Well I’m sorry I didn’t get to answer all your questions, but I will be back in August. I do not have internet up in my home in Vermont. See ya.

P.S.
I hope that the Supreme Court over rules the D.C. gun law and inturn all gun laws.

1. Why us? We are the “defenders of dimocracy” and you can thank Wilson and Roosevelt for that. Why Iraq? Iraq because 1. Saddam was training Terrorists in high numbers. 2. no one liked the Iraqi government so they were an example 3. Bush saw it as a way to further his riches which as a libertarian I strongly disagree. We already failed in Vietnam, North Korea, and China(refering to McArthur’s proposal to Truman to send 20 divisions to help the Guomingdang (did I get that right?)) and Venezuela has too allies and the African dictators are war hungry. Wasn’t Ethiopia just invaded by Sudan? and why don’t we help them?

I’d love to answer the others cause I have worthy answers for them but I must be going. I’ll get them to you next week. Not to stall but I have homework then the gym, again.

Sorry I haven’t been back to you, but there is so much to do at the end of the year for us (and for you I suppose). Anyway, to respond to your statements, let’s take them one by one:

That may be true to some extent in the modern era, but then what do you call Saudia Arabia, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, UAE? Are they not free? I guess I would have to ask you what your definition of free is?

I can’t and won’t defend what Saddam Hussain did to the Kurds, but let’s look at it as a whole. The Kurds are not going to stop until they have their own country. Unfortunately, they wish their country to include parts of Iraq, Iran, and Turkey (maybe more). If the Catholics of this country felt they wanted their own country and were fighing (I mean real fighting) to achieve that end, what do you think our governement would do? Maybe not use biological weapons on them I agree, but perhaps some other deterrent? BTW, who do you think helped Saddam initially with the creation of these WMD? Hmmm.

Several questions here. (1) Why does it have to be us? Who gave us that responsibility? I don’t remember voting on this issue. And why just Iraq? Why not Iran, N. Korea, China, Vietnam (again), Venezuela, and any number of African countries? There is more to the reason why we chose Iraq. (2) What is democracy? There are several types of democracy. Are we trying to impose our form of democracy on them? How does democracy work within their Islamic beliefs? There is a reason why there are no Islamic countries whom we would consider democracies. (3) The youth of Iraq have been bred to hate the West. In order to change that societal thought process, you are talking about re-education that could take an entire generation. Do you think it would be worth that effort (if it could be done) for 20 years? What does that work out to in US deaths and $?

How do you know they want freedom? There is more evidence to suggest that the people of the area were content with the way it was before (not with Saddam, but everything else). It is kind of similar to the Vietnam War. We fought for 20 years trying to sway a people who couldn’t care less about what kind of government ruled their country. They just wanted to be left alone to do what they had done for generations. Maybe we could learn a lesson here? BTW, there is no Shah in Iran anymore, one of the most repressive tyrants in history and a person we put into power twice. The point is here is that if Saddam had continued to play ball with the US, he would still be in power today and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Interesting comment here. The cost of freedom is high indeed, if you want it. Do you think the average American cares whether or not the Iraqi people are free? I don’t think so. Also, you are correct in saying the US armed forces volunteered. However, they volunteered to serve our country, not Iraq. I’m guessing that if you gave them the choice, they would all be back home now. You also state that by helping them it will benefit the whole. How will our being in Iraq benefit you and me? You would thing the answer would be in oil, but we’ve been there a long time and all I’ve seen is the price of gas go up while remaining 5 cents in Iraq. Sounds like the only people benefiting is Iraqis.

Your second paragraph is even more interesting to me:

Well I know our president said that was the reason for going there in the first place, but as far as I know, nothing was found. So, how can you stop something you have no evidence they had? Did they use it on the Kurds? Yes, but did they produce it? Probably not. It could have come from numerous sources including the US, France , or the Russia.

I do not agree with your statement. A tribe is “any aggregate of people united by ties of descent from a common ancestor, community of customs and traditions, adherence to the same leaders, etc. ” while a gang is “a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, esp. such a group engaging in delinquent behavior.” Therefore, your comparison fails to make sense.

You would have to explain this statement to me before I commented.

And your last paragraph…

Historically, the KKK never held that kind of power in the South. They were, and still are, a tyrannical terrorist group that has seen their numbers shrink over the years.

It was a position he should never have agreed on. The plan was hatched during Eisenhower’s term and Kennedy was told after he became president. As a anti-communist, he hoped he could drive out Castro without commiting US troops. Of course after it happened, he did what no other president has ever done before or after. He apologized to the American public. Imagine if Pres. Bush did that.

murph

To adress your first paragraph,
the people in the Middle East haven’t had freedom. The Kurds were not abused before the first World War to the point of destruction as Saddam had done. We must help the Iraqis with their goals of freedom because once they have a stable government they can be an example of dimocracy in the area for the youth of the Iranian people. These people want freedom and if we can prove to them that dimocracy can exist then they will rebel against their ignorant shah and president.
The cost of the war is the price of freedom. May I remind you that all those brave men and women VOLUNTEERED (did not capitolize it to prove a point just to get attention from those who have a more “ignorant” point of view) to fight for freedom. And if freedom costs my life and five extra cents on the dollar when I buy something, I will know that in the long run it will benefit the whole instead of the few because that is how dimocracy works.

To answer your second paragrph,
We stopped Saddam and his WMDs (WMDs are not just nuclear weapons, but also biological weapons-once again just stating that, Murph you know that) so that is what I meant. The tribes fighting back and forth will never stop just like how gangs will never stop which is basically what a tribe is a gang.
And we are not in Sudan because there are people in office who view it as an easy job with easy cash not as a volunteer job that they do to better the world.

To answer the rest,
my comparison to the KKK was meant to mean “if we pulled out of the south then the KKK would have created a tyranical government of sorts. And thanks I couldn’t remember if it was Hilary or Bill.
I only used Reagan as an example because as Buell stated in class-these events happened before you were born so you guys probably don’t care.
Although I love history, I did not know all the facts. And although JKF was a great president he broke his promise to our allies in the Bay of Pigs and I don’t agree with that. He could have done something.

And thank you,

Andrew Hunt

P.S.
if you are a history teacher I hope I have you cause I signed up for moslty all the history side courses cause it would be an interesting class.

and though i wouldnt vote for hilary i dont think we should make the “if she cant keep her husband, how can she control a country” analogy. lots of people have un succcessful marriges. look at how many of our parents are divorced. it has nothing to do with her leadership skills.

…in my opinion.

You seem to be a very bright individual where international politics are concerened. You make some very bold statements. Let me ask you some questions. You state that Iraq will split if we leave. Considering it was the Western Nations who made the borders of Iraq, if you are correct, why would that be a bad thing? Wouldn’t borders that house a huge ethnicity ensure a more lasting peace? Thinking this the other way, why are we designated the people who have to keep the peace in a country that has given us absolutely nothing? Where is the cost-benefit analysis from this? Meaning, has the cost of what this war has cost thus far in arms, munitions, and of course 4000+ lives been worth the cost?

You mention that we are there to help stop the killing. While that may be true to some extent, do you think that it will stop once we do leave? The Middle Eastern tribes have a long history of fighting with each other. Do you think our intervention really change that thought process and subsequent actions? BTW, if we were really concerned with stopping the slaughter of innocent people, why haven’t we stepped into Sudan where thousands, if not millions, have been slaughtered or allowed to starve to death? (PS. The answer to that question comes in a barrel).

As for your use of the KKK as an example, I believe that you have embellished a little bit there. The KKK certainly did their share of killing and intimidation; however, hardly on the scale you make it out to be. Be careful not to inflame you reasons with facts that are not substantiated.

BTW, Hilary Clinton was born in Illinois, not Arkansas.

And, you stated: “Reagan never cashed a check, he donated them to charities. I’m not using Reagan as an example because he is a republican, but because I know that for a fact.”

Just to let you know, JFK did the same thing and didn’t triple the national deficit, have one of the most corrupt presidencies in history, and practically use up all of social security. Be careful who you use as an example.

thanks,

murph