Once a distant, mysterious land, the U.S. has become intensely embroiled in Middle Eastern politics. While simultaneously waging campaigns in both Afghanistan and Iraq, America has turned a wary eye to Iran and its alleged nuclear weapons. With the lives of potentially thousands of soldiers and citizens at stake in both countries, should the U.S. take direct military action against Iran?
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They can if they want...
No problem
>>Sponsoring terrorism? Do you have an example?
Blackwater. Iran-Contra. Central American Death Squads.
>>Held their citizens hostage?
Abu-Gharib
>>Violated sovereign territory? Iraq and Afghanistan(wait, we won those wars, too)
Why do you use the past-tense for the Afghanistan War (more properly the Al-Qaeda War) and the Iraq Invasion & Occupation? I must have missed the withdrawal of the majority of our troops. Please point me to the stories of such an action. Despite the "end of major combat operations" in Iraq, we're still there more than five years later. I bet the families of the dead are relieved that their loved ones died in insignificant combat.
- Hey Its Todd August 15, 2008 9:24AM
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Blackwater Terrorists
This is from Mirriam-Webster:
Terrorism: the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion
Terror: violent or destructive acts (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands
I don't think Blackwater fulfills this definition. Granted, some of them get drunk on duty, and some of them shoot first too quickly (and are wrong), but what armed force in history hasn't struggled with that problem? A mercenary is intrinsically no less moral than a soldier.
- Hank
August 16, 2008 8:40AM
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False premise
>>A mercenary is intrinsically no less moral than a soldier.
Perhaps they don't start that way, but given that the mercenary contract killers have not beenn bound by either the US Military Code nor the laws of the occupied country, do you think there is any 'moral' force guiding these invaders?
As for whether they are terrorists, from the Iraqi population's perspective, they sure as hell are - they are armed invaders roaming the country with no governing force to moderate their behaviors.
- Hey Its Todd August 18, 2008 3:42PM
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Nationalist sentiment
>>As for whether they are terrorists, from the Iraqi population's perspective, they sure as hell are
Actually, the insurgency is being carried out by soldiers from Iran, Syria and other countries.
Many Germans in WWII welcomed the American invasion. The same applies to Iraq: just because it is "their" country doesn't necessarily mean they support it and oppose invaders.
To suggest that Iraqis automatically oppose America is to suggest they are incapable of thinking.
- Mr Cropper August 20, 2008 10:27AM
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You're wrong and have no proof
You have absolutely no proof that Iranians and Syrians are in Iraq, fighting the Coalition. You have no proof because no proof exists. If they were doing that, we'd already be at war. Our trigger happy Vice-President would have made the case for war eons ago, if he could have.The fact is, when you illegally invade a country and kill over a hundred thousand civilians, people get angry. And people fight back.
If China invaded America, destroyed our cities and killed millions of people, would you fight the Chinese? Would you do whatever it took, guerrilla warfare and home made bombs, to fight against the foreign aggressors? Of course you would. And the Chinese would label you as terrorists, as insurgents. They would say, we won this war, but insurgents are still killing our troops. They're cowardly and hide behind their Christianity to rationalize their actions.
How is this any different?
- betterth
August 22, 2008 8:17AM
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Iraqi resistance?
On youtube, there is a video called "Case for War: In Defense of Freedom" in 7 parts.
On part 4 of 7, at 1:05, an IRANIAN man talks about how he hugged his father and cried tears of joy upon learning that the U.S.A. had named Iran an "Axis of Evil" country.
That's right, he was HAPPY that America has become aware of the evil nature of his government. Not ALL the people in the Mid-East are so dim as to be unable to realize the abusive nature of the tyrants who rule them.
The Iraqis would gladly return to peace, but the Iranian and Syrian streams of weapons and fighters are keeping Iraq in chaos.
- Mr Cropper August 22, 2008 11:29AM
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iraqi reality
Iraq is composed of three different ethnic groups/factions. Two of which hate each other. The majority of bloodshed in Iraq is a result of this, not Iran and Syria.
- reckoner
August 27, 2008 8:46AM
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Iran-Contra
I'm not convinced the Contras were any worse than the Sandinistas (though they were certainly no better), and they at least had a better cause. As far as selling arms directly to Iran (do you now accept that they are a terrorist state?), that was done without authorization, and Oliver North was tried and convicted for his crimes. In any case, does the fact that we created a problem mean we shouldn't try to solve it?
- Hank
August 16, 2008 8:58AM
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Central American Death Squads
Are you talking about El Salvador? I couldn't find any conclusive evidence that our government was aware of the extent of their atrocities (though there would have to have been some willful blindness at some level). Can you point me to a good source of information?
- Hank
August 16, 2008 9:21AM
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Iraq and Afghanistan
Neither government will be in a position to threaten us for a long time, which should have been our only aim in invading them. Whether they freely and democratically choose a repressive government should be none of our concern. I was (and still am) a little confused about why we chose Iraq to invade, though.
- Hank
August 16, 2008 9:25AM
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