According the their vaunted 'just war theory,' by definition, by the very fact of the immsense death unleashed by the U.S. governments invasion of Iraq; America has committed, in the least, an unjust act, and in actuality, 'our' government, and by extension us ourselves, are war criminals.

I do not care if it is, at this point, 'Iraqis' killing Iraqis'' b/c deaths are occurring as a direct consequence from our invasion. 'Unintended' consequences or not, their blood is on our hands.

'Our' government is full of liars, thieves, and warmongerers, who do not even abide by their own Constitution, which Bush himself said is just a piece of paper; and with their fearmongering, and impoverished Americans all too happy to kill for them, nobody can see that we are being governed by a fascist aristrocracy of likeminded capitalists who seek only to build more weapons and subjugate the world to their ideas of 'universal truths,' all the while as they make fantastic monetary profits also . . .

Ahh, but there are other aristocratice classes in other nations, notably Russia and China, who I do not think are too eager to 'play ball' with an American, and Israel, worldwide hegemony.

Peace

Mr. Singh,

You enquire: " Is the present situation (in Iraq) any better?"

Then you state: "Recent reports suggest that between 400,000 and 600,000 Iraqi civilians have died to date, since the invasion by the USA in 2003, a period of 4 years. This equates to 100,000 to 150,000 civilian deaths per year," compared to, proportionately, 21,000 per year at which Saddam was disposing of his own people.

I don't see the point in your post since you have already answered your own question.

Please feel free to correct me if you think that I have misconstrued your claim.

Regards...

Hello Deepak and Everyone

I came across this line in the nytimes in an article by Maureen Dowd..

"After we invaded Iraq, Iraq invaded itself. We are at the mercy of Iraq, where there is no mercy.."

I think it is clear to all Americans, now, that this invasion was a tragic mistake, on our part. We cannot undo it and the hardest realization is that we cannot fix it either. I think we would all vote to bring our troops home tomorrow if we thought it would help stop the murder and mayhem.

Maybe our President cannot admit to this mistake but I think the American people have by their votes in the past elections.

ruth

Yes Ruth, now in a real democracy, us, the American people, should be able to have a direct vote right now about whether to pull the troops out immediately or not!

Peace

Lastly for this morning/afternoon. I ran across this article that is just amazing, and for those who care to take the time to read it, I think you shall be impressed.

Blind Obedience to the Canons of Capitalism: Of Sick Societies, American Dalits, and a Nation of Lady Macbeths
Filed under: Economy — jasonm13 @ 1:48 am
By Jason Miller

[Author’s Note to Establish Context: I composed this on 11/24/06, the day after Thanksgiving]

“Tell me where do I belong in this sick society?

….Look at yourself instead of looking at me. With accusation in your eyes. Do you want me crucified for my profanity?

….Tell me the truth and I’ll admit to my guilt if you’ll try to understand. But is that blood that’s on your hand from your democracy?”

–Ozzy Osbourne, You’re no Different, 1983

Bow your heads and drop to your knees, brothers and sisters! Feel the power of the Holy Dollar coursing through your being as you humbly offer your prayers, exaltations and gratitude to Mighty Mammon!

Lay the perpetual argument to rest. There is no separation of church and state.

It is indisputable that the United States is one nation, under God. Our nation worships the unholy trinity of the Dollar, Acquisitiveness, and Opulence with the fanaticism of the Inquisitors.

‘Tis (officially) the season to be greedy….

Yesterday, most of us initiated the “Holidays” by performing the annual rite of gratitude. Millions gave thanks for living in a nation which has become obscenely corpulent by suckling at the teats of genocide, slavery, and imperialism.

Sandburg once christened Chicago “hog butcher for the world”. Accounting for a mere 5% of the world’s population while gluttonously devouring a quarter of the world’s resources easily qualifies the United States as “hog to the world”.

And meanwhile…

According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”

That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year (1).

While millions of children are starving to death, we in the United States grapple with afflictions born of over-indulgence. Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions as we wantonly indulge our edacity. As a result, the United States is facing an alarming rise in cases of Type-2 diabetes and a significant decline in life expectancy (2).

What collective behavior better symbolizes our gluttony than Thanksgiving? Gorging ourselves to the point of nausea (while millions were grappling with starvation) yielded at least one humane result yesterday. We relieved 265 million Earth-bound avian creatures of their misery (3). How rewarding to recognize the “good” that came from our disgusting act of over-indulgence.

The Sandman Cometh…

As we slept off the ill effects of our swinish binge, visions of sugar plums, MP3’s, PS3’s, Hummers, Escalades and all manner of goodies gamboled about in our dreams, fueling our lust for more, more, more…and as the new day dawned, tens of millions of true believers arose with renewed spirits, ready to adhere to the edicts of the high priests of Capitalism.

Into the Maelstrom…

Embracing the delusion of individualism in the midst of life’s undeniable web of interdependence, the unwavering disciples charged into the fray to avoid the unthinkably tragic fate of dying without having the most toys.

With the wild-eyed desperation of meth addicts pursuing their next fix, obedient consumers joined the hordes of shoppers assailing malls like Vikings plundering unsuspecting coastal villages. Armed with credit card spending limits exceeding their annual salaries, the loyal foot-soldiers buttressing the economic tyranny of US fascism stampeded to indenture themselves to Visa.

Corporate retailers reveled in the glory of the “biggest shopping day of the year”.

Acts of Heresy…

Delivering an invective that would awaken the most comatose conscience, the Grinch once admonished us of our dereliction of even a semblance of temperance:

That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? That’s what it’s always been about. Gifts, gifts… gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts. You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I’m saying? In your garbage. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice… The avarice never ends!

Yet his poignant reminder of our moral bankruptcy fell largely on ears deafened by the overwhelming din of Madison Avenue’s powerfully alluring appeals to our greed and narcissism.

While abstractions like Seuss’s Grinch had already penetrated the briery thicket of deeply inculcated narcissism densely entwined around my social conscience, my commitment to dwelling in a spiritual realm approaching the antithesis of our indoctrination reached new heights this Thanksgiving.

One way I have found to exercise my values and beliefs is to donate my time, energy and money to homeless shelters. And Thanksgiving 2006 was my first opportunity to serve meals to indigent human beings. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Kansas City Rescue Mission for the allowing me to participate.

Real People….Real Suffering….

At one point in my evening at the Mission, I had the distinct honor of breaking bread with human beings who were engaged in an epic struggle to avoid drowning in a sea of wretchedness.

I met a black man named David. His face bore deep scars of an unknown origin. Adorned in dirty, disheveled clothing, David obviously hadn’t had the “luxury” of a shower, hot meal, or bed in awhile. I quickly concluded that life had brutalized David. Looking defeated, and perhaps tired of living, he spoke softly with his eyes cast downward. David had a gentle nature about him. And he was surprisingly articulate as he quietly informed me that his day had not gone quite as well as he would have liked. Apparently David is a master of the understatement.

Seated to David’s right was William. In stark contrast to David’s morose countenance, William’s face beamed with an inexplicable radiance. Sparkling like polished gemstones, his eyes captivated me. Clean-shaven and dressed in unsoiled casual business attire, he could easily have passed for a shelter employee or another volunteer. Yet when he spoke, his voice was even more subdued than David’s. And his halting speech and child-like observations suggested that William was socially, emotionally, or intellectually challenged in some way.

I smiled and chatted with them. Small talk about things like the weather and football. They seemed more intent on eating than talking, for obvious reasons. I offered to get bring them more food. William accepted, but David declined. As the meal ended, I shook their hands, thanked them for the privilege of eating with them, and wished them well in their struggle. I wanted to embrace them and tell them that everything was going to be all right very soon. But social taboos and my deep reluctance to lie prevented me from doing so.

Later, I worked in the kitchen. My task on the “assembly line” was to ladle heaping portions of sliced potatoes onto each plate. A capable, authoritative figure named Marx directed us volunteers as we strived to satisfy the onslaught of hungry people. Based on his appearance, demeanor, and role in the kitchen, I assumed he worked for the shelter.

However, I eventually discovered that Marx was newly enrolled in the Mission’s program. He told me that meant that he had become a Mission resident who was on a path to long-term sobriety and reintegration into society. As I left that evening I confided in him that I had hit rock bottom thirteen years ago. I told him how much I wished for his success.

In all we served over 130 individuals that night. The Kansas City Rescue Mission is a men’s shelter, but some of the men had brought female companions along for the Thanksgiving meal.

Exhausted, yet feeling fulfilled, I spoke to as many Mission clients as I could once the meal was served. Some acted shy, a few were a bit surly or even hostile, but most of them appeared genuinely happy that another human being took a moment to acknowledge them with kindness and respect. Their responses affirmed the Mission coordinator’s observation that most homeless human beings have become conditioned to being “invisible” in our society and sorely ache for the fulfillment of basic human social needs like recognition, dignity, and compassion.

[The United States is a “classless society”? Tell that to our homeless people…. Human beings who share much in common with India’s Dalits or Untouchables]

In retrospect, I realize I could have done more to buoy their spirits. I neglected to remind them of some incredibly hopeful aspects of the United States, including:

1. our robust economy

2. our “ownership” society

3. the money that will be “trickling down” to them any time now

4. the invisible hand of the “free market” that would lift them out of their economic despair

5. and how safe they are now because the federal government is diverting so much funding from social service programs to the “War on Terror”

Yet I can console myself with the virtual certainty that they will learn of such pleasant fictions through at least one of the MSM’s many vehicles for delivering its opiate-like agitprop to the masses.

Welcome home…

As I returned to my modest apartment to share the rest of the evening with my family, my eyes welled with tears. An overwhelming feeling of anguish threw me into a brief period of mental torpor. A tsunami of empathy flooded me with despondence. Intense memories of the hells of addiction, unmanaged bipolar disorder, self-hatred, homelessness, loneliness, hopelessness, and despair forced their way to the forefront of my conscious mind. Less than fifteen years ago I too had teetered on the edge of the abyss.

Through prolonged perseverance, and by the grace of the Higher Power of my understanding, I had managed to reclaim my soul, my mind, my family, my dignity, and my humanity. And now my challenge is to toil onward in my spiritual journey. Contemplating the trials people like David and William would endure as they pursued a similar course, and mourning the ones who would fall short, I felt a profound wave of despair wash over me.

As I ate my belated dinner, the turkey and pumpkin pie that typically delight my palate might as well have been sand. Contradicting years of conditioning, I felt my excitement over the Chiefs evaporate as quickly as dry ice on a scorching summer afternoon. I watched the game with a dearth of enthusiasm. As the television blitzkrieged my psyche with visual and auditory paeans to riches and consumption, my indifference toward acquiring unnecessary material possessions metamorphosed into repulsion. My passion and commitment to social justice and human rights redoubled.

In short, my spirit took a further evolutionary step last night. And for that precious blessing, I am deeply indebted to a group of human beings whom we have tossed aside like sacks of fetid garbage.

Like it or not, they are human….

Viewing our homeless as fundamentally flawed in some way eradicates a scathing indictment of the sacred tenets of Capitalism, relieves guilt, and quells fears of sharing a similar fate.

But these are human beings who are no different than me. Or than you.

Which brings me to Ozzy Osbourne’s apt rhetorical question. “Where do I belong in a sick society?”

Sick indeed. The social, political, and economic systems of the United States (and its mimics, like India) inflict untold suffering on innumerable human beings. Aside from condemning billions in developing countries to lives of abject poverty via its neoliberal economic exploitation, the most prosperous (and reputedly most benevolent) nation in history leaves an unconscionable number of its own to wallow in economic despair.

Bearing in mind the nearly boundless resources of the United States, consider the following:

Accomplishing a logic-defying feat, the wealthiest nation in the world has “attained” the highest rate of homelessness amongst developed countries. 3.5 million human beings experience homelessness each year in the United States. Almost a million are homeless every night.

In the most heavily militarized nation in the history of the human race, 30% of its homeless men are military veterans. What happened to “support the troops”? Obviously once military personnel return home, the slogan changes to “good riddance to bad rubbish.”

Ready for some “shock and awe” on the home front? According to the National Mental Health Association, “on any given night, 1.2 million children are homeless” in the United States (4).

What was that about a sick society?

While a complex network of power elites in an array of industries, corporations, government entities, the media, and think tanks bear the brunt of the responsibility for our malevolence, we cannot evade our complicity in buttressing the institutions that sustain our criminal class. This group is no intangible Kafkaesque bureaucracy. Many of the principle culprits are readily identifiable. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Rove, the Walton clan (which collectively still owns 38% of Wal-Mart’s stock), William Kristol, Henry Kissinger, and a host of others are guilty of the direct (or in some cases indirect) infliction of human misery on par with the likes of Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong-il. And we have collectively enabled the twin evils of fascism and imperialism by deifying money.

Motivating large numbers to take the radical step of divorcing themselves from the worship of material prosperity appears to be a nearly unattainable goal. At least until many more people have experienced significant pain.

Yet those of us intent on evoking drastic changes in the prevailing paradigm are not impotent sans mass participation. Like the forces of wind and water erosion, the steady action of even a relative few can flatten mountains over time.

Jack Kemp once observed:

“The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society.”

Familial obligations, the formidable military power of the establishment, and a reticence to engage in asymmetric warfare may limit one’s viable options in waging opposition against the powers that be, but there is no compulsion to unconditionally bulwark the Kleptocrats and their attending sycophants.

We the People, one person at a time, one day at a time, have it within our power to undermine and subvert a system premised on hubris, savage militarism, nationalism, exploitation, and rapacity.

How?

Simply by embracing ways of being which are antithetical to maintaining the malignant status quo:

* opposing evil through non-violent means (5)

* practicing compassion

* recycling and living frugally

* having a healthy sense of humility

* respecting human rights and dignity

* finding a reasonable balance between excess and asceticism

* acting with a modicum of selflessness and concern for the collective

* working toward a more just and peaceful global community

* developing a concern for the environment

* placing people before profits

* devoting oneself to critical, independent thinking

* consistently practicing the Golden Rule

* committing to honesty with self and others

It is not too late to “tell [ourselves] the truth”, abandon the idolatry of affluence, and “wash the blood that’s on (our) hand(s) from (our) democracy”.

Remember, Humankind and Mother Earth are counting on us!
http://[DELINKER]poac.wordpress.com/2006/11/26/blind-obedience-to-the-canons-of-capitalism-of-sick-societies-american-dalits-and-a-nation-of-lady-macbeths/#comment-503

Peace all

I had always wondered what kind of people could be FOR any kind of war. Now that I am interning in Kansas - a red state, I got my chances to interact with such people.
While going to the airport during this thanksgiving weekend, the shuttle driver and the lady sitting right next to me started discussing recent elections. This old lady favoured democrats(much to my surprise), but the driver ofcourse was a hard-core republican. He was just full of enrage and revenge against "those people" who hit "us" first. Apparently his friend is a soldier in Iraq, and locals tell the soldiers that they want them there (imo, they wouldn't dare tell the truth to gunmen). He also said how Baghdad was the root of all evil and how all the major technical operations of Al-qaeda were held there. Not sure if he is delusional or I have my facts wrong, but I understand how people become FOR war now. They are just very angry and want revenge. They totally surpass all common sense.
Sometime ago in an interview Bush said something along the lines of how 'it was God' who compelled him to go for war in Iraq (after the weapons of mass destruction weren't found). Thats pretty smart now, you get the following of the bible belt, and CIA cannot investigate this reason! Not to mention, how theres not much difference left among him and those who did 9/11 because 'it was God' there at work too.

A Foolish President:-

If this foolish president had stayed on the trails of the 911/11 killer in the rubbles of Afghanistan, as was expected of him, and not ill-advisedly diverted to Iraq, an equal number of Americans who perished that fateful morning, would be alive today.

And perhaps, the perpetrator himself might have been found, dead or alive, by now. For what noble cause, may I ask, have these young Americans sacrificed their lives? How foolish must our president be, America?

When you consider how ill-informed many of the voters in this country are, it is no surprise that such an incompetent, unfit and unqualified aspirant as Bush can be elected to the highest office in the land.

An uninformed electorate will invariably elect an uninformed president, which is so painfully evident today.

Was the invasion and plundering of an innocent nation worth it? Is a bad dictator a good enough reason for such egregious American aggression?

If the removal of dictators and the installation of democracy is a noble cause, why is Fidel Castro still in power?

It is indeed deplorable that good and capable presidential candidates are routinely precluded from attaining the presidency if, per chance, any trace of personal indiscretions or blemish in their resume is revealed.

An extra-marital affair, a gambling problem or the use of any form of contraband such as cannabis, is ground enough for character assassination, personal destruction and subsequent elimination from the race. How petty, it seems!

Perhaps the Constitution of the United States should be amended to read: Only saints need apply for the US Presidency. Only upstanding men and women qualify!

But once the office has been won, these standards no longer apply. You can then lie about weapons of mass human destruction with little or no consequences.

This is American democracy the American way!

“It is indeed deplorable that good and capable presidential candidates are routinely precluded from attaining the presidency if, per chance, any trace of personal indiscretions or blemish in their resume is revealed”. Ron.

Even worse Ron, a nonreligious person has no chance to become president and invariably all candidates are either religious or have to pretend to be religious. Even the scientists have to pretend to be religious for fear of not getting any research money.

But you can invade a country because God told you so. What a sad reality!

U.S. governs by 'coercion,' Iran leader writes

In open letter to Americans, Ahmadinejad urges pullout from Iraq

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15947213/?GT1=8717

.......
Text of Iran president's letter to the U.S.

'Both our nations are God-fearing, truth-loving and justice-seeking'

Message of H.E. Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran
To the American People

In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

O, Almighty God, bestow upon humanity the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers.

Noble Americans,

Were we not faced with the activities of the US administration in this part of the world and the negative ramifications of those activities on the daily lives of our peoples, coupled with the many wars and calamities caused by the US administration as well as the tragic consequences of US interference in other countries;

Were the American people not God-fearing, truth-loving, and justice-seeking, while the US administration actively conceals the truth and impedes any objective portrayal of current realities;

And if we did not share a common responsibility to promote and protect freedom and human dignity and integrity;

Then, there would have been little urgency to have a dialogue with you……

.....the letter goes on.

For the complete text visit:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15952309/

DNC Chairman Howard Dean just finished addressing the Liberal Convention in Canada. This guy appears to have the vision and the ability to see the big picture and no emotional outburst would prevent him from running for the highest office in this country. He even speaks French and received a standing ovation for making some of his points in French.

He stressed how much Canada and the United States have in common and how we can learn from each other, if we are only willing to do so.

Well done Mr. Dean.

Ref.: #8.

Indeed, Skep!

Howard Dean was one of the few democrats (and repubs) who did not (foolishly) drink the Bush coolade in the run-up to the invasion.

Cheers.

Yes Steve and what do you think about his letter? I myself thought it was well written and sounded sincere. Automatically a 'right-winger' will say, "Iran supports terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas," like the United States has never supplied or funded opposition forces to ruling governments . . .

President Ahmadinejad indeed seems to have a problem for America’s unconditional support for Zionists. Why? Perhaps of the continuing displacement and take-over of Palestinian land. “But the Palestinians have no land or nation to claim, and the Israelites are only taking, by force, what God has promised them,” many American ‘religionists’ will say. I believe herein lies a major source of problems in the Middle East.

Consequently, now that Israel does possess the entirety of the Promised Land, not all of the Jewish people have returned to Israel, notably, a large portion of the Jewish people seem quite reticent too return to Israel and want to stay in the United States. Apparently, they are awaiting the return of, or the appearance of rather, the Messiah who shall gather them from the four corners of the earth, take them back to Israel and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

I would think myself, that since Scripture speaks so plainly of wanting the Jewish people re-gathered in the land of Israel, and thanks to their affluent position in American society, the Israelites easily have the means by which to now do so; and could this not be the greatest gift humanity could ever possibly give to God, the fulfilling of ‘His’ wish w/o the necessity of Apocalyptic intervention. I bet if America offered the displaced Palestinians a Promised Land of their own right here in America, I bet we could make all parties happy, and even rebuild the Temple, and as far as the exact place of the Temple is still in dispute, I do not necessarily see that the Dome of the Rock would need to be destroyed. It would seem to me that simply a universal aliyah of the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem would be pretty darn close . . .

Especially if we could first and foremost stop the violence, possibly by even making them the above offer. Have we ever offered a million Palestinians the state of Wyoming?

If you take a look at this list at the kind of money available to the Jewish community: http://[DELINKER]en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_American_businesspeople

I think we could easily come up with some solutions . . .

Since traditional Muslims are also monotheistic believers who also expect the Messiah to appear, I would think that if we actually wanted peace we could achieve it.

We could achieve a worldwide ethical perfection of humankind; if we could only get the major religions of the world to agree upon what exactly kind of ‘rule of God’ the world should be united under. And I would again think that we could have differing practices in differing geographical regions, and if inhabitants did not appreciate that region’s practices, they should be able to freely move to another region.

We could work it out! But as long as we got dudes saying ‘it has to be this way or no way at all,’ which, sadly, happens all to often with people of profound religious belief, we are in trouble. Then you sprinkle selfish egoism and money on top . . .

and we probably will be declaring war with Iran next year . . .

Maybe I am just thinking too much (finally!) . . .

Peace

America's motive behind invasion of Iraq was not welfare of the Iraqi people but the ulterior motive was control over the oil reserves.
Thus the security of the life of Iraqi people is the last thing on their agenda.

Hello Deepak and Everyone,

emprius writes,"President Ahmadinejad indeed seems to have a problem for America’s unconditional support for Zionists."

It is quite clear to us(Americans) that President Ahmadinejad has a problem not only with our unconditional support of Zionists, but with the fact that Zionists exist, at all. But, clearly that is his problem and we don't much give a "hoot" about "his" problem.

One thing this experience, in Iraq, has unveiled for us(Americans) is that we now have a better understanding of what kind of mind-set the "Zionists" have been up against for so long and, now, our support for Israel will be more unquestioned and unconditional.

President Ahmadinejad needs to write a letter to the "Zionists," and letter of apology would be a good start, and, then, maybe, people would think he had something intelligent to offer this world.

peace ruth

It is not Ahmadinejad killing people and taking their land, why should he apologize? Why do Arabs and Persians have to pay for European 19th & 20th century stupidity?

Your 'unquestioned' and 'unconditional' stance supports my statement entirely, and the future war with Iran and Syria and whoever else, is all your's; and what hath America to do with Israel anyway? Are you going to pull out the 'blesses who blesses you, and curses who curses you' quote now?

Yeah . . .

Unfortunately, this problem can only be solved by the people with money and power, but they like their money and power too much, and instead of doing the right thing, they shall only make more weapons and more war.

And pray (supposedly) for Yeshua to come.

Their greedy arrogance has blinded them to true problem-solving, and their big lies go over o so easily with the unwitting masses; and their top-down solutions benefit who . . .

Peace

Steve,

Ref.:- #9 above.

It is a very well-written letter, cogent and straight-forward, absolutely.

It clearly shows that the Iranian president is no dummy and a man who understands world affairs.

The trouble is, will Bush read it, and if he does, would he comprehend the sophistication of language used?

I encourage all of you to read this three-page letter in its entire and draw your own conclusion.

The letter hits the nail on the head. The only part where he looses me is when he references the prophets, the Koran and religion.

Regards..

Hello Everyone,

Sometimes, in politics, you get stuck with the President you elected rather than the President you want.

I have heard President Ahmadinejad speak and by golly, yes, the man can string a sentence together, quite fluently. His grasp of world affairs is not lacking, by any means.

There is no comparison between President Bush and
Ahmadinejad in the ability to express intelligent conversaions pertaining to world affairs, President Bush is, clearly, almost, inarticulate, without a written speech in his hand.

That said.

The one world affair that President Ahmadinejad seems to have a lot of ignorance about, and, with, is the Holocaust, not so much because he "really" doesn't believe it happened, more so, because it suits his fancy to stick it to his Zionist enemy, the enemy he has grown to hate with each passing day they continue to inhabit a land he believes belongs to others, more like himself.

The world does not question his intelligence the world questions his hate, because they know he has nurtured it and are concerned he has perfected a weapon to deliver it.

peace ruth

Hello Everyone,

This is taken from President Ahmadinejad's letter,"Persistent aggressions by the Zionists are making life more and more difficult for the rightful owners of the land of Palestine."

Then he continues to describe the atrocities "the Zionists" have inflicted, without cause, of course, on the Palestinians.

he continues to write,"What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors? Is it not because they have imposed themselves on a substantial portion of the banking, financial, cultural and media sectors?

I recommend that in a demonstration of respect for the American people and for humanity, the right of Palestinians to live in their own homeland should be recognized so that millions of Palestinian refugees can return to their homes and the future of all of Palestine and its form of government be determined in a referendum. This will benefit everyone."

You call this letter hitting the nail on the head?"

It is more like "listen fellow Americans, isn't it time we hit these "world controlling, infamous aggressors on the head, in the gut, and put them in their rightful place in this world, back in some concentration camp in Germany so the world will be a better, more loving place and we can live happily ever after, just Iranian, Palestinians and our American brothers and sisters, and then when we get rid of the "Zionist" aggressors we can work on the your American religious practices, if only your American women covered up more and quited down, well what a beautiful world this would be!

Yes, that was quite an intelligent letter by someone so articulate in his expression of world affairs...

Gee, I will be muttering all day after having read that crap...I should have know better...

ruth

Hello Everyone,

Gee, I shouldn't have read that letter...

I would have to ask President Ahmadinejad what the Palestinian leaders have done for their own people in the last twenty years to relieve their suffering? What has the Iranian government done for the Palestinian people in the last twenty years to relieve their suffering? Oh, I forgot, it has given lots and lots of cash to the families who offer a son or daughter to self-detonate around as many "Zionist" aggressors as they can. Yes, why bother offering the parents of these portable explosive missiles the money for their college educations, in order to be able to negotiate future peace agreements with the "Zionist" aggressors? I see, who needs a future when martrydom is so much more helpful to the cause, who needs peace agreements when you can self-detonate your way to world domination, certainly, not Hamas, Hezbollah, Bin Laden or President Ahmadinejad.

have a great day all. ruth

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to answer a question that President Ahmadinejad has asked the American people which was,.."What have the Zionists done for the American people that the US administration considers itself obliged to blindly support these infamous aggressors?"

Well, Mr. Smartiepants, what the "Zionists" have done is simply survive the intent of a man who wished to exterminate them as a people, a culture and a cherished expression of a religion. They have survived a hate that burned for years in the hearts and souls of men like you. It is not an obligation to blindly support, it is an honor to contribute to the survival of this People, this land, this culture, this religion, not that they need us anymore, we most likely will need them in the future.

ruth

Ruth,

While I can indeed understand your sympathy, for the horrors the Jewish people suffered under Nazi Germany, as I myself just by being a blond Swede feel particular guilt also, just for being a blond dude.

Seriously.

Yet we must both agree that both sides of the struggle in the Middle East are guilty of horrible acts, both sides; and if the world does not seriously strive to one day soon find a solution, then death and violence shall only continue.

I readily admit that it is a complex situation, and as the Arabs and Persians have used the Palestinians for their selfish purposes, us western nations have certainly not went out of our way to help the Palestinians either; and they do not have anywhere to really go, and a lot of them probably feel like they shouldn’t have to go either.

In a horribly unfortunate replay of history, it is rather reminiscent of the Jewish peoples dilemma in Nazi Germany, a lot of them tried to get out, some could, many couldn’t, and some resolved to stay hoping things would get better; and as we all well know, things did not get better!

I mean even granting that that land is the Jewish peoples’ Promised Land, we do have to consider that the Palestinian people have been their for the last two thousand intervening years. So like I wrote before, why do we not offer those people a Promised Land of their own! Sheesh, with the amount of money that the United States has spent on the ‘war on terror,’ we could easily have bought the Palestinians an entire state in the U.S.; and why should we help the Palestinians you may ask, well, why should we help the Israelites, why should we help anybody . . .

I can also appreciate your concern about Ahmadinejad having said something as stupid as ‘wiping Israel off the map,’ and that concerns me as well. Yet, in reality, if a war erupted between Israel and Iran, Iran would be the one being wiped off the map, as they have nowhere near the military force of Israel, not even close.

For the last century and a half, Zionists (I do not know why you put Zionists in parentheses as that is what they labeled themselves) have aggressively moved into the lands of historical Israel, with immense aid coming from many western nations, and even others; and the entire process has been anything but peaceful. So they have their nation now, and yet many today emigrate to the United States, and not many in the United States immigrate to Israel, except for religious temporary aliyahs that ‘show their faith.’ Israel is a nation formed upon racism, is that not a little strange in today’s world . . .

So where do we go now? Continue having everybody build more weapons? That is what everybody is doing; and from what I understand about history, which admittedly is very little, when people build weapons they usually use them sooner or later (‘we’ even used our nuclear weapons, and thank the Lord we have not used them in a time of war again . . ., YET).

Bullshit has been happening on both sides Ruth, and to this very date our vaunted leaders have not came up with any solutions; so what our we going to do, let the evangelicals push us into WWIII, because they have no imagination other than Christ descending from the heavens after the world has been wiped out? Do ‘we’ keep on arming everybody so the war-makers, oops I mean lawmakers, can continue raping us with their taxes so they get rich while ‘keeping the world safe?’

Great changes can only happen when great changes are made, and that starts with us the people! Our government is a failure, and so is capitalism. And unless your children become doctors or warriors, they are going to virtually be slaves, and the status quo shall be maintained by the rich getting richer, and the poor being sold down the drain, and the world becoming ever more violent.

Anyway . . .

Peace sister

Hello empyrius,

Yes, of course, I agree that both sides are quilty of horrible acts.

My rant was really against contents of the letter President Ahmadinejad has written to Americans. I use parentheses around the word Zionists to bring attention to the disdain in which this man fills his sentences when speaking about them, such as calling them the "infamous aggressors" who "inflict atrocities without cause." Now, it is no surprise to me that he would write these words but it is a "great" surprise that anyone would read and review the letter by saying "it hits the nail on the head." I quess if you are a Zionist, in President Ahmadinejad opinion, you deserve nothing more than a "nail on the head."

peace ruth

I don't know Ruth, maybe actually President Ahmadinejad wants world peace just as much as you and me

I mean look at our President, he says that he is on a mission from G-d and he seeks world peace too; and then he goes and launches pre-emptive wars . . .

I am trying to look through what the media says anymore and look at what is actaully happening on the ground.

Politicians and generals, and think-tanks employed by the government, have not seemed to do us much good yet . . .

Let me and you talk to Ahmadinejad

Peace Ruth

Hello Everyone,

empyrius writes,"I don't know Ruth, maybe actually President Ahmadinejad wants world peace just as much as you and me."

empyrius, you know there is an aspect of our being and I mean all of us that just is peace. Unfortunately, that aspect is buried, deeply, within some human beings, so deep, in fact, that it will probably never see the light of day, in their lifetime, after reading President Ahmadinejad's letter, I am sure his peace is buried as deeply within his being as "his" nuclear facilities are buried deep within the earth, in Iran.

President Bush is no angel, he decided to invade a Nation and take down a dictator, we, the American people, voted to go along with it, not because we hate and want to exterminate these people but becuase we thought we would in some way be helping them to be rid of a ruthless dictator. We did not take into account the ruthlessness of the individuals who hate Americans much more than they could ever have hated Saddam. Now we know better.

President Ahmadinejad is a man who clearly states his intentions as to his feelings about the infamous Zionist agressors, and yes, he is a man who sounds a lot like Adolf Hitler in his descriptions when talking about the Zionists. He is not hiding anything. If given the chance and opportunity he would "wipe a Nation of People of the face of the earth." He would feel that he has fulfilled "Allahs" wish. Maybe he is not a danger to you or me, we are not Zionists, but he is clearly a danger to them and the letter above is absolutely clear about that..

So, yes, I do know, this man is not about peace.

peace emprius, ruth

I didn't vote for no war. And just as resolutely as you affirm to 'know' Ahmadinejad is not about peace, I also know the Iraqi people never wanted U.S. soldiers on their land, as they make abundantly clear right now. The only Iraqi's who purportedly want U.S. troops there now are the ones we have allowed to be put in power to protect our interests.

By definition we are Zionists, b/c by the very people 'we' voted into power, these same people provide massive U.S. money and technology to Israel, our money, and anyting we may provide to Arabs, we ensure the Israeli's will have that much more, so 'we' have voted ourselves into being Zionists just as 'we' voted for war.

For every nuclear facility Ahmadinejad possibly has, Israel in fact has hundreds and hundreds of nuclear bombs, and we have thousands upon thousands; and don't worry, we will continue to build weapons until, well, I know we will never stop . . .

So tis all good!

Nothing will change

Peace

Hello Everyone,

empyrius writes,"I didn't vote for no war.

Maybe you didn't, personally, but the government Americans put into power in the year 2000 and 2004 did, so, even though, I, personally, did not vote to go to war, as well as thousands of others didn't, also, we did by virtue of our elected officials who make up our governing body.

What we(those who didn't want to go to war) failed to do was protest to this governing body that we would not support it, before it had a chance to get off the ground. We, the non-supporters of this war in failing to organize and do our ultimate most in preventing this invasion by out government, went along for the ride. The governing body which is representative of us, heard no cries, to stop, well, maybe there were two or three, but the rallaying cries they should have heard were silent. So, yes we did support this Administration by not supporting and giving voice and taking action to our NO to WAR.

That is how it is in this Nation, we elect a President, half the folks cannot stand him, but they have to live with him. But, we do have our elected officials and we can influence policy if we use these officials, as we should, that, being a representative of our voices and this has been know to work in changing policies and has been quite effective. So, if we are so against a war we had better shout it out or our elected officials think they have the go ahead.

We didn't shout it out, we didn't act it out, we, maybe, wimpered a quite displeasure, no wonder this Administration and our elected officials took that for a YES.

peace ruth

I hear you Ruth.

Sure wish at least one or two poor people could become Senators or even more; then we could one day somewhat resemble a true representative demmocracy . . .

Anyway. We have had a great discussion and I am sure we will have more.

Peace sis

Hello Everyone,

Yes, empyrius, I agree, more poor people need to represent our Nation, for this to be a true democracy. Sadly, our elected body seem become a lot richer one they are elected to office, especially in our Senate, they really "rack in the dough, each passing year they serve.

Thank you for a delightful back and forth..

peace bro...haha, ruth

:)

Peace sis

I have been to IRAG, I have two family members still there. We have a done a great thing freeing these people. the kids by camp were watching us during baseball last year. some of us were red soxs fans others yankee fans. now the kids wear base ball hats. the Rape gangs are gone and the women walk free at night. many are wearing dress and make up that women solders have shown them how. Local people bring and brought us food as they thank us daily. Try not to put down the actions the USA has taken unless you have been there. You sound foolish and studid. After the 9 - 11 attack we ask the US Goverment to get even. They are. Now some unenformed people are making up stories to cause issues. You do not like the USA leave. The greatest thing that will allow evil to grow in this world is when good men do nothing. I will fight for human rights all over the world. God Please our troups, our Goverment and the men and women to have the courage to fight for what is right. OK, God Please the stupid who state things they no nothing about too.