Massive World Protests Tomorrow

[Drake Tungsten]

second, from all I have heard peope say, including Drake, this will be a 'cakewalk", so where does the great national sacrifice come from?

One dead American soldier (or British, or Australian) will be a greater sacrifice than the rest of the world was willing to make...

If the US is allowed to take action in a foreign and sovereign nation simply because its people want to then it is a step towards giving carte blanche to the US to do whatever it likes wherever it likes whenever it likes.

If that's your concern, then you're a few years too late. America has already intervened in another sovereign nation's affairs without UN approval, in Kosovo. The Euros didn't seem to have any problem with American action when it was an issue that threatened them, but now that we want to take out an even worse dictator in a land far from Europe and loaded with French oil contracts, they want to require that the US get UN approval. You can't have it both ways...

[Imran Siddiqui]

What's this got to do with anti-war opinion in 2003?

You said there 'never is' a silent majority.

Just proving you wrong.

[GePap]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
One dead American soldier (or British, or Australian) will be a greater sacrifice than the rest of the world was willing to make...

How many American servicemen have died from accidents in S.Arabia or elsewhere in the Gulf since 1991? The US has been more then willing to risk the lives of singles of American soldiers in the defense of the Gulf since then. How many people have died enforcing the War on Drugs? Every year, probalby dozens. I guess by your estimates, the war on drugs should be classfied as one of the vital conflicts of our time.

Cheap sentimentality is easy: we lost 58,000 men in Vietnam, and I don't remember people in the US back then screaming about how the UK or France or the Germans were unwilling to help in the mighty cause. Now we are about to embark on a war none of you hawks here think will cost more then 500 US dead and yet all of a sudden its WW2 all over again

The people of Britian and Australia know their men are being put in danger, just as those of the US, but at least they have the comon sense to know that Military men have duties to do, and death is part of the job they signed up for. It is the duty of civilians back home to make sure the cause they will die for is one they are willing to back and believe in. You Drake, keep talking about "our brave sacrifice". well, the men and women in the US military are fulfilling their duties. What about your duties to them, and to all other Americans living today and about to be born?

[Drake Tungsten]

You Drake, keep talking about "our brave sacrifice". well, the men and women in the US military are fulfilling their duties.

What the hell are you on about? I never once said that America was making a "brave sacrifice". I said that the US and Iraq would sacrifice (aka lose) the most in the coming war and that's why I care about the opinions of the people in those countries more than the opinions of people who live in countries that will not be touched by the war.

You've been a real joy to talk with these past few days. You trying to take this thread off on an irrelevant tangent as well?

[GePap]

Just my way of making your French bashing self feel more confortable here in Poly.

As for whos opinions matter most: If that is your attitude, then what do you say of the immense Anti_war demonstrations in the UK and Australia? Do they speak loudly enough for you? And you know, I have eyt to see any huge pro-war dmeonstration. Why don't you guys go out there, make banners saying "Save Iraqis", Death to Saddam", and make your voices heard? How many do you think you could pull in? You keep pointing to polls: should not those pro-war rallies be huge? I mean, right before WW1 there were some huge pro-war rallies. It can be done.

[Drake Tungsten]

Just my way of making your French bashing self feel more confortable here in Poly.

At least I'm known for something...

And you know, I have eyt to see any huge pro-war dmeonstration.

That's because us pro-war people are smart enough to get our way without having to resort to freezing our asses off outside at some stupid rally.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

What's this got to do with anti-war opinion in 2003?

You said there 'never is' a silent majority.

Just proving you wrong.

I was talking about the war you pillock. The fact that people voted for Nixon 35 years ago seems to me to be slim evidence for the claim you want to make (an enduring bunch of god fearing idiots who agree with you about everything).

[Imran Siddiqui]

I was talking about the war you pillock.

Well then you stated it idiotically. You said there 'never is' a silent majority. I didn't know I was supposed to read you mind and merely confine the word 'never' to this year .

[axi]

Now let's see what happens in the EU summit today. What will Blair, Aznar and Berlusconi have to say.

At least we jnow that war is off for another fortnight.

As for the demonstrator estimates, it's gone up to 13 million now. There were 200.000 people demonstration in San Fransisco and 100.000 in LA.

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

I was talking about the war you pillock.

Well then you stated it idiotically. You said there 'never is' a silent majority. I didn't know I was supposed to read you mind and merely confine the word 'never' to this year .

The so called "silent majority" is supposed to be an everlasting fund of conservative opinion that always carries the majority of public opinion in spite of whatever opposing demonstrations there may be. That is the way the slogan is used. In reality there is no such thing - most of the silent are simply indifferent. In reality, if there is a silent majority in the US it is the people who don't vote.

And as for silent - conservative opinion in the US is rarely silent. I only wish they were, it would mean less pollution of the airwaves.

Anyway, the majority of world opinion is against the war. You can eat your heart out.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The so called "silent majority" is supposed to be an everlasting fund of conservative opinion that always carries the majority of public opinion in spite of whatever opposing demonstrations there may be.

Thank you for your redefining of a word, but it is not needed or wanted.

Oh, and your efforts to paint me as a conservative idelogue to attempt to score points is halfway amusing, but in general just makes you look more like a buffoon.

[Ned]

Does anyone know who organized the demostrations? Communists? Iraq?

Since this was a world event, I would suggest the former.

[Spiffor]

Ned :
I am communist, and I didn't see so much effort from my party in this demo. There have been many parties associated, as well as many associations, student groups etc.
In Stuttgart, the most active have been single-issue anti war organizations. I wonder to what extent they have consulted internationally, and to what extent they have been manipulated by bigger fishes (such as countries)

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by Azazel
the people that risk the most, do support it the most. In Israel and in Kuwait too. I wonder why is that.

Kuwaitis don´t support the war; they are just not allowed to protest.

And Israel is the sole beneficiary.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Ned :
I am communist, and I didn't see so much effort from my party in this demo. There have been many parties associated, as well as many associations, student groups etc.
In Stuttgart, the most active have been single-issue anti war organizations. I wonder to what extent they have consulted internationally, and to what extent they have been manipulated by bigger fishes (such as countries)

The worldwide organization of this event is what is really impressive. The news mentioned the name of the organization that put it together. It went in one ear and out the other. But I would doubt that an ad hoc group would have the worldwide financing and organization to plan events in so many cities across the world.

Really impressive.