400 people killed in 2 weeks in Iraq

[PaulDA]

I just read about it on AOL news.
It's just getting worse and worse with no end in sight.
This war is a disgrace, done in the name of 'freeing people' and in the name of 'Christianity'.
I don't know how George Bush sleeps at night.

[Brenden]

There is more too it than we know. History of Civ 2 has been quite enlightening on the subject. Though I must take it with a grain of salt, as my professor admits a conservative bias.

[PaulDA]

There is more too it than we know.

Yeah.....oil, money, power.....

[Brenden]

Besides that, there's the political effects of taking afghanistan and iraq. I'm not arguing in favor of war, I'm just going to wait and see how it turns out before I deem it worthless or not.

[PaulDA]

Besides that, there's the political effects of taking afghanistan and iraq. I'm not arguing in favor of war, I'm just going to wait and see how it turns out before I deem it worthless or not.

Whether good comes of this is beside the point.
To do something wrong, and have some things turn out good is no justification for doing the wrong thing in the first place.
For instance, if I drive my car without having it registered and as I'm driving I see an auto accident and call 911, and that saves some lives, that is great, but it doesn't justify me driving without it being registered.

[Brenden]

War is pretty different than driving an unregistered vehicle. The latter is illegal, but probably not immoral, the former may or may not be moral, depending on the situation.

I'd call WW2 a war that was worth fighting, despite the horrendous death toll, if we had lost, it would have seemed worthless.

Thusly, the Iraq war seems worthless, but if good comes of it, it may have indeed been worth fighting, depending on how it turns out.

[Wildcatblue7]

And lots more than that died daily during world war two.  (not to trivialize any of those who died in the least)

put it in perspective.  no one "likes" war.  But from my uninformed (not completely) standpoint, I think Bush made the right decision to invade.  Saddam didn't give in to the ultimatum, he paid the price.

[PaulDA]

And lots more than that died daily during world war two.  (not to trivialize any of those who died in the least)
 

And more babies are aborted and murdered every year in this country than ALL deaths from ALL wars in our country's history COMBINED, so what's your point?
 

[amalgamate]

And lots more than that died daily during world war two.  (not to trivialize any of those who died in the least)
 

And more babies are aborted and murdered every year in this country than ALL deaths from ALL wars in our country's history COMBINED, so what's your point?

actually..what's your point?

[PaulDA]

[PaulDA]

Anyhoo....I'll leave this one open for discussion for whever wants to discuss it.
I've said all I'm going to say about this war, and I'm not going to change my mind,
so this would only lead to arguments.

[amalgamate]

I just read about it on AOL news.
It's just getting worse and worse with no end in sight.
This war is a disgrace, done in the name of 'freeing people' and in the name of 'Christianity'.
I don't know how George Bush sleeps at night.

change out christianity and put in democracy and i might partly agree with you....although i wouldn't say it's necessarily a disgrace. I believe the war will free people ultimately and will also help spread democracy (which i think is a good thing). It's debatable whether our loss of human life is worth it but i'm not sure it's as debateable concerning whether or not freedom and democracy are good things.

More people agreed with the war when they thought the death toll would be less, when they expected it to be something like desert storm. (several of my friends are like this). But as the death toll rose, their desire to see the country liberated fell which i think is absurd. I think that the freeing of Iraq from the rule of an evil dictator will only help iraq and set an example for what's possible in other middle eastern countries. I don't REALLY want to get into whether or not wmd's were actually ever there, but our intelligence told us they were. It would have been irresponsible for any President to let that go. I do not believe that this war was for oil, or money...power? maybe. Not in the controlling sort of way, but having another country on our side makes living life as an American a little bit easier...and the spread of democracy can only ultimately help in our war against terrorism.

I don't want you guys to think i'm some pro-war let's kill em all kind of guy, because i assure you that i'm not...but when evaluating the decisions our President had to make, if i were in the same position, i don't see myself making dissimiliar choices based on the information we had, the post 9/11 times of uncertaintly, and the instability in the middle east.




 

[Vlad!]

I was of the opinion that this war should not be started back before it was, and I still believe it should never have been started.  

[PaulDA]

I just read about it on AOL news.
It's just getting worse and worse with no end in sight.
This war is a disgrace, done in the name of 'freeing people' and in the name of 'Christianity'.
I don't know how George Bush sleeps at night.

change out christianity and put in democracy and i might partly agree with you....

Oh please, Bush uses Christianity to justify this war.
Just because he professes Christ and prays doesn't mean he is doing something that God approves of.
And all the Bush Christians fall lock stock and barrell in with his agenda.

[Wildcatblue7]

Oh please, Bush uses Christianity to justify this war.
Just because he professes Christ and prays doesn't mean he is doing something that God approves of.
And all the Bush Christians fall lock stock and barrell in with his agenda.

No and no.  Give me a quote where he claims Christianity is a reason for going to war, and maybe I'll believe you.  I've never heard him say anything like that.  It's about democracy, not Christianity.  The press would slaughter him for that.

And please quit making stupid generalizations like that, Paul.  Just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you should generalize that all "Bush Christians" are blind sheep, either.  We don't appreciate it.

[PaulDA]

Oh please, Bush uses Christianity to justify this war.
Just because he professes Christ and prays doesn't mean he is doing something that God approves of.
And all the Bush Christians fall lock stock and barrell in with his agenda.

No and no.  Give me a quote where he claims Christianity is a reason for going to war, and maybe I'll believe you.  I've never heard him say anything like that.  It's about democracy, not Christianity.  The press would slaughter him for that.

And please quit making stupid generalizations like that, Paul.  Just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you should generalize that all "Bush Christians" are blind sheep, either.  We don't appreciate it.

Most 'Bush Christians' I have come in contact with, either on CMC or in real life, seem
to look up to him like he can do no wrong. It's frightening is what it is.
And Bush does use Christianity to justify this war because he says he prays all the time for guidence....well.....that would mean that God 'guided him' to attack Iraq....
These kind of Christians. who are in power, are very dangerous, because they think God is on their side no matter what they do.

[amalgamate]

Oh please, Bush uses Christianity to justify this war.
Just because he professes Christ and prays doesn't mean he is doing something that God approves of.
And all the Bush Christians fall lock stock and barrell in with his agenda.

No and no.  Give me a quote where he claims Christianity is a reason for going to war, and maybe I'll believe you.  I've never heard him say anything like that.  It's about democracy, not Christianity.  The press would slaughter him for that.

And please quit making stupid generalizations like that, Paul.  Just because you don't agree with him doesn't mean you should generalize that all "Bush Christians" are blind sheep, either.  We don't appreciate it.

Most 'Bush Christians' I have come in contact with, either on CMC or in real life, seem
to look up to him like he can do no wrong. It's frightening is what it is.
And Bush does use Christianity to justify this war because he says he prays all the time for guidence....well.....that would mean that God 'guided him' to attack Iraq....
These kind of Christians. who are in power, are very dangerous, because they think God is on their side no matter what they do.

I don't really see that on cmc. Some of the kids on there are clearly uneducated in the matters of politics and follow blindly by what they probably see their parents doing...but bottom line, they're not the ones voting. And from my experience, most of  the ones that are don't deify Bush.

You tend to speak in generalizations far too often for you own good, Paul. Making the correlation that since Bush asks for God's guidance doesn't mean he thinks God wishes for the United States to go to war. Bush is the President of this country, and it's his duty to put the country first. If he believes that going to war is in the best interest of the country, then he should do it...regardless of whether he feels God is guiding him to do it or not.

We all ask for guidance Paul, I'm not sure that every action we take can be correlated with God guiding us to do it. There are certainly other motives involved in pretty much everything.

Again, making accusations that Bush is on some Holy crusade are unfounded, so, unless you have evidence beyond your own speculation, then keep it to yourself.  

[PaulDA]

^I'll be the judge of what is for my own  good and I don't have to keep anything to myself. Last time I looked, I can say what I want to in this country. I have a right to my opinion about George Bush's motives just as the Bush conservatives have a right to think he is doing something noble in Iraq.
I don't believe George Bush went to war 'for the good of this country'.
I believe he has a personal agenda, based on what his father started, and that the REAL reason we are there is the oil. Period. All this nonsense about freeing the Iraqi people materialized out of thin air when they didn't find any WMDs there, which in itself was a smokescreen for Bush to invade the country to take attention off of the REAL threat to America,  Osama Bin Laden, and to fool the American people into thinking he was doing something about 911.
You know what they say, tell a lie enough times and people begin to believe it.
We've heard "we are freeing the Iraqi people" and "the war on terror" so much that we start to believe it. Attacking Iraq is not a "war on terror". It's Bush's personal battle.

[amalgamate]

if you're going to make accusations, then have some evidence to back it up...that's all i'm saying...is that too much? i guess so...

[PaulDA]

if you're going to make accusations, then have some evidence to back it up...that's all i'm saying...is that too much? i guess so...

They are not accusations.
They are 'opinions' just like the 'Bush supporters' say he is doing this to free the Iraqi people and to combat terrorism.
That is also their 'opinion'.
They have no facts to back that up except what Mr. Bush says.
 

[amalgamate]

They are not accusations.
They are 'opinions' just like the 'Bush supporters' say he is doing this to free the Iraqi people and to combat terrorism.
That is also their 'opinion'.
They have no facts to back that up except what Mr. Bush says.

except for the fact that he IS freeing the iraqi people AND fighting terrorism. I'm not sure that's debateable (it is indeed a fact)...whether it's your opinion that these are his main intentions or just results of his primary agenda (a Holy war, or one for oil) we can't ignore what is actually occuring. Speaking of, which is it, a war for oil? christianity? both?

Yes, you have a right to your opinion...but when you say something like

Oh please, Bush uses Christianity to justify this war

that is not your opinion, you're saying that as if you KNOW. And if you do, then please, bring those facts to our attention.  

[Vlad!]

Although I disagree and have disagreed with this war, PaulDA, I also think that your accusations are way off-base. Bush has never said that he justifies this war through Christianity. As a matter of fact, his stated reasons for the war are ones of national security and political motivation. I agree that the spectre of oil is there behind whatever overt motivations are given, but should that be too surprising? This nation has rushed headlong into oil consumption, and the zeitgeist is that we need to secure ourselves more oil rather than find some other more sustainable source. It should not be too surprising that our foreign policy reflects this notion.

The close association between conservative Christianity and conservative politics has not been lost on me either, but you can certainly assume that everyone here is beyond such blind politics, and dismissing those who disagree with you as 'Bush Christians' is offensive and condencending, especially because YOU are the one making unfounded accusations and rhetoric and its those who are falling for his 'agenda' are the ones who are challenging you to back up what you're saying.

They are not accusations.
They are 'opinions' just like the 'Bush supporters' say he is doing this to free the Iraqi people and to combat terrorism.
That is also their 'opinion'.
They have no facts to back that up except what Mr. Bush says.

That is stupid. As amalgamate says, what you have been posting is clearly accusatory. Of course it's your opinion, but if you are going to assert it (as you have been doing), you must back up your own statements with fact before you go on to claim that the Bush supporters have no facts on their side.

[PaulDA]

except for the fact that he IS freeing the iraqi people AND fighting terrorism.

How is he freeing the Iraqi people? Bringing them 'demacracy'? Is that REALLY freedom?
.....In our country over 1,000,000 babies are aborted every year, tensof thousand of women are raped, ten of thousands of people, including children are murdered, drugs and alcoholism are rampant, dishonesty flourishes, girls and women are having babies left and right and aren't married, millions of couples live together in sin, homosexuality abounds and is becoming more and more accepted as a legitimate lifestyle, greed for making money abounds. We have to lock our doors every night for fear of someone breaking in. Are we really 'free' just because we vote for one politician over another? Corruption and greed are in the midst of our political system.
Do you really think Jesus approves of our form of government over any other?
.....In Iraq, more and more are being killed and maimed every day.
Women, children, old people, either by the terrorists or by our friendly fire.
Ten of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died because of this war.Before we attacked Iraq, the Iraqi's enjoyed free medical care, free schooling. Saddam Huisein was a brutal dictator but he only suprressed people who were against him. The average Iraqi was living a decent life. What kind of life do they have now with bombs going off every day killing dozens and maiming hundreds?
.....How is he fighting terrorism? Catching Osama Bin laden would be fighting terrorism, not occupying a country and trying to get people to forget Bin Laden.
Also, what good is 'voting' if nothing good comes of it?
We equate 'voting' with freedom, but let me tell you this:
When Jesus Christ returns to rule for 1,000 years there will be NO voting. He will rule from the top down, in love but with an iron fist if need be.
We think demacracy = Christian, but actually ALL of the governements on Earth are corrupt.
I, for one, can't wait for Jesus to come back and literally destroy ALL of these human governments.

[PaulDA]

My above post was NOT meant to say George Bush is evil or that we shouldn't try to help people, it was made to show that we have this big chip on our shoulder in the United States, and think we are the great light of the world and we are here to help other countries become as we are.
Not true.
Only Jesus is the light of the world. We are in darkness just as every nation is.
There are Christians IN countries who have the light of Jesus, but no country is Christian.
All countries have pagan governments and pagan laws.
We have to put that in perspective when we get this 'holier than thou' attitude.
Much of the reason Muslims from over there HATE Christianity and HATE our country is because they percieve this as  Christian country and they are appalled at all the USA imperialism worldwide, sticking our noses where they don't belong just to make the US corporations rich, the decadence, heterosexual immorality, drugs, abortions, greed, corruption, theft, homosexuality and murders in this country.
So.....we should blame ourselves first and foremost when we try to come up with reasons the terrorists hate us.

[amalgamate]

How is he freeing the Iraqi people? Bringing them 'demacracy'? Is that REALLY freedom?
.....In our country over 1,000,000 babies are aborted every year, tensof thousand of women are raped, ten of thousands of people, including children are murdered, drugs and alcoholism are rampant, dishonesty flourishes, girls and women are having babies left and right and aren't married, millions of couples live together in sin, homosexuality abounds and is becoming more and more accepted as a legitimate lifestyle, greed for making money abounds. We have to lock our doors every night for fear of someone breaking in. Are we really 'free' just because we vote for one politician over another? Corruption and greed are in the midst of our political system.
Do you really think Jesus approves of our form of government over any other?
.....In Iraq, more and more are being killed and maimed every day.
Women, children, old people, either by the terrorists or by our friendly fire.
Ten of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died because of this war.Before we attacked Iraq, the Iraqi's enjoyed free medical care, free schooling. Saddam Huisein was a brutal dictator but he only suprressed people who were against him. The average Iraqi was living a decent life. What kind of life do they have now with bombs going off every day killing dozens and maiming hundreds?
.....How is he fighting terrorism? Catching Osama Bin laden would be fighting terrorism, not occupying a country and trying to get people to forget Bin Laden.
Also, what good is 'voting' if nothing good comes of it?
We equate 'voting' with freedom, but let me tell you this:
When Jesus Christ returns to rule for 1,000 years there will be NO voting. He will rule from the top down, in love but with an iron fist if need be.
We think demacracy = Christian, but actually ALL of the governements on Earth are corrupt.
I, for one, can't wait for Jesus to come back and literally destroy ALL of these human governments.

i'm not sure we can legitimately equate christianity with democracy in this case. You've gone off on a tangent i don't really feel like responding to, not because i think you're right but because you're trying to answer questions with more questions and avoiding the topic. Your accusations remain unfounded.

Yes, abortions in the USA happen. The USA is not a perfect country...has freedom led to these abortions? To a degree...but i think you're clouded by your bias on this issue, some people do not view an undeveloped and unborn fetus as a human life and that is the argument that is really at debate in this case...not freedom.

When i say freedom in terms of democracy, i'm talking in terms of elections, where the people have a voice. Is that happening in Iraq? yes, it's happening. Is it upon them? not necessarily quite yet. Are iraqi's dying? yes. But how many iraqi's died under saddam hussein? did we even care? Now that we're over there, you care about every single death that's caused by those opposing us when the numbers aren't even comparable.

Crimes happen in every nation Paul...i don't see your point in bringing up murder, rape, etc.

 

[Wildcatblue7]

yes, Paul, those things do happen here, but that's not really equal with democracy.  Yes, we have the freedom to do those things.  They happen in other countries that aren't democracies, anyway, like China (I wonder how many babies are aborted each year over there with their one child policy).  Every statement you made applies to modern Europe, too.  But remember that in the US, democracy (well, we're really a democratic republic; perfect democracies don't exist) lets us have freedom of religion, even if it is being threatened.  That's more than mass amounts of countries around the world.

This statement made me fall out of my chair, though:

The average Iraqi was living a decent life.

Under Saddam?  Are you joking?  He was gassing and shooting and bombing his own people.  Under brutal and evil dictators like Saddam, I think anyone would be hard pressed to find anyone living a decent life--other than Saddam (decent meaning comfortable--though that may not be true either, since he was so afraid of assassination that he forced guys to be his body doubles).

Anyway . . . anything else I might say would be repeating amalgamate.

[PaulDA]

Under Saddam?  Are you joking?  He was gassing and shooting and bombing his own people.  Under brutal and evil dictators like Saddam, I think anyone would be hard pressed to find anyone living a decent life--other than Saddam (decent meaning comfortable--though that may not be true either, since he was so afraid of assassination that he forced guys to be his body doubles).
 

Saddam only killed people who were a threat to him.
The average Iraqi lived his life, had free medical and schooling and was never bothered.
Was Saddam correct to kill and torture people he thought were enemies?
Of course NOT!
But that is far from the US propaganda that Saddam routinely tortured and killed the average Iraqi citizen.

[amalgamate]

Under Saddam?  Are you joking?  He was gassing and shooting and bombing his own people.  Under brutal and evil dictators like Saddam, I think anyone would be hard pressed to find anyone living a decent life--other than Saddam (decent meaning comfortable--though that may not be true either, since he was so afraid of assassination that he forced guys to be his body doubles).
 

Saddam only killed people who were a threat to him.
The average Iraqi lived his life, had free medical and schooling and was never bothered.
Was Saddam correct to kill and torture people he thought were enemies?
Of course NOT!
But that is far from the US propaganda that Saddam routinely tortured and killed the average Iraqi citizen.

i'm not sure that's the propaganda that's being spread. Receiving the death penalty by opposing a dictator is hardly fair or just. Bush felt it was his responsibility to allow these people the right to choose who serves them and viewed saddam as a threat.

I don't think that Saddam went around killing people for fun, but c'mon Paul.


edited for clarification

[PaulDA]

Bush felt it was his responsibility to allow these people the right to choose who serves them and viewed saddam as a threat.
 

This, while sounding noble, is just as much your opinion as me stating my opinion
that "Bush went over there for oil and for political reasons".

[amalgamate]

Bush felt it was his responsibility to allow these people the right to choose who serves them and viewed saddam as a threat.
 

This, while sounding noble, is just as much your opinion as me stating my opinion
that "Bush went over there for oil and for political reasons".

well, yes...my opinion based on his actions and the things that the president has said. I guess i AM being a bit trusting. However, you are leaning more toward the conspiracy and speculation part of the spectrum.

We can argue whether the cost of war is worth it, but i think there's less room for arguing intentions. We can mostly argue whether the result of the war is worth the amount of blood shed. Because anything other than that IS speculation.

I think it's too early to tell whether this war will do what the President would like it to do in the Middle East. So the verdict is still mostly out on this war being a success/worth it. I respect those whose opinion it was not to go into iraq in the first place. I think that's an easier decision to make in retrospect, but most have good reasons for having those views.  

[PaulDA]

I respect those whose opinion it was not to go into iraq in the first place. I think that's an easier decision to make in retrospect, but most have good reasons for having those views.

Just to clarify, and anyone from CMC can vouch for this, I was against this war from day one.
I'm not just against it because it's been going badly.

[poetrychick]

Enough already! We should have ended this little Dance of The Vendetta more than a year ago. Now people on both sides are dying. And I'm still not clear why they see this necessary. We don't want to be there, they don't want us there. They have established their own government, and if the country falls aparts, it's on the officials head. However, if we prolong our little stint in the sand, and things get worse and not better (as I fear they most likely will). And we are still there, they have someone to blame for their misery; the President (not that they don't already, sometimes rightfully) And our country. Then you take an already inflamed, unstable relationship between government. Then inflame it until it becomes a full on war. And I assure you it won't be nearly as nice and neat as the recent. Don't think our enemies and theirs don't know this fact.

[Josh]

I'll chime in to say that I have a serious problem with the way in which the Bush administration had such a hard time deciding exactly WHY we were going into war; at first they told the American public that it was because of the WMDs, but, when they couldn't find any of those, they switched over to the whole overthrowing-a-tyrant thing, which is just plain dishonest if you ask me.

Moreover, look at the current reasons for why we went to war in Iraq:

-- Iraq had a cruel regime that persecuted its own people.
-- Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
-- Iraq condoned and supported terrorist activity.
-- Iraq made inflammatory remarks against the US.

The problem, of course, is that these things coule apply to ANY NUMBER of countries! So... why pick JUST IRAQ?

[Vlad!]

The problem, of course, is that these things coule apply to ANY NUMBER of countries! So... why pick JUST IRAQ?

I dunno, but I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with the oil it has    

[poetrychick]

I dunno, but I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with the oil it has  

That's another thing. Freeing their country gives us acess to great oil trade. But we obviously aren't putting it into use, otherwise we wouldn't have to pay a king's ransom for petrol. Why?!

[Vlad!]

That's another thing. Freeing their country gives us acess to great oil trade. But we obviously aren't putting it into use, otherwise we wouldn't have to pay a king's ransom for petrol. Why?!

Gasoline prices are increasing as oil production starts to peak. Also, Iraq isn't just going to give oil away even though we did fight a war there. And it hasn't completely settled down yet.

Gas prices will be trending mainly upwards unless the government intervenes somehow. Don't expect to see dips much below $2/gal.

[PaulDA]

Gasoline prices are increasing as oil production starts to peak. Also, Iraq isn't just going to give oil away even though we did fight a war there. And it hasn't completely settled down yet.

Gas prices will be trending mainly upwards unless the government intervenes somehow. Don't expect to see dips much below $2/gal.

'High gas prices' in the United Staes is an illusion.
Most countries are about double what we pay, and that is usually earning a lot less per capita than we do.
.....We have the cheapest gas prices in the world, not only in actual ammounts but per capita and we cry when they go up a little.
Serves all the nincompoops right who ran out and bought akll those SUVs and other large vehicles hjust because the price of gas fell a few years ago.
.....I just bought a 1995 Ford WondStar Mini-van and it only gets 18 mils a gallon as opposed to my 1987 Toyota Camry sedan which got 27.
I'm not complainig though. I use the mini-van to sell on weekends at flea markets and this also gives me an excuse to stop driving so much and conserve.

[Usadingo]

How is he freeing the Iraqi people? Bringing them 'demacracy'? Is that REALLY freedom?

Democracy allows them to choose the leaders they want.  How is that not freedom?

.....In our country over 1,000,000 babies are aborted every year,

Which Bush has spoken out against and done what he can to stop.

tensof thousand of women are raped, ten of thousands of people, including children are murdered, drugs and alcoholism are rampant,

And can you show me where our government is not trying to stop these things?

dishonesty flourishes, girls and women are having babies left and right and aren't married, millions of couples live together in sin,

More things Bush has spoken against...

homosexuality abounds and is becoming more and more accepted as a legitimate lifestyle,

Another thing Bush has clearly tried to stop.

greed for making money abounds.

Debateable theory.

We have to lock our doors every night for fear of someone breaking in.

Move.  I know people around here in Kansas who leave their keys in their cars.

Are we really 'free' just because we vote for one politician over another?

No, we're free because we're able to vote.  We can say just about anything we want about those we're voting for.  We can even choose not to vote.

Corruption and greed are in the midst of our political system.

Just like any other political system.

Do you really think Jesus approves of our form of government over any other?

Yes.  

.....In Iraq, more and more are being killed and maimed every day.
Women, children, old people,

Maybe I'm watching the wrong news programs and channels, but it's odd that the only mass murders of these people that I'm hearing about is from democrats against the war.  I'm not saying there's no innocent casulties- just that I don't hear mass reports of them.

either by the terrorists or by our friendly fire.

But I thought you said there were no terrorists in Iraq?

Ten of thousands of Iraqi civilians have died because of this war.

Then maybe they should stop pointing guns at soldiers.

Before we attacked Iraq, the Iraqi's enjoyed free medical care, free schooling.

Don't forget free beatings, gassings, and shootings.

Saddam Huisein was a brutal dictator but he only suprressed people who were against him.

From what I've seen, it was more towards those who didn't openly praise him and blindly follow him.

The average Iraqi was living a decent life.

Full of having to dress a certain way, say certain things, vote a certain way, live a certain way, and keep opinions to themselves.

What kind of life do they have now with bombs going off every day killing dozens and maiming hundreds?

If you know how to wage war with flowers, by all means, write your senator.

.....How is he fighting terrorism? Catching Osama Bin laden would be fighting terrorism, not occupying a country and trying to get people to forget Bin Laden.

And if you know where he is, sign up for the military.  They're still searching for him.  Despite what liberal democrats may tell you, we're still in Afghanistan.

Also, what good is 'voting' if nothing good comes of it?

Voting doesn't create an immediate repsonse where everything is suddenly better.

We equate 'voting' with freedom, but let me tell you this:
When Jesus Christ returns to rule for 1,000 years there will be NO voting. He will rule from the top down, in love but with an iron fist if need be.

Jesus is also God, so I don't think comparing our government system with God is quite the same.

We think demacracy = Christian, but actually ALL of the governements on Earth are corrupt.
I, for one, can't wait for Jesus to come back and literally destroy ALL of these human governments.

All are corrupt, yet I believe some are better than others.

I dunno, but I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with the oil it has

And would that be the same oil that we could have taken during the first Gulf War and currently could take?  

[Usadingo]

'High gas prices' in the United Staes is an illusion.
Most countries are about double what we pay, and that is usually earning a lot less per capita than we do.

We're also much bigger than other countries.  I'd expect to pay $4 a gallon if I lived in a country that I could drive across on a single tank.  It's basic economics.  Now if those other countries had to fill up every week at that price, I'd expect them to complain as well.

[PaulDA]

'High gas prices' in the United Staes is an illusion.
Most countries are about double what we pay, and that is usually earning a lot less per capita than we do.

We're also much bigger than other countries.  I'd expect to pay $4 a gallon if I lived in a country that I could drive across on a single tank.  It's basic economics.  Now if those other countries had to fill up every week at that price, I'd expect them to complain as well.

You don't get my point.
People in these other countries are making far less than we are per capita. So it doesn't matter how big their country is. They are paying a much higher percentage of their wages for gas than we are.
In the Philippines, for instance, the average salary may be $75 a week, if that, but gas is double what we are paying if converted to dollars, and for someone earning in Filipino pesos that is even worse..