# Millions rally against war: is that reason enough to delay or stand down? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 16, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416 "2003-02-16T07:40:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Mandelstam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Mandelstam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandelstam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/181 "2003-02-20T15:57:53Z")
I agree that Chirac’s remarks were totally offputting and have said so in other threads. But what makes you think that they weren’t an intentional threat to nations that have not yet been fully admitted into the EU fold? Indeed, the Bush administration seems regard the remarks in that light. I see no rational reason for Rumsfeld or any other American official to offend the French at this point. They have veto power on the SC; and a second resolution is, at present, becoming ever more crucial. Rumsfeld is not a diplomat and should not do a diplomat’s job (have you looked at the Friedman column I posted btw). Powell is starting to be just as bad with his implication of cowardice on the part of those who call for delay. How incredibly hamfisted, and for such an intelligent man! As to the “when” question, I’ve already offered as detailed an answer as I can give in the abstract in the context of this thread. I will try to read Cook, but I have a very busy day ahead of me so I may be quiet for some time. Correction: most of Europe is with us contingent on a SC resolution that is only now beginning to be planned and faces many obstacles (incluing hamfisted US diplomacy). Keep up with the news! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/182 "2003-02-20T16:03:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by december \* > \*\*I really recommend the essay. He must be 94 years old or so, and he still writes beautifully. \*\* Ah the delicious irony: you do realise that Alistair Cooke is first and foremost a [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/letter_from_america/default.stm) commentator, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/183 "2003-02-20T17:28:02Z")
I’m going to ask the same question again; mainly to British Dopers (I am assuming that most US marchers were lefties too, so wouldn’t voe for Bush in any case). You voted labour. You got a labour government. You don’t like what its doing. You go on a collossal march. You are ignored. Who are you going to vote for next time? I am just curious. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/184 "2003-02-20T17:56:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by owlstretchingtime \* > \*\*Who are you going to vote for next time? \*\* Charles Kennedy. Not IDS, for reasons too many to list here. Actually, I’m not eligible to vote, but imagine that I am. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/185 "2003-02-20T22:10:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mandelstam \* > \*\ ***december** , I have no time to argue semantics with you: \*\* For someone who doesn’t have any time to argue semantics **Mandelstam** , fuck, you sure are writing some godawful long and dreary posts. Trust me when I say this - good debating is not won by quantity. But take note, on the whole, I enjoy your posts immensely - you’re very insightful - but there’s such a thing as overkill, ya know? ---
**Author:** ![Mandelstam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Mandelstam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mandelstam)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/186 "2003-02-21T02:16:40Z")
**Boo Foo** : _“For someone who doesn’t have any time to argue semantics Mandelstam, fuck, you sure are writing some godawful long and dreary posts.”_ Ha! You’ve never seen one of my posts in a thread on feminism. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416/187 "2003-02-21T03:17:09Z")
No worries. Feel free to hang shit on myself when you see the chance my friend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/millions-rally-against-war-is-that-reason-enough-to-delay-or-stand-down/155416.md?page=9)