Michael Moore Stars at Academy Awards

This is absolutely wonderful! The fact that this article has stirred so many responses, positive or negative is a VICTORY for MM and the peace movement in the WORLD today. Bravo Mr. Bleifuss!

For some reason my post excluded my e-mail address. Here it is

If Iraq’s major export was kumquats, do you think Bush would be so eager to “liberate” it???

Michael Moore is proving to America of what George Carlin said about the double standard America plays.  Which is say one thing, DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.  America has been born, spawned and thrived by the double standard.  Think about it.

America was founded by slave owners who wanted to be free. 

So they killed a lot of WHITE English people, so that they can countine to own their BLACK African people, move west and slaughter RED Indian people, go further south and kill BROWN Mexican people, so that they can make room to take off their airplanes to drop nuclear weapons on the yellow Japanese people.  The true motto for America should be, YOU GIVE US A COLOR, WE’LL WIPE IT OUT.

America has got to be the only country in the world that could come up with a disease like
Bulimia, think about it, some people in Iraq have no food at all, while some people in America eat a nurishing meal and puke it up intentionally.  In America, 400,000 people die each year from tobacco, so they ban artificial sweetener.  BECAUSE A RAT DIED!  Am I missing something?

I’m very grateful for Michael Moore, he’s not my hero, but I’m grateful indeed.  We need people like him, and George Carlin, to give us courage to speak our minds.

Moore and Carlin are truly my inspiration, my hero died a month ago. Fred “Mister” Rogers, my hero. 

That is easy Tracy.  I believe American people are more scared of reprisals from our own government than they are of outside terrorism.  It is the same reason millions of people who oppose the war will not even voice their opinion. If they will steal an election and take away your civil rights in front of your face what will they do behind the scenes????? In fact, maybe you are one of them trying to get more info on the, as I heard it put recently, Communists ( the new pet name for Democrats and people who voice their opposition to anything the government says) in this country.

I wonder what would have happened if Winston Churchill had not gone after Hitler when the rest of the world, including the US, ( we didn’t get involved until Pearl Harbor), sat idly by?
Can you say Hi Hitler in french?

From Tina:
“I will stand before our men and women in uniform and trust that those we put in power know more about the world situation...”

Maybe this is the statement the common German made in 1939.
No doubts Bush need people like to be “reelected”. 

Linda Z,

Thanks for explaining me about the Daisy Chicks.

Merci beaucoup Mademoiselle Linda :)

For Leitch,

I excellent comment about the Double Standard article by George Carlin.

Well said!!!

Sincerely,

La dÈmocracie

Michael Moore is a hero and he made a very good job with his movie!!

Rodger, I have to agree with you.  In fact I think the problem goes deeper than that.  I think the people that speak out so angrily in support of the war are the ones that are the most afraid of the US government or dependent on it.

To Aziz,
I’ll let you know if I see any concentration camps popping up.
God bless you.

To Mark from Cascadia,

Thank you for responding to one of my postings without throwing insults or bad grammar - I appreciate that.

You sound like your actually concerned about the future of my two sons, and I appreciate that too.

However, the one thing I have noticed in postings from people who do not live in America (and even from some who do live here) is that some pretty broad and sweeping generalizations about us, our lifestyle, our international relations, etc. have been made.  Some of these generalizations have been true, like corporate greed; and some have been false, like we all drive SUV’s.  I personally find SUV’s to be a waste of gas, metal, and space.  Generalizing the people of an entire nation, any nation, is ignorant and wrong.  There are 280 million of us.  Most Americans are fairly decent people who work hard, try to earn a decent living, and care about their children.

And Mark, it is the goal of every parent to teach their children to be as self-sufficient and independent as possible.  I will make my best effort in this area.

And for everyone:  PLEASE don’t put all of us who found Michael Moore’s comments at the oscars to be ill-timed, inappropriate, and disrespectful in the same category as those two nimrods who said MM “should be shot” and is a “fat f---”.  I’m not even in the same universe as those idiots.

God Bless our young soldiers and Marines.  And God Bless the innocent people of Iraq, whom I truly believe are being liberated.

Wir verstehen diese Regierung nicht!
Uranbomben f¸r Frieden auf Bagdad?
Leider ist ein Herr Rumsfeld nicht ehrlich, der mit Saddam Hussein sehr eng befreundet war!
Fragen Sie ihn, aber er wird nicht ehrlich antworten!
Und Abbildungen von diesen beiden
wurden ver?ffentlicht!

The amount of hatred pro-war people exhibit is a clear sign of their fear.  It is disgusting that they refer to freedom of speech as Communism. They sound like members of the KKK.

I’m so glad Mike got his couple of minutes of prime time TV to rant! Our media isn’t allowing the debate on the war or the coupe that took over our govt. to enter into the mainstream dialog and this is a horrible travesty! But now Michael has spoken and shocked the crap out of everyone and now everyone is talking about the guy and his opinions who had been ignoring him before. THe mainstream media has pretty much had him on a blacklist since the start of his career. Now some of the mainstream celebs are so flabbergasted that they can’t seem to stop talking about him. Even if it is negative, it will probably spark alot of sales of his book and movie. We Americans are nothing if not controversy junkies!

Please everyone (who hasn’t already) do some research on the Project for the New American Century! This is the Cheney Rummy Jeb and co think tank that has an imperialist agenda and they actually have it outlined for all to see at www.newamericancentury.org

Go Mikey! You are one courageous dude! Keep that standing ovation in your heart and remember - all of your fans were also there in spirit.

We do not understand this government! Uranium bombs for peace on Bagdad? Unfortunately a Mr. Rumsfeld is not honest, who was very closely friendly with Saddam Hussein! Ask it, but it will not answer honest! And illustrations of these two were published! 

Tina;

That’s why the great folks at Sony gave us remotes—you can change the channel if you are offended by the content—televison is a choice. 
I agree that MM used the best forum offered to him to express his point of view, to speak for the millions who don’t have a forum, whose interests aren’t reflective of BIG OIL, and for that reason will not be represented in the media—he won an oscar for a movie about gun violence, and the sad, ridiculous state of America—what was he suposed to do? thank his agent?  say nothing?  so you could be comfortable sitting in your warm home on your soft cushiony sofa, drinking your Coke?  We are a culture that has the luxury of complaining, protesting and voicing our opinion—we don’t need to worry about where our next meal is coming from or why our child just died of diptheria—count your blessings—they are made possible by people like MM who CHALLENGE the dictators that elect themselves—he’s shouting for the return of democracy, and for that reason deserves our support.

Hi Danielle,
Seems you missed one of my posts. I have already explained the remote issue.
Thanks

I’ve read most of the entries here.

My advice for those of you who are so easily riled up into hatred for someone who speaks for so many - and from their own true convictions - use your spell checkers, read some history, look at the facts, and THEN if you think MM is off base - go to Iraq yourself - send some of the kids back to their families and let us rid the gene pool of your bad genetic material.

MM did what most are too timid or self conscious to do. I am a huge fan and thankful we have MM to illuminate in easily digestable kiblets the truth in the world. We don’t get it if we think we get the whole story on FOX.

MM has been around a lot longer than one night at the fancy pants ball. So go ahead and mock what you don’t understand if that is easier for you....

With awesome power....comes awesome military brute force and idiotic use of it - is just not sustainable....

In closing....You know you are a right wing republican when....

...you don’t see a parallel between Bush believing he is on a mission from God
and Osama bin Laden believing the same thing
...you think people in other countries are moved to commit suicide attacking us because they’re “jealous”, and not because we’ve been bombing and killing their people in their countries and imposing murderous economic sanctions on them
.....you have no idea why we are going to war but support it anyway!

http://www.allhatnocattle.net/contest.htm

And Danielle… Please don’t stereotype. You know nothing about me or my life. 

... und Michael Moore hat gro?en Mut bewiesen, denn er ist der Patriot des Frieden in den USA!

... and Michael of moorlands proved large courage, because it is the Patriot peace in the USA! 

Thank you for printing this story.  Michael Moore, who is for me the greatest living American, has been reviled and lambasted for exercising the very rights that this increasingly right-wing empire supposedly espouses.  If I were a religious person I would pray for him, because I’m sure the hordes of flag-waving haters would love to see him disappear.
Finally, if it weren’t for M. M., I wouldn’t have been aware of your fine publication.  I would love to subscribe to In These Times, but I am a down-sized senior with 2 kids in college and rapidly fading health insurance.  As of June I will be unemployed.  If things pick up, a subscription to your magazine will be high on my list.
Kep up the good work - Peace

“Can you say Hi Hitler in french?” Said a total moron just a moment ago. DUDE, the phrase you’re trying to use is ‘Heil Hitler’ which means ‘Salvation is by Hitler’ and such a comment is outright racism.

The day that Congress changes the menu in its cafeteria to transform french fries into Freedom Fries and french toast into Freedom Toast is the day that we all set our clocks back to the KKK era.

America owes its freedom to what the French endoctrinated in our founding ‘fore fathers’ Franklin, Jefferson, and all the rest who were inspired by THOMAS PAINE who was a resident of France after being ousted by the British. It was Paine who created the Declarations we so holdfast to, and Paine received his education about Liberty from the French-- not only that, Franklin sought enlightenment from Voltaire, another French gadfly, and Jefferson spent a good many a day in France receiving direction on how to build these United States.

You know what sucks? Just because of WW2 and the US “liberating France” from the Nazis, Americans feel entitled to making the French be our bootlickers for eternity? What gaulle (spelling intentional)… but the French did everything in their power to resist the Nazis… like duh.... ever hear of THE FRENCH RESISTANCE? Today is no different, we must resist American Wars for Oil.

Bushwhackoffer might say “We must defend America’s sacred lifestyle” but it is no different than when Andrew Jackson led a bloody slaughter against the indigenous Americans in 1836 with his TRAIL OF TEARS.... know what he called such right back then??? MANIFEST DESTINY

America is on its way to becoming a kissing identical cousin to the Nazi Regiem of Hitler with its rounds ups and disappearances of Middle-Easterners (second serving of Internement/concentration camps anyone?)

The soul of Bush is the soul of Hitler. This might as well be BOB stepping out of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, but even BOB was kindler, gentler…

Also Tina, I don’t want to be mean, but if what your nephew wanted to do is to earn money and travel— become a flight attendant. 
You join the army with the expressed consent that you will jump when your government says jump—you are paid to give your life for your country if you are ever asked to do so.  To join up, and not expect to fight is naive, and now he is making the ultimate sacrafice—does that really make sense to you?

For all of you who are asking about the Dixie Chicks.It’s a popular country music group(of three girls) from Texas who happened to be antiwar artists .They are facing a huge boycott campaign since Natalie Maines the lead singer made it clear and said before a concert audience in London:"We are ashamed the president of United States is from Texas”. After that the Dixie Chicks apologised but it seems that it came in vain .
By the way; I would ask everyone of you guys to go sell their cds wether you love country or not(it doesn’t make difference) just to tell them you are absolutely right on what you stated about Bush and you don’t need to apologise,NO WAY!!! 

Merci Michael,
La voix des pacifistes est forte et juste car elle ne dÈfend aucun intÈrÍt personnel, juste une certaine idÈe de l’humanitÈ.
This is the kind of words I prefer to write in french, the language of the humanists who are to close to the Man to be close to God.
Shame on you M. Bush.

Danielle,
You are putting my words in his mouth.  I never said he wasn’t prepared for war & I never said he wasn’t proud to fight for his country.
I am only expressing one point of view & that is mine.

All true U.S. lovers of peace, democracy and freedom, i.e. non-brain-washed citizens should take God for people like Mıke Moore and pray God to rid them of Adolf W. Bush and his ilk. 

All true U.S. lovers of peace, democracy and freedom, i.e. non-brain-washed citizens should take God for people like Mıke Moore and pray God to rid them of Adolf W. Bush and his ilk. 

Michael Moore is a true patriot because he exposed his fraudulency king George the 2nd.  Bush stole the election and is mainly supported by fanatical relgious right zealots and corportate thugs who want to line their pockets with the blood money of this war.  The merchants of death will prosper while average Americans and Iraqis get killed and injured. 

Michael Moore not only exposed the fraudulent election, but if given more time he could have pushed for solar, wind and geothermal energy.  Big companies and the right wing republicans are anti-people and anti-environment.  Michael was voicing the anger that many of our citizens feel about the warmongering Bush.  The war is an illegal blood bath because congress did not declare war.  Bush and big Dick Cheney should be arrested for violating our constitution. 

Michael Moore stands up for constitutional rights for others and himself.  By the way I met him 12 years ago and unlike a lot of other famous people he acted nice towards me and my friends.  We spoke for 5 minutes.  He was just like us normal folks.  Good for you Mike you are a true patriot. 

To Tina:
Back then in 1939,maybe the common German was also waiting to see any concentration camp popping up and there he was asking himself how could that happen.
No doubts Bush Needs you.

God Bless you

christianity is stupid and so are you
cause I’m a christian pagan muslim jew I eat red meat slice by slice
and everybody knows the crusaders
killed fer christ kill fer christ
we’re all headed for negativeland
hitchin a ride in a minivan
we’re all headed for negativeland
we’re gonna get there anyway we can cruisin around in my winnebago
singin hymns for him on my five string banjo got my rabbits foot and
my fuzzy dice and bumber sticker that says: will kill fer christ kill fer christ kill ...
got molested by my preacher when
I was five when I look into the mirror I see evangelists eyes if the
lord came now he’d say I’m right
to grab a semiautomatic and go kill
fer christ kill fer christ kill…

YES! Michael of moorlands spoke the truth, because George Bush and its government is the worst since existence of the United States of America! 

Bravo to Michael Moore for telling the truth.  We need more American Patriots like him.  Keep up the great work, Michael!

God has blessed me. I was born free.

Goodnight & God bless you all.
I will be praying for peace.

I would like to commend Mr.Moore on his controversial Oscar speech. I know there were boos, but there were also cheers and I believe that the truth should be spoken, whether or not all agree with what has to be said. Thank-you, Mr.Moore. You’ve done a service to your country.

Sorry (!) , not Michael of moorelands!

YES! Michael Moore spoke the truth, because George Bush and its government is the worst since existence of the United States of America! 

Michael Moore shows the reality of aur time in his speach and in his documentary. I love his point of view. Congratulations Moore

Wow, you who have called Michael Moore a fat f#*k and said that he should be shot, way to make an intelligent argument! 

the war your government started is illegal. So listend to moore, he tells you whats going on in your country and in the world. we all should use moore as a good example
...war is not the last solution..war is NO solution

In times of peace and prosperity i feel there is no justified reason to take arms against anyone that has not shown any acts of violence against us.  But, if you, as an intelligent/intellectual ‘american’ can say that the present coup is not justified, please speak to someone who lost a loved one in the non-fictitious attacks on our country .  in times of peace, i feel there is no need to predicate national policy on militant actions, but if you feel that the current course of appeasement taken by the united nations is actually thwarting mr hussein of his power and is subsequently rendering the world free of terrorist action, you are no more intelligent than the homeless man i listened to in Penn Station say that we should bomb OPEC. The system of searching Iraq for chemicals and weapons of mass distruction is as great of an idea as it would have been to sent those two columbine boys to detention.  Instituting such an honor system on a man whose government openly predicates itself as a warring nation (which i think mr moore vehemently opposes) as well as harbors rape camps and executes anyone who has politically contradictory ideals is about naive and intelligently fictitious as the previously stated analogous allusion.  Good luck with the next documentary.

Wake up, America.  Your medias are controlled, your consent manufactured.  You are being fooled and kept ignorant by your leaders.  You better listen now to whistle-blowers like Moore, Chomsky and Nader, and fight back for your democracy.  Wake up!  Everybody in the world either laughs at you or hate you.  Wonder why?  Sooner or later you will pay the price of the imperialist external politics (not to say institutionnalized terrorism) of your government.  I fear 911 is just a preview.  There is no free lunch, and you risk beeing treated with your own medicine in the future… Remember Allende, central america, Vietnam, peek a look at Gaza and West Bank, and put yourself in the skin of those people.  Get informed, get to vote, get a real government.

I would not want to consult the pope on any paricular matter, but if Mr. Moore is appealing to the views of the pope for his moral authority, what are his views on abortion, contraception, and gay rights?

Go on, Mark (3.24.03, 9:45 pm).  Ignorance is strenght.

It is a shame that it took so many people so long (and such an important message to have been finally said) to have visited this website.
Thank YOU Mike!

Michael,
I am so happy that there are real people out there, in the spotlight, and still keep it real like yourself.  As I make my foundation deep and strong, and prepare myself for that same spotlight someday, I look forward to shaking your hand when that becomes a reality.  keep on truckin!!! there are more people than you could ever imagine in this world that look up to you for who you are.  peace and God bless!!
-Lawrence Moses

To nonfictitious Mind from Albany, NY : the very fact that you lost a loved one in 911 should make you a peace militant if you had an ounce of judgement.  Ever questionned why the Twin Towers were blown up?  Because of the grand generosity of your country’s external politics?

MM is giving a civilized example for the coming generations by taking initiatives to improve humanity,in a decent,acceptable,efficient and above all bloodless fashion.
‘Mister’ Bush will fail in his attempt to get Saddam because he’s not waiting in the town square in Bahgdad to be collected.MM on the other hand is using the mighty tools of democracy to acheive his ends.A long awaited legitimate occupant in the White House.
My hope is that other troubled nations such as Irak will not be blessed by a visit from the U.S.A. to free their citizens in this fashion.

Mr.Talbot…
I am one French Canadian that wishes our prime minister had the balls Mr. Bush does. We should be standing side by side with our American allies. I just hope & pray that no one ever invades us because with our military & our Prime Minister’s big mouth we will most likely have to call Ghostbusters in to save us because the Americans sure as hell won’t & I can’t blame them.

“I disagree with everything you said, and will defend your right to say it with my life.”
This quote was the basis of modern democracy, and any person who disagrees with it does not support true democracy, only the illuson of it.

Michael Moore sits atop the best seller list once again with his work of non fiction.  The last ‘chapter’ is simply pages and pages of lists of evidence to support every single one of his claims and statements. 
Last time he was in a televised debate with a senator who called him a liar he even placed dozens of congressional reports and government statistics on the table in front of them and challenged the senator to say which ones were wrong.  In fact Michael Moore is regularly denounced by his critics as being wrong, mistaken or a liar, and yet not one of these critics can do the same thing he can- back up their assertations with concrete fact.
And stating something over and over again does not make it fact, no matter how many dissenting voices you attempt to silence.

There is still no evidence to support the claim that Iraq has ever backed Al Queeda, in fact there is overwhelming evidence the majority of the world has not heard that Bin Laden would gladly kill Saddam given half a chance, and vice versa.  These are two factions more oppossed to each other than the Protestant and Catholic terrorist organisations of Northern Ireland could ever have come close to being.

Michael Moore, like the majority of the planet, is against the war because there are other means of achieving the same thing.

500,000 Iraqi chidren dead since 1991 due to US sanctions and bombs (UN W.H.O. official report).
Estimated 300 minimum Iraqi civilians dead from current offensive.

Paul.  If someone invades us one day, chances they will come from the south… For once, I think Jean ChrÈtien had the balls to say no and stand for Canadian values and independance (if there is such a thing).  Furthermore, I do not want to have any blood on my conscience (American or Iraqi).  Solving your problems through violence seems to be the typical American Way, and I reject this.

To Mr. Talbot,
Since Saddam took power in 1979 he has been responsible for over 2 million deaths.
400,000 Iraqi children die every year from starvation.
Women are tortured & raped on a daily basis.
Speak out against Saddam & get your tongue cut out.
I suggest you pick up a copy of Con Coughlin’s book “Reign of Terror” or Latif Yahya’s “I was Saddam’s son” so you can read all about this horrible, horrible man & the atrocities he & his regime have forced on the Iraqi people.

To Paul:
You are absolutely right about Saddam Hussein but I don’t think that anybody who is against this war does not know that Saddam is a terrible person. But do you really believe that Bush started this war to save the Iraqi people? Wake up!!!! PEACE!!!!

Saddam Hussein has been given chance after chance to disarm & he has repeatedly stonewalled the UN & the inspectors as they tried to do their job. 
He is a madman in the tradition of Stalin ( one of his heroes ) & Hitler & must be stopped. The UN let the world down in 1991 when Saddam first agreed to disarm & didn’t & have continued on that path rewriting resolution after resolution so you tell me… When is enough ENOUGH!
How many more men, women & children will have to die before someone takes a stand????
You tell me what the alternatives are?
Asking nicely hasn’t worked.

MICHAEL MOORE SAVES AMERICA!

For Paul who decries Husseinís use of torture and murder:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0229/hentoff.php

Are you familiar with the Bush administrationís former policy on slavery in the Sudan, where more than 70 percent of the females over the age of 10 reported being raped by their masters? More than 90 percent of all freed slaves claim to have been beaten frequently. Forced conversion to Islam is commonplace, and many said they witnessed executions of disobedient slaves. There is evidence that on one of the long marches to the north, a slaver cut off a young boy’s head and then forced his mother to carry it.

Spencer Bachus of Alabama, a conservative Republican, introduced an amendment that prohibits foreign companies from raising capital in the United Statesóamong other things, from trading their securities on the stock exchangeóso long as these corporations are in business with the Sudanese government in oil development.

The Bachus amendment was stalled in the Senate by order of the White House. Bush’s man on the State Department’s Africa desk, Walter Kansteiner, was asked to justify the White House’s killing of the Bachus amendment in the Senate last year.

Said Kansteiner: “When you can politically determine what companies can list on your stock exchange, that has long-term implications. . . . It sends all the wrong signals to the bourses all around the world and those who control [them].”

I’m a free-market guy to a large extent, but when it comes to a country that has killed 2 million people,” how can free markets take precedence?

It wasnít until October, 2002 that an extraordinary historic coalition of abolitionists put such unremitting pressure that at last, on October 9, 2002 a unanimous Senate passed the Sudan Peace Act. It had already been approved in the House on October 7 by a vote of 359 to 8.

Paul, as I said before: I absolutely agree with you about Saddam and I know that asking nicely is not working. But as you said: how many men, women and children will have to die? But have you seen the news today: how many innocent Iraqi citizens and especially children have to die during this war. I don’t know what pictures they are showing you on TV in Canada but over here we can see every day dead or injured Iraqi people (many many women and children among them), dead american and british soldiers, soldiers that are prisoners of the Iraqis (young boys who are scared to death!!!).
Bush was looking for a reason to start this war: first it was to disarm Iraq. As you know Iraq has started disarming but the UN inspectors were not able to finish their work because Bush was no longer willing to wait.
Once again: I absolutely agree that Saddam Hussein is a terrible dictator and has to be stopped. But what do you think about a man who does not care what the majority of his fellow citizens think or what the rest of the world thinks about this war. I am sick of listening to Bush who is looking you in the eyes telling you that Iraq has to be solved and has to become a democracy. Excuse me, but who is raping the democracy? Open your eyes!!!!

As bad as the reasons are, I can understand why Bush is doing it - he’s a moron who’ll do anything for his selfish business interests.

But why the fuck is Blair doing it?

Linda,
I love a cut & paster. Here’s some of my own also from the Village Voice.
Why I Didn’t March This Time
Their Tongues Were Cut Out for Slandering Hussein
March 28th, 2003 3:30 PM

Often, the executions have been carried out by the Fedayeen Saddam, a paramilitary group headed by Mr. Hussein’s oldest son, 38-year-old Uday. These men, masked and clad in black, make the women kneel in busy city squares, along crowded sidewalks, or in neighborhood plots, then behead them with swords. The families of some victims have claimed they were innocent of any crime save that of criticizing Mr. Hussein. óJohn F. Burns, “How Many People Has Hussein Killed?” The New York Times, January 26, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I

participated in many demonstrations against the Vietnam War, including some civil disobedienceóthough I was careful not to catch the eyes of the cops, sometimes a way of not getting arrested. But I could not participate in the demonstrations against the war on Iraq. As I told The New York Sun in its March 14-16 roundup of New Yorkers for and against the war:

“There was the disclosure . . . when the prisons were briefly opened of the gouging of eyes of prisoners and the raping of women in front of their husbands, from whom the torturers wanted to extract information. . . . So if people want to talk about containing [Saddam Hussein] and don’t want to go in forcefully and remove him, how do they propose doing something about the horrors he is inflicting on his people who live in such fear of him?”

I did not cite “weapons of mass destruction.” Nor do I believe Saddam Hussein is a direct threat to this country, any more than the creators of the mass graves in the Balkans were, or the Taliban. And as has been evident for a long time, I am no admirer of George W. Bush.

The United Nations? Did the inspectors go into the prisons and the torture chambers? Would they have, if given more time? Did they interview the Mukhabarat, Saddam’s dreaded secret police?

An Iraqi in Detroit wanted to send a message to the anti-war protesters: “If you want to protest that it’s not OK to send your kids to fight, that’s OK. But please don’t claim to speak for the Iraqis.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I came onto this site by a link. I read the article and then the comments.
I¥d like to say that I¥m against that war, decided over the Heads of the American People by some mad cowboy. Better try to get Saddam out of office without violence and thousands of dead American and british soldiers. And i think that the US Army and the British will be fucked up in the town of Bagdad. The Republican Guard and the Feddayih Saddam are trained for several years just to fight in the streets. And if your big army doesn¥t even manage to get enough supplies to the front then you should start thinking. It won¥t be the quick, clean war Governour George W. (you don¥t want to tell me that he was elected?!) promised to the world and then started the war without a UN agreement. And it was wonderful to see Bowling for Columbine and then to read “Stupid White Men”, both by M. Moore. So why can¥t you people just for a second step out of your habits and start thinking, not building your opinion on what W. or CNN tries to tell you, because TV pictures are more easily to fake than most people believe. And there is no just war. The connection W. tries to show up between Iraq and Osama Bin Laden just doesn¥t exist. You shouldn¥t think that by killing innocent people in Iraq Saddam will surrender. He¥s a reechless bastard and will use every of his citizens to protect himself. And then remember, it¥s not that easy to bring Iraqi soldiers to surrender, ¥cause they (just like u, folks) love their country and were educated to fight for it ( Saddam Hussein). And thanks America for not respecting the treaty of Kyoto! ( Sorry for the mistakes) Greetings from Graz, the cultural capital of Europe 2003 (www.graz.com) Matthias

In The Guardian, a British paper that can hardly be characterized as conservative, there was a dispatch from Safwan, Iraq, liberated in the first days of the war: “Ajami Saadoun Khilis, whose son and brother were executed under the Saddam regime, sobbed like a child on the shoulder of The Guardian’s Egyptian translator. He mopped the tears but they kept coming. ‘You just arrived,’ he said. ‘You’re late. What took you so long?’ “ The United Nations? In 1994, Kofi Annan, then head of the UN’s peacekeeping operations, blocked any use of UN troops in Rwanda even though he was told by his representative there that the genocide could be stopped before it started.

Bill Clinton refused to act as well, instructing the State Department not to use the word genocide because then the United States would be expected to do something. And President Clinton instructed Madeleine Albright, then our representative to the UN, to block any possible attempts to intervene despite Kofi Annan. Some 800,000 lives could have been saved.

The United Nations? Where Libya, Syria, and Sudan are on the Human Rights Commission? The UN is crucial for feeding people and trying to deal with such plagues as AIDS; but if you had been in a Hussein torture chamber, would you, even in a state of delirium, hope for rescue from the UN Security Council?

From Amnesty International, for whom human rights are not just a slogan, on Iraq: “Common methods of physical torture included electric shocks or cigarette burns to various parts of the body, pulling out fingernails, rape. . . . Two men, Zaher al-Zuhairi and Fares Kadhem Akia, reportedly had their tongues cut out for slandering the president by members of Feda’iyye Saddam, a militia created in 1994. The amputations took place in a public square in Diwaniya City, south of Baghdad.”

As John Burns of The New York Times wrote in January: “History may judge that the stronger case [for an American-led invasion] . . . was the one that needed no [forbidden arms] inspectors to confirm: that Saddam Hussein, in his 23 years in power, plunged this country into a bloodbath of medieval proportions, and exported some of that terror to his neighbors.”

When it appeared that Tony Blair’s political career was near extinction, he gave a speech in the House of the Commons, as quoted in the March 18 issue of The Guardian:

“We must face the consequences of the actions we advocate. For me, that means all the dangers of war. But for others, opposed to this course, it meansólet us be clearóthat the Iraqi people, whose only true hope of liberation lies in the removal of Saddam, for them, the darkness will close back over them again; and he will be free to take his revenge upon those he must know wish him gone.

“And if this house now demands that at this moment, faced with this threat from this regime, that British troops are pulled back, that we turn away at the point of reckoning, and that is what it meansówhat then?

“What will Saddam feel? Strengthened beyond measure. What will the other states who tyrannise their people, the terrorists who threaten our existence, what will they take from that?. . . Who will celebrate and who will weep?”

The letters section of The New York Times is sometimes more penetrating than the editorials. A March 23 letter from Lawrence Borok: “As someone who was very active in the [anti-Vietnam War] protests, I think that the antiwar activists are totally wrong on this one. Granted, President Bush’s insensitive policies in many areas dear to liberals (I am one) naturally make me suspicious of his motives. But even if he’s doing it for all the wrong reasons, have they all forgotten about the Iraqi people?”

And, in the March 23 New York Times Magazine, Michael Ignatieff, a longtime human rights investigator, wrote of “14,000 ‘writers, academics, and other intellectuals’ómany of them my friendsó[who] published a petition against the war . . . condemning the Iraqi regime for its human rights violations and supporting ‘efforts by the Iraqi opposition to create a democratic, multi-ethnic, and multireligious Iraq.’ “ But they say, he adds, that waging war at this time is “morally unacceptable.”

“I wonder,” Ignatieff wroteóas I also wonderó"what their support for the Iraqi opposition amounts to.”

I have read through these statement and i find myself laughing out loud with amusement.  I can’t believe the gall and nerve some of you inbred, narrow minded, southern dumb fucks truly have to say.  Are you people ‘truly’ that ignorant?  There is finally someone that speaks on behalf of what the majority of the American people view, and all you can say as that “ he must be shot” or “ will show him with our wallets” get a fucking grip people.  I am sure with “stupid white men” being number one on the best sellers list for 55+ weeks, your small $23.99 donation will hardly make a difference.  Those of you who believe that Bush is actually a good person and doing the right thing, please do US all a favor and take a long walk off a short pier.  You will be doing great deal for America!  I applaud MM for standing up for what he truly believes.  That is his American born right to speak freely and speak his mind. Sorry to spring this on you people, but the majority of this country hates your redneck, illiterate, gun slinging, coke snorting felon that we call our Presi!  isn’t it surprising that it isn’t Saddam Hussein who is the most hated person on this planet, but its our own damn President George “ I have had everything handed to me on a platter like a spoiled little bitch and I don’t deserve to be in charge of overseeing the free world” Bush.

PS.  love “ stupid white men “ - very intertaining. I have bought mulitple copies and given them as gifts.

Hurray for Michael Moore standing up in front of the country and the world and speaking his mind. That is what any of my forefathers died for! Too bad he didn’t receive a standing ovation for his speech as well. The artists reflect the true feelings of society, they cannot still the voice of Americans!

Esther,
So are you saying that as long as they are dying at a rate of 100,000 or more a year at the hands of their own regime it’s okay? Are you condoning genocide?
Once again, I will ask… What are the alternatives????

Paul,
Kind of funny how these torture rooms and death camps came out after the UN said they would’t back the US. If they wanted to make such a strong argument, why didn’t they use this “evidence”. Oh, wait, UN resolutions violated, weapons of mass destruction, all that mythical stuff.
Israel has been in violation of 19 security council resolutions since the early 70’s. India and Pakistan are in violation for their manufacturing of nukes. What, THEY have weapons of mass destruction? Better take them out. And it seems to me our neighbors north have a standing army and weapons of mass destruction. A pre-emptive strike on Canada is the only sensible thing to bring US white-anglo saxon protestant religion, I mean, democracy to them.
So now dickface, I mean Bush, doesn’t care about what the UN says? If that was the case, why did he and his minions try so hard to get their support?

It’s a sham. Our nation is so full of lies like the staged energy crisis in California that only served to raise utility prices 300%.

Balls you say? Ha, human life isn’t worth anything, so long as there is oil to be gained. Proof? How about the recently bombed markets in Iraq where the chicken-shit administration of this country is turning a blind eye.
Man, this kind of despot government should anger anyone. I’m happy your government won’t support us. I still have respect for Canada because of it. And if any kind of draft started, which that son-of-a-bitch Rumsfeld if thinking of restarting, I’m heading North.

We must live on different planets if you hadn’t heard about Saddam & his torturous activity up until now.

Johnny Kaboom,
Right on, brutha!
Frustrating any time you protest how stupid your president is, some mouth-breathing, rebel flag waving fuck is saying you’re pro Iraq.
Where the hell does this notion come from? To all your ignorant fucks who think we’re protest FOR the Iraqi people, put down your goddamn remote control for once, stop watching innocent people getting vaporized in Iraq and think.
We protest the backlash this will cause on our country, we protest the hatred its bringing, we protest the arrogance and unwillingness these old school white boy fucks in charge here have by not listening to the majority of the people in this country or the world. We protest more of our people getting killed here and overseas. And yes, we protest innocent people getting killed.
You make me sick sometimes. I need to go to Australia.

No Paul, I haven’t. And I read and listen to a wide variety of news sources, not just sources like this.
Why wasn’t any of this brought up before? BECAUSE IT NEVER HAPPENED.
War propaganda to justify an illegal invasion. Didn’t you learn anything about Panama and Noriega? Boo! Take Noriega out because he’ll blow the whistle on the CIA and the Contra deal. He’s “evil” we must stop him.
We still smile, wave our little flag, slap stickers all over our SUVs and ignore the facts.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he’s any kind of great man (he is pretty lousy), but our country practiced genocide and even now, racial discrimination. It’s really hypocritcal for a nation that treats the poor and minorities like such dirt and consumes 80% of the world’s resouces to be telling someone what’s what.
I bear you no ill-will. I just get passionately worked up about these things because I feel our voice here in America is squashed.

So where have you been the last 13 years if you listen to all sorts of news & didn’t know that the UN has been trying to disarm Iraq since 1991? Just curious.
Perhaps, like most of us, you only hear what you want to hear, only see what you want to see.
And please don’t come to Canada if you are expecting open arms to greet you. While our Prime Minister may be against the states for reasons unknown, most of us Canucks support the US.

Neil,
I bare you no ill will either. The great thing about living in a free society is that most of us can openly debate these issues without name calling or putting each other down. Hearing other points of view helps to tear down the walls & bring things into perspective. I believe the ultimate goal for all of us is peace & that is what I wish for .

Michael Moore deserves as much coverage as the retired generals currently parading around the networks promoting “Operation Halliburton.” There is no counterpoint to the governments’ actions, and I applaud Michael Moore for attempting to put forth a dissenting opinion. Great piece. 

Paul: >>>So are you saying that as long as they are dying at a rate of 100,000 or more a year at the hands of their own regime it’s okay? Are you condoning genocide?
Once again, I will ask… What are the alternatives????>>>

Why couldnít the Bush administration take the same tact that Senator Bachus initiated for Sudan?  ìThat of prohibiting foreign companies from raising capital in the United Statesóamong other things, from trading their securities on the stock exchangeóso long as these corporations are in business with the Sudanese government in oil developmentî Wouldnít that have been one peaceful, non-violent solution? 

How about seizing and/or freezing assets?  This is something that the administration could also have done well before invasion to prevent the deaths of American men and women as well as Iraqis.  Instead, the Bush administration waited until after the deployment of troops before they all of a sudden came up with this idea.  It was accompanied by a threat of not allowing foreign banks with Iraqi assets access to the U.S. financial system if they failed to comply.

http://biz.yahoo.com/rf/030320/iraq_usa_treasury_3.html

Instead, the U.S. has made the choice not to take either of these two alternatives nor to wait for additional inspections, but to go in with half of its military force (with a little help from Britain and Australia) and basically take over the country.  Will Iraq be better off after the U.S. does so?  Take a look at the budget the Bush Administration set aside for Afghanistan this year - $0.00.  Take a look at the consequences of the use of depleted uranium ammunition from the last Gulf War, where Iraqi birth defect rates have increased three times the pre-Gulf War rate and the cancer rate among children has risen four times.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/227559.stm

I believe that anyone who wants to get that insane madman, his sons and murderous cohorts out of power in Iraq would have preferred a non-violent method over the choice that the U.S. and its allies have taken. 

Unless, of course, you are condoning genocide?

Oh, I know they’ve been trying to disarm him. Most proof points out he kept up manufacture until about 1997, then after that, he’s seemed to given up. The chemical stores he had were provided by good old Rumsfeld himself through contracts with US pharmaceutical companies which he had an interest in. Reagan turned a blind eye on their chemical bombing of Iran for many years. Probably because they were ours.

We have far worse problems in the world with bin Laden still about, the civil wars and starvation and AIDs crisis in Asia and Africa.

We don’t know what our president is going to say what this war is for next. First is was for violations of the UN resolutions, which Israel has more of.
Then it was for stopping a terrorist.
Then it was for pre-emptive measures.
Then for ties to Al Qaeda.
Then it was for Iraqi freedom.
Then it was for humanitarian reasons.
He changes his tune so much. Most of our fears are he couldn’t care less about who lives or dies in the middle east, so long as his oil buddies contracts are paid out to US companies. We’ll probably prop up another dictator, he’ll fall out of favor and we’ll be right back in this position again.
Instead of working with someone, we choose the whip and it hasn’t worked. There were so many other options besides this. The CIA is famous for its assassinations, right? Of course, that’s drastic.
This action is like burning down the house to kill the termites.

Linda stop!!!
The US has been sanctioning Iraq for years. Unfortunately now, as always, the ones who suffer from these actions are the very ones who are being starved & tortured. Not Saddam & his army of murderers.

Paul, maybe I did not make clear what I think about Saddam and his regime: it is absolutely not okay what Saddam does to his people and I am certainly not condoning genocide.
The question is: is this the reason why Bush started this war, to save them? Do you really think
that he gives a sh....  about the Iraqi people or his soldiers over there? And if it would be for that reason, why only Iraq? Are there not many people in other countries who have similar problems? But who cares: they don’t have oil!

You have made yourself clear Esther. You just haven’t answered my question. Sanctions & the freezing of assets hasn’t worked. The UN has been either unwilling or unable to disarm this madman.
You tell me the answer because I don’t know. How do you handle a psychopath? How do you deal with the likes of Saddam & Uday & Qusay.
I am sincerely asking you for an alternative that hasn’t already failed.
I want peace as much as everyone else.

Paul, to be honest: I don’t know how to answer your question. Maybe it is naive, but what about letting the UN inspectors finish their work and let them at least try to disarm Saddam?
And once again: fact is that Bush has not started this war because he cares about the Iraqi citizens. Who cared about the people in Afghanistan living with the Taliban regime before 9/11? Nobody did and certainly not Mr Bush. I do understand that after what happened on 9/11 people in the U.S. are scared, but attacking Iraq does only make it worse.
And Paul, do you think that the Iraqi people want to be solved by somebody who is killing their children every single day since this war started?

The US imports most of their oil from Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico & Venezuela, in that order.
Notice anyone missing? This war is not about oil. 

Didn’t we already try that? How many times have the UN inspectors been stonewalled? This last inspection was just one of many where Saddam refused to cooperate & let them do their jobs.
Just how many chances does this madman get?

Well done, Red!

As I mentioned in one of my earlier postings, Iraq only exports 5.6% of the WORLD’S TOTAL oil. The U.S. only imports 20% of it’s oil from the ENTIRE Middle East.

In addition, there are several oil companies, such as Conoco and Sinclair, who don’t import ANY of their oil from the Middle East.

People who think this war is about oil are simply incorrect.

Neil,

Your’e voice is NOT being squashed here in America.  You’re excercising your free speech as we speak!  I don’t think that many, if any, of these postings have come from the repressed people if Iraq.

And you’re right, America has, to our shame, practiced genocide in our history.  But not this time.....this time, we are on the right side of the fight.  Just look at the way we are conducting this war and look at how the oppressive, homicidal Iraqi resgime is conducting it.  Our guys are intentionally putting themselves at risk NOT to fire at civilians.

For all of our perceived ills in America, we’ve never gassed our own people or raped our own women en masse.  Saddam’s sons are serial rapists.  The worst thing the Bush daughters have done is get caught for underage drinking....

And no, Esther, I don’t believe the Iraqi people want the US there. Not because they don’t want to be liberated but because they are afraid that once this is over the US will pull out & leave them fishing for themselves as happened in 1991 when the US urged the Iraqi’s to rise up against Saddam but then offered no military support.
This time the US is in there fighting side by side with not only the coalition but with the Kurds & the Shihites as well as they try to rid their country of this horrible, horrible man.

Yes, you are right, we have already tried that. But the UN inspectors had to stop in the middle of their work so nobody can tell how it would have ended. Again, maybe it is naive, but what if it would have worked out?
And I wonder what you think about my question: do you think that Bush went there to save the Iraqis and do you think that after americans killed their children they will be happy to be solved by them?

Posted by: Tina on 3.29.03 | 12:06 pm from Anderson, SC
God has blessed me. I was born free.
Goodnight & God bless you all.
I will be praying for peace.

-and Tina, who was born free, while you are sleeping, who is keeping you free?

TOM in Denver,CO. Give up using intelligence or logic on people who are so emotional about what they believe.  I guess it is the American nature to agree to disagree, but today, so many use such filthy language to do it.  They believe what they believe and they will not change their minds(?), even if it was seen with their “lying” eyes.  Even today, historians disagree on why we fought the Civil War. The arguments most everyone are so illogical - I’m not wasting my time here anymore.

I find it ironic that everyone who “really loves America” are so mad at Michael Moore for simply exercising his freedom of speech. Bravo Mike!

I’m pleased to see that the last few dozen postings have mostly been devoid of insults and ranting.

I’m delighted to take part in this spirited debate.  That is what America, and indeed a FREE WORLD, is all about.

Keep it up, folks, you’re making me proud......

I find it interesting to read that all the negative responses to Michael Moore that are posted here are convoluted with violence and name-calling; these sad, angry responses lose all credibility as a result.  And in terms of Moore “Andy Warholing his 15 minutes into our face”, we as the public have chosen to support him.  Moore is a successful realist who, regardless of sometimes going a little over the top, represents the feelings of most Americans.  To have a #1 non-fiction book on the top for 53 Weeks despite being blacklisted at stores such as Chapters is enough of an accomplishment, not including his Oscar achievement for Bowling For Columbine.  Take a long hard look at what it means to have such support and conviction from a nation petrified by news reports designed to do just that.  Your argument is weak and without merit.

Thanks Tom,
I think it is important for people to understand that this war isn’t about oil but about human suffering at the hands of a madman. The Iraqi people are scared to speak out & stand up for themselves. Why wouldn’t they be?

Again, this was not the first time the UN hasn’t been able to complete their inspections & it had nothing to do with the US.

We saw his acceptance speech in the UK via the BBC and to tell you the truth myself and many people up and down the UK found his speech an absolute gem and just totally hilarious, because to be honest, we don’t like your president Bush.

We know he is the most corrupt, racist and fanatical president in the history of the states. I’m totally against this war, like the vast majority of the people of the UK and the world is. WAKE UP AMERICA!

To Red:
Maybe the Iraqi people are scared to stand up because last time they did in 1991 the americans were there watching them being killed....
I think it is important for everybody in America to understand that this war is certainly not about saving Iraqi people! Do you really believe that?

And to Paul: i am sure the Iraqis want to be liberated and I agree with you that they are scared because of what happened in 1991. But what makes you think that this time it will be any different. Because the americans are fighting with the coalition? Excuse me, but what coalition? Nearly every country in Europe is against this war, I don’t know a single person over here who agrees with Bush or who is pro-war....

disgusting. You are not any onee I respect. and I will go out of my way not to support anything your name in connected with

Michael Moore is my hero! The only American who sees what is really going in the US!

Here in Canada there is lots of support for the US. Unfortunately, as with all gov’t’s, they are going to do what they’re going to do regardless of public opinion.
Too bad the UN chose not to do it’s job. We wouldn’t be here debating if they had. ( Canada included)

To Patriotic Brit,

One of my best friends lives in London and his wife is English.  He informed me that since the war began, there was a sharp increase in the number of Britons supporting the war.  He, his wife, and most of their friends are in support of it.

I’ve probably read 20 times in the previous postings that “everyone” in the US, the UK, and the world are against this war.

The most recent poll results are these:  70% of Americans are in support and 55% of Britons are in support.

I appreciate the value of dissent, and I would rather have an intelligent conversation with someone I am in complete disagreement with rather than listen to the ignorant rantings of someone who feels the same way I do, BUT the simple fact of the matter is that the majority of Americans and British are in support of the regime change and liberation of Iraq.

Even the gallant Michael Moore, who most people on this site have championed, agrees that Saddam is an evil tyrant that needs to be replaced.  Even he said it.......

US network stations are forced to hold back pictures from Iraq and to tell you lies. Peaceful protesters are arrested (New York) or injured by rubber bullets and pepper spray (pregnant women and children in Portland). Free speech is forced down.
WHAT A LOUSY “LAND OF THE FREE” YOU ARE!

You come with an armada of carriers, F16, B52s, missiles and marines to fight a starving army of camelback riders and to bomb women and children. Blood and flesh of babys and small children are beeing scretched from the streets in Baghdad (for sure you networks don`t show you these pics, but here in Europe we see them), because Bush`s word of the “clean war” only could mean, that he won`t show you anything of the dirty work of your “heroes”.
WHAT A LOUSY “HOME OF THE BRAVE” YOU ARE!

The only bravery I have seen was on Oscar Night. If all of you had the guts, that Mike Moore has, you would end the Bush regime by taking your bloodthirsty unelected president and dropping him out of a B52 over Baghdad instead of your uranium bombs, which will now cause another somehundredthousand children with leukemia and other cancers!

You think you have god on your side?
If there was a god above, he would have shot George W. out of his shoes with a strike of thunder and lightning on that doomed election day!

But nevertheless I sure hope, that there is a god above and that he took all the smashed innocent children we saw on (European) TV up to heaven so that they can be little angels now and that their pain and fear have ended!

Peace for the children of Iraq!

Paul, correction: not all governments are doing what they do regardless of public opinion. Example: Germany and France. That’s what democracy is!

Great comments on the event.  I have sent it to my friends in France.

Sorry Esther,
I shouldn’t have said all. Yours is doing nothing.
I have enjoyed debating with you but I am out of here. My fingers are cramping.
Have a great weekend.
Peace

Paul, I really enjoyed debating with you too, it was very interesting to hear about your points of view. Peace!

Arnt from Austria,

You’re posting was very ignorant - please refer to my earlier posting about the weakness of generalizing an entire nation.

And I have seen more than a few pictures of wounded and killed Iraqi civilians both on television and in the print media.  There is strong evidence that Saddam’s thugs have been placing Iraqi civilians in the line of fire.  There is also strong evidence that Saddam’s troops have FIRED ON THEIR OWN PEOPLE and made it look like our guys did it.

I can GUARANTEE that our military does not, and has not, targeted civilians. 

And let’s talk about this issue everybody seems to have with President Bush just because he is a devout Christian.  So he is a bad man just because he believes in God?  Other parallels can be drawn:  do you know what the German Army belt buckle was inscribed with in World War Two?  “Gott Mitt Uns” And Germany and France have democracy only because the United States built them both back up after World War Two and gave them both billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid.

Arndt, you need to read some of your own history and then check back in.

Right on patriot brit. I wanna get him out as soon as possible. Fraudulent fool. I don’t like trusting people who kill people. all presidents of the united states have killed, therefore, fuck them all. Michael Moore is the man, read his books.

Great word Michael Moore. PLEASE US PEOPLE: OPEN YOUR MINDS!!!!!!!

Bravo, Paul and Esther!!  Your civility has made this whole debate worth while.  Well done. indeed.

To Tom:
I do believe that the people in Europe are aware of what the americans did for them after the 2nd world war, but hey, does this mean that you are always right in what you do and that everybody has to agree with you?
And Bush is not a bad man because he believes in God, he is a bad man because he is ignorant and stupid and he is not even the president. 
And sorry, I really do not believe that your TV stations are showing you the same pictures that we are looking at every day!

Dear Tom!
You write that there is also strong evidence that Saddam’s troops have FIRED ON THEIR OWN PEOPLE and made it look like your guys did it?

Come on! On which planet do you live? You seem to be a very trusting, but blueeyed citizen of your great nation…

Here come the words od Diamond Rio:
He said, “I preach the light - the light shows the way
Don’t ever trust what the goverments say
We never walked on the moon, Elvis ain’t dead
You ain’t going crazy, it’s all in your head.”

Tell you what? After all the bullshit and lies that came out of your “president`s” mouth for the last weeks, I`m even not sure if you really walked the moon, too!

I`m sure, that your army didn`t target civilians. But your army isn`t even able to target in on Iraq: missiles went to Iran, Turkey and maybe Kuwait last night, they hit a syrian bus two days ago…
I`m sure these are accidents, because your soldiers shoot everything that moves, because they are frightened like hell! (Which I would be too, for sure!)
And your president tells you something about a clean war...?
That`s the point, my friend!

There is no clean war! War is hell! war is dirty! War is suffering! War is death of innocent people and children!
The lies of the clean war are only brain-food for pro-war-idiots, who think they are patriots by swinging the red-white-and-blue in their secure one horse town somewhere in Georgia or Idaho or wherever, while in Baghdad the blood splashes!!!

To Lea from Europe:

I have never said that America is always right.  There have been times in our history when we have made stupid and tragic mistakes.

As for your second point, let me refer to one of my earlier postings:

“FACT: There WAS a full recount of the Florida votes after President Bush took office. He DID win the majority in that state. It is a moot point anyway: in this country, we have something called the Electoral College which decides elections, and it worked correctly in this case as it always has.

I personally respect and admire President Bush. I honestly think he cares more about the people of Iraq than he does about his own political future. He may not be the sharpest crayon in the box, but I do not doubt his sincerity.”

As for your third point, we may not be seeing the same images, but we are seeing them nonetheless, and as I mentioned, there is strong evidence that Saddam and his homicidial maniacs are the perpetrators and not our brave 18 and 19 year old boys.

I appreciate your opinions.

When I read the comments on this article, it reaffirms my commitment to opposition to the war and President Bush and his cronies.

How much like Nazi Germany in the 30’s our country has become!  I never could understand that until now.

I am an American Vietnam War Veteran.

God help us all

George W. Bush is ripping our country to shreds!

When I read the the Reader Comments, it enforces my assertation that Americans, as a group, are highly under-educated and brainwashed from birth. Were they not, they would see clearly that Moore understands what really is happening in this country.

http://www.hardylaw.net/Truth_About_Bowling.html

Arndt,

You are absolutely right!! War is hell, war is tragic.  I did not want this war at all.  I was SO hoping that the defunct UN would resolve this issue.

BUT, as I have mentioned a number of times on this site:  the mere absence of armed conflict does not necessarily mean that there is peace in the world.  Sometimes, military action is the only way to bring about justice for people who can’t fight for themselves.  I honestly believe, in my heart of hearts, that after we have won this war, the people of Iraq will have a better government, a better lifestyle, and a better future.  That is not “blind” obedience or trust in my government.  It is what I truly believe.

About our munitions and our troops.  Yes!  Some of our precision weapons have been misguided.  They are very much the exception to the rule.  You hear about them because they are newsworthy.  And for our brave soldiers and Marines?  They most certainly DO NOT shoot at everything they see.  As I mentioned earlier, they have been placing themselves at greater risk NOT to shoot Iraqi civilians which have been placed in the line of fire by Saddams minions. 

Please understand that our military is doing the best they can with the best intentions.

And Tom!
History lesson learned:
Hitler would have bit off his tongue before playing the “god is on our side"-card, because he was atheist. “Gott mit uns"-badges were worn by soldiers, maybe because they had fear (believe it or not - german soldiers were humans, too). Gott mit uns means something like “god save us” - a little difference to “god is on our side” (while we are slaughtering other human beings)…

One more word to Tom:
Think about the term “operation iraqi freedom"…
I hope and I pray to god, that Bush will never come to the conclusion, that he had to do something to asure MY freedom!
(While I think about it: we Austrians in particular have to be thankful that after our elections in 2000 and the following worldwide campaign against our country the US didn`t come to free us from our goverment - puuh!)

Mr. Blackshaw,

I appreciate that your are a Vietnam Veteran, but that lends no credibility whatsoever to your posting.

America is like Nazi Germany in the 30’s?  It would take me a month to explain how untrue and incorrect that ignorant statement is.

I’m a U.S. Army Infantry veteran (1994).  I saw death on my third day in.  That fact doesn’t make me any smarter, more informed, or more enlightened than anybody else.

Tom from Denver
Where the hell have you been?
ìWEî intentional gave citizens syphilis and with held treatment to ìstudyî the effects.
ìWEî slaughtered the natives to this country.
ìWEî locked up Japanese-Americans in a prison judst because they were Japanese descent.
ìWEî looked the other way when military officers openly raped American women during parties.
etc.  These are just off the top of my head in a couple of minutes.
Get your head out of the sand.  Remember the villages cleaned out in Vietnam.
Esther. Why would the Iraquiís think weíd abandoned them?  Because we always do.  Most recently in Afganistan.

Hey Arndt - you forgot: Thank god you don`t have any oil in Austria - only Edelwei? and Apfelstrudel…

Arndt,

I’m sorry you hate America so much.  I’ve heard that Austria is beautiful.  I’ve only been to England and France.

I am not surprised at the state of affairs not only in this country but all over the world after reading alot of these posts. Want to know where hate comes from… All over the world & this forum is the proof. Instead of people posting & debating their opinions in an adult fashion alot of the posts have resorted to name calling & the “putting down” of others for their opinions. Ah Yes, hate is alive & well & it is a sad, sad thing.

Congratualtions Mr. Moore. Whether people agree with you or not, you are a hero for standing up for what you believe in. Whether people agree with the war or not, no one can deny that free speech is a human right. Good for you and everyone else who is willing to make changes in this world by making a voice for themselves. Pray for the innocent lives that are being so violently stolen from this earth each and everyday.
God bless you all.

John from Tennessee,

For about the 4th time, I readily admit that “WE” have made mistakes and have, on notable occasions, done the wrong thing.  But not this time.

Where the hell have I been?  I’ve been living in America, working 10 hours a day to provide for my wife and two sons, one of whom is autistic, and glued to the television to catch a glimpse of our fine, brave, and patriotic young men and women who are currently fighting the most evil regime since those of Hitler and Stalin.

Where the hell have I been?  I have noticed a common theme among these postings:  those who are in support of our President and our military MUST be uninformed idiots.  Is that the only basis to your argument?  I don’t see things the way you do so I must be a moron?

Thanks for your input.

Dear Tom!
I don`t hate the US! I`ve been there for three times and I`ve visited 21 states! But at the moment I would not set a foot on US ground (except someone would tell me that I would have the oportunity to shake Mike Moore`s hand or would organaze a date with one of the Dixie Chicks for me!)
I loved your people and I loved your land!
But it`s on you now to make me love it again!

Tom (again)
If Blackshawís Veteran status does not lend credibility to him why would you tell us about ìseeing death on your ìthird day in.î Iím also a NamVet.  I saw death almost every day, my first time as I was carrying my sea bag down the side of an LST before I was able to report for duty.
Our government almost always makes analogies comparing Hitler to our enemies.  The unfortunate truth now is that we are more comparable to Hitler than any other dog in the race.  Just because our spinners came up with a nice sounding excuse makes it no more right or just.  I supported the War you were in and I deeply appreciate your efforts and your service.  There is alot of difference between then and now.
My deepest concern AFTER the unsanctioned death and destruction is that many would like to take our ability to disagree away.
Sincere question:  Does anyone here believe that only 23% of Americans are adverse to this war?  Perhaps it is my social group and contacts but it seems like more to me.  Iím interested, if anyone knows where I can find poll results on support for the Vietnam War in the 60s and 70s.