Declaration of War

[The_Rorschach]

So we caught Hussein and now, almost twenty four hours after his apprehension, we are discussing trying him for human rights violations.

But where are the weapons of mass destruction? The Media isn't even mentioning them. Have we all accepted that they never existed? And if so, doesn't that make the necessity for a formal declaration of war before any military action under taken by the US all the more necessary?

And where is our public apology to Syria, for having accused her of harbouring Saddam, along with his weapons of mass destruction and scientists who had worked on the programs. . .

Maybe I should be more jubilant, but I simply don't see the big deal. We have Hussein. Great. He wasn't coordinating attacks against our troops, he wasn't supplying anyone with weapons or monies. . .So what, in the end, do we have except a famous name?

I don't know that we have anything.

EDIT: This is primarily concerned with debating responsibility and hype in regards to Hussein, which seemed like a deviation from the general theme of the other Hussein Thread

[Matt Harty]

An Iraqi Santa Claus

[Schimid]

[Ant10708]

1. Catching Saddam is just something we needed to do. Raises our sprits and lowers theres. It will help stop attacks in the long run.
2. They are constantly talking about the weapons. We plan on interrigating him on where they might be. Republicans say this is good. Liberals are bitching and how the war isnt justified. Its all I've been hearing. The war has happened and can't be taken back so I see no reason to complain when we caught their dictator. It also makes information from toher prisoners more accessible since so many feared he would come back in power and kill those who squeled on him like in the Gulf War.

[KevinTheOmnivore]

Originally Posted by Ant10708

1. Catching Saddam is just something we needed to do. Raises our sprits and lowers theres. It will help stop attacks in the long run.

He was holed up in a farm house, he wasn't running a guerilla command center. The attacks and complaints transcend Saddam now. It's a power struggle over who's going to have a say in the Iraqi future government. I hope this means less guerilla attacks, but we'll see.....

Republicans say this is good. Liberals are bitching and how the war isnt justified. Its all I've been hearing. The war has happened and can't be taken back so I see no reason to complain when we caught their dictator.

I haven't heard one Liberal whine about him getting caught. It's a good thing. The war was still a bad thing. Period. Who are the real "liberals" and "conservatives" here anyway...? This country is so devoid of ideological awareness these days, it's absurd....

[GAsux]

First, I can't help but think that underground Saddam looks eerily like pre-haircut Sean Connery in "The Rock".

I've stopped watching the news because I'm tired of the overhype. At the same time, I'm sure I'll be just as quickly annoyed by the downplaying of it by people like Ranxer when he appears to claim that what we've seen is not a real Saddam, but rather a Terminator like Saddam replica who's sole purpose is destroying all opposition to Dubya.

Politically, in my opinion, it means shit. No one outside of Abeline, Texas is going to vote for Bush next November because they remember this day. They'll either vote for him because they think he's a great guy, or they'll vote against him because they think he's Satan. But they won't vote for him simiply because Saddam was captured on a fateful day in December.

I'm curious to see how things are going to pan out in the next few weeks. I disagree with the notion that Saddam played NO role in ongoing resistance, even if it was marginal. Just because he was FOUND on the farm house doesn't mean that's where he's been holed up for the past 9 months. Is it irrational to believe the possibility exists that he's been moving quite frequently, in and out of some places that perhaps had more sophistaced communications capabilities? Even if his existence offered nothing more than inspiration, a simple email, a call to arms passed by word of mouth, etc, it was still likely effective. Particularly amongst his most loyal supporters.

Regardless, in my opinion it's ridiculous at this point, some 24 hours after his capture to state unequivocially either way what impact it will have on Iraq. Quite frankly, I don't think anyone knows and I don't trust anyone who claims to.

[El Blanco]

He was holed up in a farm house, he wasn't running a guerilla command center.

He was caught in the farm house (well under it anyway), he wasn't there the whole time.

The stories I've neem getting are that the theory is he bounced arounda bunch and hit a lot of different places and met a few high command people. That makes it a lot easier to organize a guerilla war effort( which still doesn't say much, but its not like they were pulling in Viet Cong type body counts).


Why don't we wait and let the initial shit storm settle? There are going to be a ton of crazy stories floating around now.

[AChimp]

I'd be willing to bet that the only form of communicating Saddam has been doing over the last few months has been face-to-face and the occassional letter. All I see on CNN right now is "Oh, he didn't have any radios or cellphones with him. How was he talking to his dudes? How could have have organized anything? LOL LOL LOL what a loser!"

THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, DUMBASS. It's as if the media is totally oblivious to the fact that it's likely every single cellphone message, e-mail, and radio band is being and has been monitored 24/7. Saddam's not stupid and he certainly wouldn't have exposed himself like that.

I recall reading an article posted here a few months ago about how one of the generals in the U.S. military quit after he was told to stop winning in the war sims when he had his troops use pre-WW2 methods for communcation. You don't need fancy gizmos and shit to accomplish things.

[Abcdxxxx]

At least we know now that he isn't hiding away comandering the resistance .

In the meantime, there's something insulting about Americans taking such a "how does this effect us" attitude. We're already in there, and Iraq needs to get back on it's feet... and one key event of closure for them is the ability to know what the hell happened to the former dictator in charge. The issue of WMD or why we went in to remove him from power is still up for debate, but todays event stands of it's own importance.

Can you tell me how finding Saddam in a hole absolves Syria from accussations of hiding and collaborating with Iraq's weapons program?

[Perndog]

Originally Posted by GAsux

They'll either vote for him because they think he's a great guy, or they'll vote against him because they think he's Satan.

I'm voting against him because I think he's not Satan.

[kahljorn]

Saddam should run for president of the united states in the upcoming election.

[Helm]

Wait, didn't blot test express fervent pro-iraq war sentiments on my WMD thread months ago? Is his apparent shift in demeanor related to the apparent lack of WMD's or something else I missed?

[KevinTheOmnivore]

He, to my knowledge, always opposed the war on truly conservative grounds. War with no purpose is dumb.

[The_Rorschach]

Thank you Kevin

I've never supported the War in Iraq. I felt it was an inevitablility, and I would have had greater approval of military actions if it had been A To remove Saddam as a result of his actions against the Kurds or; B supporting, rather than forcing, UN protocol -As much as I dislike said organisation.

What I was arguing with you Helm, I believe, was the US perogative to persue seemingly hypocritical standards concerning highly destructive weapons dissemination, which I do support.

EDIT:

"Can you tell me how finding Saddam in a hole absolves Syria from accussations of hiding and collaborating with Iraq's weapons program?"

Let me wait to answer this until After Hussein has been executed for his 'general crimes against humanity.' I'm sure the weapons of mass destruction will still be unfound at that time anyway.

[Abcdxxxx]

I think it's rather stupid to be absolute on the issue one way or another. At least we know he did at one time have them WMD's.....logic is on the side of them ending up in Syria or somewhere else, but it's true, only time will tell, and finding Saddam in a hole doesn't really add up toa deciding factor just yet.