. Should we invade them all because "we're the good guys and they're the bad guys."? (And let's consider if we're really the good guys.) Where does it end? Many people in this country do not have adequate shelter or health care, yet some people would think it responsible to spend our resources in other countries---and not in acts of love and caring, but in violence. If you think that removing Saddam is for the good of all, remember that since the Korean conflict, the vast majority of people killed by war are women and children who die of starvation and disease as an indirect result of fighting. I grieve for the people of Iraq who suffered under Saddam. I grieve for any human, anywhere, who has his/her rights violated. But I also grieve for the poor children who will die of this conflict because we chose to invade another country without direct provocation or international support. Would we be the world's only superpower if another country had invaded us to "liberate" us from the British? Or is it our will and desire for freedom that made us--and keep us--free? We can send the Iraqi people support, food, supplies, and positive energy...but only they can make--and keep--themselves free. To believe otherwise is dangerous arrogance. |
| More Of What I Think... | Apr 2nd. at 11:00:50 pm EST |
| Sarah (Massachusetts) | Age: 14 - Email |
|
I know a lot of schools do this, but im my town the french students get the opporitunity to goto different countries. this year both the 8th grade class and the high school get to goto canada (quebec and montreal) a friend of mine is two years older than me and she's a sophmore. She's going to Montreal with her french class. They aren't allowd to mention the war, mention they're american, or wear anything with american flags. We aren't even allowd to support our country. I was reading her online journal and she was talking about how she was scared. She was scared because she wasn't even allowd to talk about being an american citizen. She was saying how someone she knew was in canada and they mentioned they were american in a cafe and the people litterally started "booing" at them. Shouldn't we be able to be pproud of our country no matter where we are? I mean this is Canada and innocent kids aren't allowd to mention they live about 5 hours away. These are kids, do you really think we have any control over what our government does? Absolutely not. People seem to assume that since we're American we agree with every little thing the government does. I believe what a lot of you are posting disproves that. Next year I'm going to Italy and to Austria with my school orchestra since we were invited to play 6 concerts there. I'm afraid to go there because I don't know how i'll be treated. The truth is I am proud to be an american. I don't necessarily think we're the "greatest country" with the "best views" but I'm suposed to be free here. That's the one thing I do respect about our country. I can be free. |
| Cursed Are The Warmongers... | Apr 3rd. at 5:07:49 am EST |
| Arachne (London) | Age: 36 - Email |
|
Cursed are the warmongers, for they shall inherit a hell of their own making. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to live there too :- ( |
| Principles | Apr 3rd. at 9:07:03 am EST |
| A Witch (Eastern Ohio) | Age: 23 - Email |
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Harm none. A great princliple to live by, which is one of the many reasons why i am a Wiccan. |
| Standing Firm | Apr 3rd. at 4:33:24 pm EST |
| A Wiccan (Azle, Tx) | Age: 19 - Email |
|
My view of the war has not chaged Murder is Murder no matter what the cause. |
| No | Apr 3rd. at 6:02:20 pm EST |
| Treehugger (California) | Age: 22 - Email |
|
I haven't changed my mind that killing Iraqi citizens for oil OR their own good is wrong just because now I know people doing it. I do want our soldiers to home home safely, there is nobody I want hurt other than Bush and Hussein and all the other dictators in power who will never see a battlefield. Today simply stating the truth is seen as unpatriotic:Bush was not elected, this war is not being waged for the sake of the Iraqi people, this war is not increasing the safety of the American people, we are making the world hate us. I love my country, and I despise murder being done in its name. |
| To War Or Not To War | Apr 3rd. at 10:17:45 pm EST |
| Krystallwytch (versailles, kentucky) | Age: 46 - Email |
|
I don't know. I am against war. However, I know of many people who have children sent to Iraq to fight. I pray for their safety. I wonder what this war "conflict" is really about. Are we trying to rid the world of another Hitler or Stalin or are we simply trying to control the source of oil? I live in Kentucky. Hemp can be grown here with great success. What's wrong with hemp oil? It has been proven to work for automobiles. Why are we dependent on a country who hates us for oil when we could possibly produce it for ourselves? Maybe I'm just ignorant and don't understand. That's entirely possible. May all the bloodshed and torture end soon and the soldiers return home safely. Krystall |
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