Originally posted by SLY

Originally posted by Raskolnikov
Yes, parents and grandparents love to see their children and grandchildren shot up and/or come back from war with psychological damage and nervous disorders.
Get real.

In the US administration and public, many of the "old people" who don't know war 'except for these "Disgusting" pix and vids they watch on TV' actually went through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

You and Azrael, though while obviously well intentioned are ignoring the fact that some people in this world will take what they want no matter what the cost and will never give in, ever. Add up all of the facts and it's pretty easy to see that Saddam is one of those people.

Yeah dude , I'd like to defend my country too in case attacked by other nation...
But I'm DEAD sure that parents in the U.S. aren't willing to see their kids die for occupying some other place in the other side of the world , and for no good reasons.

Also how do you think Iraqi people will respond to an american occupation ?? Do you realy think they ALL hate Saddam ?
I can tell you that's not true ... As a matter of fact , this guy controles their poor minds through his media , and of course he's now getting them ready to fight for their lands and so.
Not to mention how many fundamentalists & extremers would take advantage of an american military action against Iraq for their own benifit , and eventualy they'll find more followers than they ever dreamed of.

Almost the same things were said about the Gulf War, just add "Iraq's battle hardened army is going to make for a tough fight." Almost none of came to pass, especially in regards to Iraq's army. The only units Saddam can depend on are his Republican Guard. The rest of his army will probably defect as soon as they get a chance - again, but only this time with an oportunity to liberate their own nation. Consider; most of Iraq's population is NOT comprised of the Sunni population that Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party is based in. Just the Shi'ah Muslims in the South of Iraq compose 55% of the population and has suffered greatly under Saddam's rule. I do not know the Kurdish population's share of the pie chart, but that leaves Saddam's potential support base at well under 45% of the population. Iraqi defectors consistantly insist that there is very little loyalty to him - only lip service to spare themselves and their families extra pain and suffering. American journalists get 100% "on the record" support for Saddam as Iraqi officials carely keep watch, but are often whispered quiet support when those officials aren't looking.
Computer analysis of Saddam's public apperances suggest that he hasn't actually apeared in public in six years - that those apearances are covered by look-alikes. I would suggest that he himself doesn't think his actual support base is very strong in numbers.

I still see no reason to defend the man, the regime, nor do I see a peaceful 'solution' that won't cost more lives in the long run and allows the Iraqi people "life, liberty and the pursuit of hapiness" that I believe they deserve.