First let me say I hold nothing personal against mrGUY and his remarks towards me, your entitled to them. I have no doubt your a good man, heck you drive a Montero right? If my viewpoint is enough to keep you from any dialogue with me about our Montero addiction your entitled to that as well and I'll try to not let it bother me <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

Powell I'll try to get to your first round of rebuttals when I find the energy. As far as your second post:

1. By goodwill I mean the consolation and moral support by citizens of other countries that was influential in helping us eliminate the immediate problem at hand right after 9/11. I think you misunderstood me cuz I meant it as nothing to do with anything we extended to others. We were on the receiving end of a favorable emotional response that helped us a great deal and now is all but lost. If you think the current demonstrations (of ill-will) by tens of thousands isnt going to affect the leaders of those nations and our relationships with them I think your mistaken. Do you really think Tony Blair will be around next term? Do you really think the next PM is going to stiff his constituency as Blair has? Unfortunately Bush has been more than a little outspoken in demonstrating that international opinion means little to him in spite of his trying to make the Iraq thing an international affair.

2. You may not mind taking off your shoes at the airport now, but will you mind when they listen to your phone calls, or interrogate you about what you thought were your own personal affairs, etc.? It would be naive not to think that powers such as the HSA releases will only snowball (the power to keep tabs and control is already in there). 15 years from now when some new administration you disagree with profiles you as a potential threat for whatever new reason I wonder how supportive of these changes you will be? The danger is in the precedent this administration has set as to how involved the government will be in our individual lives in the future. I say its already too much and its gonna get a whole lot worse.

3. In theory you are absolutely correct. UN waffling "empowered" Hussein. In principle I completely disagree. This whole issue is what baffles so many of us trying to find justification for this war... Empowered him with what? WMD? OK, supposing he has them, based on this justification to strike, who else violates our principles and international laws concerning WMD? How about Isreal? How about Korea to name a couple? As I said in an earlier post, it becomes apparent that human rights, liberation, WMD, nonexistent ties to Al Quaida (my opinion based on the evidence and lack thereof), etc isn't the real issue.
WMD aside, how has your life as an American in any way been affected by Hussein's continued control of Iraq? 90 miles worth of rocket propellant hasnt kept me on edge all that much <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

3-4. Maybe "damaged" would be more appropriate. A little hyperbole never hurt anyone, and it made my point sound alot better dont you think? <img border="0" alt="[Pirate]" title="" src="graemlins/bppirate.gif" />
you say: "We are preserving our American way of life by fighting a war on terror. If we follow through, our children and grand-children will have a better chance to exercise the freedom we have today."
I couldn't disagree more. Our war on "terror" is only instigating more resolve to inflict more attacks against us. As I see it, your logic is missing a fundamental gap unless you believe A. We will someday eliminate every single individual capable of being a terrorist. B. Our punishment of known terrorists and/or sympathetic countries and individuals will create mass repentance from "evil" ways of hostile humanity and turn all to warm and sympathetic love toward us.
Your logic has been applied in Isreal toward the Palestinians for some time now - and how safe are they over there?
Our macho, tough guy approach toward humanity at large, thier problems and struggles on the other side of the world make me wonder why people less fortunate than us and who have found themselves in path of our indignation really dont like us. Doesnt take much to figure out that this method isnt going to keep us many freinds. And freinds ARE important these days - look at Pakistan post 9/11. Think we would have caught these creeps without thier help? All I'm saying is evil is a very relative term when it comes to these sort of things.
Japan, Germany are nice examples for your point but one I think your missing. The WORLD agreed that domination and defeat of Japan and Germany were critical to everyones survival and everyone worked TOGETHER to bring it about. How many nations are saying that here? Of course money is power and the new support of war in my opinion is simple resignation to the fact that what is started cant be undone and if there is any gain to be had by supporting the US now then go for it. You say 40 nations have joined in support? Please tell me Botswana is in on this because where will we be without them!? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

This wears me out. I'll chill for now.

Peace