the events today really touched me

[Sweet Imperfection]

maybe i'm sappy, but i don't care.....seeing all the ppl in iraq cheering about the statue falling, and how the are so happy w/our troops, or that iraq man kissing the marine on the cheek, i dunno, that just really makes me happy. My heart goes out to all our troops as well as the poor ppl in iraq, hopefully thier would is about to change for the better

Me too, seeing the American Flag raised in Baghdad after it was "LIBERATED", it made me all PLURy and I had to go hug some one.

I can't wait for America to decide it needs to liberate Iran or Syria next, that will make me peak so hard.

[xryptic]

Thank you for tuning in to that broadcast of American propaganda, please, join us next time as we show you how much the French love us too.

[ravcutie02]

Originally posted by xryptic
Thank you for tuning in to that broadcast of American propaganda, please, join us next time as we show you how much the French love us too.

Hahahah......dripping with sarcasm yet oddly entertaining......

[Ryan]

Not to mention that the country is being looted to hell, often by the criminals who have broken out of prison during the fighting, and there is now no police to protect the citizens. A lot of the jubilant behavior we saw on TV yesterday was from young men who were out to have a hayday stealing and destroying property. I'm glad the Iraqis welcomed our soldiers instead of fighting them, but there is going to be an enormous effort ahead in rebuilding that country to a point that it has a chance to survive as a democracy of any sort. This is not only going to require years of humanitarian effort and billions of dollars on our part, but also agreement and understanding of different religious and ethnic groups who have hated eachother for years. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but historically the US has been very effective at toppling governments, but not so effective at putting the countries back together. We can all be relieved that Saddam was taken out so quickly and that we have not experienced more death than we have, but I think we should all be cautious about imagining Iraq as a capitalist desert utopia whose citizens love America. Once the smoke clears, the REAL challenges will begin.

Jeez...I know you guys hate America and all, but can you just try not to be your narcissistic selves and celebrate for once??? Even if only 10 people in Iraq are happy about this (and we all know that this number is tiny in comparison) then we were at least somewhat successful in our quest…

I swear, each Iraqi citizen could personally call and tell you themselves that this was a good thing and you would tell them all the reasons why America sucks!!


Okay...here it comes, and I know it's coming...but you all know me to speak my mind anyways, so here we go

Originally posted by ravingloon
Me too, seeing the American Flag raised in Baghdad after it was "LIBERATED", it made me all PLURy and I had to go hug some one.

I can't wait for America to decide it needs to liberate Iran or Syria next, that will make me peak so hard.

Yeah, and the guy s that did that quickly took it down after realizing that it was not the correct thing to do...they didn’t know any better...

I am happy Saddam is gone. I only hope that Iraqi's really do find freedom.

I will not say that we were "successful" simply because Iraqi's are happy, for I do not believe the happiness of the Iraqi's was/is the goal of the action (though it is perhaps consequential).

[Ryan]

I agree with hyoomen, and PhatBuddha, if you're accusing me of hating America then you're sorely mistaken. The true "freedom" of the Iraqi people is not going to come simply by a few people celebrating in the street. I am glad to see it happen and feel much better about the safety of my loved ones in Baghdad than I did two weeks ago. Still, there is MUCH more to rebuilding a country and giving the citizens a better life than killing the leadership and tearing down statues. These are powerful images, but they MUST be followed up by the fulfillment of promises made by our government to the people for a better life. I love this country dearly, but I also know my history and the truth is, we have often not followed through with our promises to rebuild nations which we have torn apart. If that makes me un-American, then it makes you blind to reality.

Originally posted by WarLord
Don't EVER presume to know my mind. Hating or liking America had nothing to do with my comments.

How does foot taste anyway?

Well, probably about the same as yours does...and you present yourself to hate America...all you do is complain about what we do and how we act, etc., etc., etc....

I have never once heard you stick up for this country or post how much you love and appreciate her...

So if the shoe fits....

Originally posted by Ryan
I agree with hyoomen, and PhatBuddha, if you're accusing me of hating America then you're sorely mistaken. The true "freedom" of the Iraqi people is not going to come simply by a few people celebrating in the street. I am glad to see it happen and feel much better about the safety of my loved ones in Baghdad than I did two weeks ago. Still, there is MUCH more to rebuilding a country and giving the citizens a better life than killing the leadership and tearing down statues. These are powerful images, but they MUST be followed up by the fulfillment of promises made by our government to the people for a better life. I love this country dearly, but I also know my history and the truth is, we have often not followed through with our promises to rebuild nations which we have torn apart. If that makes me un-American, then it makes you blind to reality.

Please...then let someone feel good about what we've done, whether or not you agree with it doesn’t really matter...my point is that you guys pretty much point out the negative in everything…I personally don’t agree with everything that we do, but I celebrate the good things when I see it…and I don’t rain on everyone’s parade because I don’t agree with them…

Everything on this board is so damn negitive...you jump at the chance to make someone who agrees with what America does wrong...God forbid you let us have our opinions...

You're kidding, right? You're making the same fatal flaw we've seen time and again on these boards -- you suggest we shut up and keep our opinions to ourselves while championing your right to shout your opinion from the rooftop without any criticism.

Bah.

I have said how I value this country many a time. Perhaps you were too busy wanting me to shut up to hear it.

[Ryan]

Originally posted by PhatBuddha
Please...then let someone feel good about what we've done, whether or not you agree with it doesn’t really matter...my point is that you guys pretty much point out the negative in everything…I personally don’t agree with everything that we do, but I celebrate the good things when I see it…and I don’t rain on everyone’s parade because I don’t agree with them…

Everything on this board is so damn negitive...you jump at the chance to make someone who agrees with what America does wrong...God forbid you let us have our opinions...

Everytime someone writes anything that disagrees with or questions a point on which you agree, you immediately start namecalling and asking "why can't we just have our fun?" Well, this is a politics discussion forum, and politics are driven by dissention and debate. I am not going to speak for everyone on the board, but I have personally never made any retort to you that was not factual and completely respectful. All we have done on this particular topic is to advise caution, EXACTLY like president Bush did yesterday when the media was becoming so jubilant at the scenes from Baghdad (even though a MASSIVE firefight was taking place two blocks away at Baghdad University). If you want to never be questioned, then why don't you take it to another forum and ask that noone disagree with you? Then, you can delete the thread if people say something you don't like. Otherwise, why don't you join into the debate and express your opinions instead of making assumptions about all of us and resorting to childish name-calling?

Originally posted by Ryan
Everytime someone writes anything that disagrees with or questions a point on which you agree, you immediately start namecalling and asking "why can't we just have our fun?" Well, this is a politics discussion forum, and politics are driven by dissention and debate. I am not going to speak for everyone on the board, but I have personally never made any retort to you that was not factual and completely respectful. All we have done on this particular topic is to advise caution, EXACTLY like president Bush did yesterday when the media was becoming so jubilant at the scenes from Baghdad (even though a MASSIVE firefight was taking place two blocks away at Baghdad University). If you want to never be questioned, then why don't you take it to another forum and ask that noone disagree with you? Then, you can delete the thread if people say something you don't like. Otherwise, why don't you join into the debate and express your opinions instead of making assumptions about all of us and resorting to childish name-calling?

And where did I name call? Is narcissistic what you consider a bad name? Or is it just a trait that I see…

Once again, I point out a fact:

Anything good that is posted about this country or this war will have people here jumping at the chance to prove the person who posted it is wrong…I am not the only one who has pointed it out, and in fact, most people who disagree with your opinions won’t even come into this section because they don’t want to deal with being run down…if this is a political forum, then everyone should have the right to speak their mind without being treated like shit constantly…and this forum is almost completely one sided, except for a few who stick it out and continue…

I have gotten numerous PMs telling me good luck and that it is great how I haven’t backed down from my stance, and that they would like to continue on supporting the same views I have but they cannot deal with the people who disagree because it becomes too personal and too stressful…I wish now I had saved those…

What this tells me is that you can all say whatever you’d like about me, but when a number of people point out the same thing, maybe it should be looked at…and if you don’t look at it, then what are you afraid of??

I am not always right but I don’t shoot down every single fucking post that I don’t agree with…I make my stance and move on…and most of the time I am not even in this room…sometimes it gets too personal, which I feel bad about in the end and I apologize for those times…but it seems that it has become a rule in this forum to gang up and bring down any person who says they are proud of what America has accomplished or that they stand behind her…and it is too the point that people on the other side of your opinions are actually scared to speak their mind or even come into this room whatsoever…

That is sad to me… and it is even sadder that you will pretend that is isn’t that way…

And one more thing: I think the name of this room should be changed to The Bash American Room...