# WMD found and were ready to fire. Neener Neener Neener!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 7, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111 "2003-04-07T17:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/101 "2003-04-08T05:06:23Z")
> [@](#): > > **Whuckfistle** said: > We`ve heard the term “US interests being threatened”. Can the US extend itself to its “interests” when it comes to defense and security. Vague, I know, but it will come up sooner or later. Fair question, **Whuck** , I don’t know. I _do_ know the POTUS is not supposed to unilaterally break a treaty without congressional approval. (although they have done it). > [@](#): > > We knew he had chemical agents and a weapons program. We weren`t satisfied that they were destroyed or terminated. That’s still an issue for the UN, not for the US. > [@](#): > > **Ogre** said: > You claim it’s a plant. You have no proof, yet you fling the accusation. Do you have some reason for this statement, other than your own self-loathing at being a Horrible American? Since when do you warmongers care about proof? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/102 "2003-04-08T05:11:00Z")
Besides, Iraq, which is a member of the UN, has ignored past and present resolutions. In effect, a breach of treaty. All bets are off. Especially when the UN doesn`t care to back up the penalties for Iraq`s failure to conform to the resolutions. We also had about 40 nations in some form or another backing our actions. It wasn`t as unilateral as some would believe. France and Germany would be on board if they weren`t dealing with Iraq under the table (my speculation). ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/103 "2003-04-08T05:12:37Z")
I always care about proof, son. I’m a scientist. But I’ll take your answer as a “no.” And let’s not forget that Congress authorized war with Iraq in early October, 2002. There was nothing unilateral about it. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/104 "2003-04-08T05:21:26Z")
I must add, that I am not as much of a supporter of this current affair as I once was, or thought I would be. I haven`t been able to completely justify in my own head the act of bombing the crap out of another country. On the other hand I do believe that Saddam had to go. Sooner than later. And the only way I can see that happening is with such force. I am not cheering, but I will be content when it is over. I guess you would call the feeling _indifferent_. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/105 "2003-04-08T05:22:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ogre \* > \*\*I always care about proof, son. I’m a scientist. But I’ll take your answer as a “no.” > > And let’s not forget that Congress authorized war with Iraq in early October, 2002. There was nothing unilateral about it. \*\* Does it bother you that we invaded Iraq with no proof of WMD’s? Authorizing a war is technically not the same thing as authorizing a repeal of the UN treaty. **Whuck** , it doesn’t matter how many other countries that the US bribed, threatened, intimidated or cajoled in to supporting the invasion. It still did not meet the international legal criteria to justify an aggressive action against the sovereignty of Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/106 "2003-04-08T05:23:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > \*\*Isn’t he cute, everybody? They’re so adorable when they begin to mimic human behavior! Pretty amazing, really, when they posess little more than a brain stem to regulate their autonomic nerve functions with no real higher brain functions at all. \*\* Oh, i am so shamed, you have insulted me so, i must go drag myslef back beneath my rock. Woe is me to have insulted such a high Lord master like **Weirddave** > [@](#): > > O.K., Skippy, let’s start with this: You claim that I have complained about a “Liberal Media Bias”. Prove it. I want _one_ cite where I have said such a thing. Guess what? You won’t find it because I never said anything of the kind. In point of fact, I happen to think that the media has a bit of a conservative bias you brought up me claiming a media bias first, cheif. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it. > [@](#): > > No, Reuters is fine, although I find it curious that someone harping on how I’m supposedly exibiting bias post all of their counter “evidence” _from one single news source_. No evidence of bias in that, is there?. :dubious: It’s even more remarkable when you consider that the information presented could easily have been gleaned from any one of a dozen different news sources, something that would have given your claims at least the surface appearence of objectivity. if i had cared about refuting your idiocy, i would have spent more than five minutes on your reply. But since i do have a job and the good sense not to waste time on braindead losers living in their parents’ basements, you’ll have to do with continuous five minute replies. And since you admit the information is available elsewhere, why should i bother? > [@](#): > > In any event, not one of your links proved what you claimed they prove. Most of them detailed one of two things: > > A: ) Many Arabs want to go fight the U.S. in Iraq. > > B: ) Many more Arabs are protesting against the war. Yes, Arabs would never come here to attack us. They fly planes all the way from Egypt into our buildings. (oh, wait, i’m sure you’re one of the ignorant masses who thinks all the highjackers flew over from Iraq.) > [@](#): > > The closest you came was [this link](http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=focusIraqNews&storyID=2476308) (note the correct use of vB code? It’s really not that hard, you can do it!) Damn, your coding skills prove you the master debater. Or a master something…i don’t really care. You also forgot to inslult my lack of capital I’s. [quote] which features the **opinion** of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who says that he thinks the war will create “100 bin Ladens”. Gee, a politician in a country that opposes the war, with a population that opposes the war, saying something against the war. That’s shocking! Nowhere have you linked to anything, other than President Mubarak’s opinion, which proves “turned thousands of Arabs into terrorists who want us all dead”. YOU said that the war has created these new terrorists. Linking to stories about how the U.S. is unpopular in the Middle East isn’t even close to proving this, Sparky. We’ve been the “Great Satan” over there for years. I want evidence of new terrorists created in the last 2 weeks, specifically in response to the war.{quote] You’ll get your evidence when people here start dying. Hopefully you will live through the first attack to see how wrong you were. And i’ll take the leader over a middle eastern nation’s opinion over the opinion of a basement dwelling armchair general who thinks that anyone who doubts CNN must be the pinnacle of foolishness > [@](#): > > Again, where did I say that? The embedded reporter with that unit happened to be from CNN. I wish it had been am al-Jazira reporter ( Several of them are embedded as well, did you even know that? ) I would have loved to see the verbal tap dancing you’d have engaged in to explain away that. Once again, you brought up media bias first. And, yes, i did know that. But not being able to read Arabic keeps me from being accessable to all of their stories. > [@](#): > > You’re going to have to try a lot harder to try for an insult that will upset me. Reposting an “insult” that was stupid the first 700 times I saw it used by the anti-war folks isn’t even close. Unlike you, my opinions are carefully thought out and are my own, not given to me by idiots while I drool and nod vacantly. \*\* Sure, just repeat to yourself that your thoughts are independent enough and you will believe it. Just like everyone else does. Insulting people who doubt weapons of mass destruction report #28914235328532905239052905285902835902385290589203589230 is the most unique thought in the universe. No one has ever countered someone who had doubt about the latest claim by newsprograms jumping the gun. Grow a brain. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/107 "2003-04-08T05:27:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whuckfistle \* > \*\*I must add, that I am not as much of a supporter of this current affair as I once was, or thought I would be. I haven`t been able to completely justify in my own head the act of bombing the crap out of another country. > On the other hand I do believe that Saddam had to go. Sooner than later. And the only way I can see that happening is with such force. I am not cheering, but I will be content when it is over. I guess you would call the feeling _indifferent_. \*\* I am not sorry to see Saddam go. I don’t dispute that he is (was?) an evil thug who can benefit greatly from a bullet in the head. I think it may be a fortunate side-effect that the Iraqi people have an opportunity to start all over. What bothers me is the precedent. The US has never gone in for “preemptive” invasions before. There are several other countries which are arguably as much or more of a threat than Iraq was. There are other countries with brutal or oppressive governments. Are we going to invade all of them? If not, why not? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/108 "2003-04-08T05:29:44Z")
We have done preemptive invasions to serve our own cause before. Panama wouldn’t exists if we didn’t say so. but we are supposed to be above that crap now in the 21st century. Someone didn’t get the memo. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/109 "2003-04-08T05:31:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Does it bother you that we invaded Iraq with no proof of WMD’s? If that were the only reason, it might…or hell, might not. How much more proof do you need than his gassing of 100,000 or so a few years back, and his continued obfuscation when it came to UN inspectors? Don’t tell me you actually believed Hussein when he said, “Oh, those? Yeah, ummm…we never had them but we destroyed any of them that we didn’t have and CERTAINLY NEVER USED.” Uh huh. Does **DtC** stand for **Diogenes the Credulous**? In any case, that was hardly the only _casus belli_ we had. As far as I’m concerned, as soon as the first Iraqi SAM was fired at a US jet patrolling the no-fly zone, that was plenty of cause to eliminate Hussein. The rest is just gravy. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/110 "2003-04-08T05:33:08Z")
> [@](#): > > What bothers me is the precedent. The US has never gone in for “preemptive” invasions before. There are several other countries which are arguably as much or more of a threat than Iraq was. There are other countries with brutal or oppressive governments. Are we going to invade all of them? If not, why not? Sure we have. Panama and Nicaragua immediately spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/111 "2003-04-08T05:46:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Does it bother you that we invaded Iraq with no proof of WMD’s? > **Whuck** , it doesn’t matter how many other countries that the US bribed, threatened, intimidated or cajoled in to supporting the invasion. It still did not meet the international legal criteria to justify an aggressive action against the sovereignty of Iraq. \*\* I see your point. What I would like to know (I`m sure you`ve stated this here but it`s getting late) is, why are you hung up on the legality of the actions? Are you using that as a means to justify the immoralities of the war? (does that make any sense?) If you`re hung up on the morality of our actions more so than the legality than you should consider that Saddam, as a leader, is one of the most immoral, period. I guess knowing which you consider more important would help me understand your stance better. upon preview I see you touched on it briefly (the fact that this is an isolated event when in fact their are many other countries whose leaders may deserve the bullet). Would you care to extend your views? ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/112 "2003-04-08T05:52:54Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\* > you brought up me claiming a media bias first, cheif. Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it._\* I did? Seem to me that reviewing my post on page one of this thread would reveal that I said: > [@](#): > > are you now going to try and claim that that’s biased somehow? I asked a question, and sure enough, you did go on to claim bias with your garbage about “Claim #oh-look-i’m-so-clever-I-can-hit-a-lot-of-numbers-in-a-row” and “whatever crap the media is shoveling these days”. You then accuse me of stating there is “liberal bias” in the media, something I’ve never done. This seems to be your stock in trade; wild, baseless accusations to hide the fact that you have no arguement. Your posts are singularly lacking in facts, devoid of cites that back up your claims ( but swimming with links to cites that don’t-perhaps as a diversion )and filled with pathetic attempts at insults to disguise the lack of the first two. So, hot spur, I’ll ask you directly, _once again_, for cites that: I have complained about a “liberal bias” in the media and “Thousands” of new terrorists have been created by this war. Cites, facts, verifiable data, not your or anyone else’s uninformed opinion. You come up with those two and we’ll move on to some of the other wild claims you’ve made. Maybe DTC will come up with a legitimate legal cite for his unique interpitation of the Constitution, too. Put up or shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/113 "2003-04-08T06:02:59Z")
**Whuck** What bothers me is the thought of one world superpower making decisions about what other governments do or do not have a right to exist. By the same logic we’re using, China could decide to invade Taiwan as a “preemptive” defense against some trumped up threat. You may trust the US government (I don’t) to make decisons like this, but there may come a time when the US is no longer the world’s superpower (inconceivable, I know, but it seemed inconceivable for the Roman empire too). How would we want to be treated then? How many conservatives would support a preemptive war waged by a Democrat? If Clinton had wanted to invade Iraq ten yeras ago, would he have gotten all the flag waving support from conservatives that GWB is getting? Nothing in Iraq was different then than it is now. I don’t like going to war, or putting Americans in harm’s way, except as a last resort. Americans should not have to die if America is not being threatened. Hussein may be evil but he wasn’t a threat to _us_. Castro is an oppressive dictator too, and Cuba would be better off without him. having said that, would _you_ be willing to die for a free Cuba? Iraq is no different. ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/114 "2003-04-08T06:11:17Z")
Yes, i’ll just call up my local Al-Qaeda representative and ask him how things go. Or i shall use the brain you lack and think. “what would Al-Qaeda do?” Use this war as a recruiting tool? Ding ding ding ding ding! The [increased Taliban](http://www.myafghan.com/news2.asp?id=1977885616) [attacks must](http://www.myafghan.com/news2.asp?id=757753329) be unrelated to the war. Those [Al-Qaeda](http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=48654&Sn=WORL) dudes entering the US? All peace loving hippies. And how about some cites that the war is ending terrorism? Since you love cites and all. I’ll even predict your reply: “Why should I supply cites, you’re the one making all the claims. My claims that terrorism will not sprout from this war are not claims at all. And media bias.” ---
**Author:** ![Maximum\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Maximum\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maximum_C)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/115 "2003-04-08T06:35:47Z")
Yoda said it best. “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Those of you who grudginly accept the status quo of war; I understand. Those who look for the silver lining of bringing democracy to Iraq; (assuming we dont get distracted by invading more nations) I agree. But all of you folks who clamour “jolly good show, what what!” and clap politely, vomiting smug patrotic elitism as Bush tears decades worth of international legitimacy to shreads… You are being manipulated by what a small cartel of white men. You think what they want you too in order that they may advance their agendas. Maybe they have American interests at heart, maybe it’s their own pocket books. Maybe their policies will bring a brighter tomorrow, maybe they won’t. Buy into the doublespeak, lies, and propoganda, and you’re making a mistake thousands of generations have made before. Tear down the critics, the intellectuals, the “other side” in your feverish righteousness, and you’re nothing more than political fodder. If you really have that much faith in your leader’s judgment; so much so that you have rationally decided to follow a man who leads through fear, anger, and aggression… then thats fine. Maybe it’s for the best. But have no illusion about right and wrong here- the choice is between political indoctrination and international rationality. -C ---
**Author:** ![Maximum\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@Maximum\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maximum_C)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/116 "2003-04-08T06:43:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Weirddave \* > \*\* > > Cites, facts, verifiable data, not your or anyone else’s uninformed opinion. You come up with those two and we’ll move on to some of the other wild claims you’ve made. Maybe DTC will come up with a legitimate legal cite for his unique interpitation of the Constitution, too. > > Put up or shut up. \*\* Is it 100% certain we will get exactly 1,000 new terrorists out of this? No. But I would think a man of your obvious character and capacity for logic would understand this argument. I’ll be explicit. 1. Terrorists organizations spring up around religious leaders claiming the people’s home is being oppressed by the US. 2. The US conquers Iraq. Alot of people die, alot of people flee, the US sets up shop as a nation builder. 3. Shiites celebrate. 4. Alot of people have lost relatives or family I dont think anything there is contentious, no? Now, billy, do you think that a religious leader in Syria or Iran screaming about Jihad against the American devils is going to have MORE or LESS receptive crowds, given these events? Is there some point here where you think this isn’t so obvious it’s almost empirical? Do you count on the US to extend its domination beyond Iraq to contain the threat? Or perhaps you think the Arab world will collectively roll over and start suckling on America’s teat once it sees how wonderful our corporations are? I’m perlexed at your need for a cite here. -C ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/117 "2003-04-08T07:00:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Buy into the doublespeak, lies, and propoganda, and you’re making a mistake thousands of generations have made before. Tear down the critics, the intellectuals, the “other side” in your feverish righteousness, and you’re nothing more than political fodder. You’re conflating at least two unrelated concepts. No one is trying to “tear down the critics, the intellectuals (nice spin there, by the way, unilaterally recruiting them to “your side”),” etc. Most of us who are pro-war are saying, “Yes, we’ve heard your arguments. We simply don’t find them compelling.” Oh, lord save us from oppression! :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > Or perhaps you think the Arab world will collectively roll over and start suckling on America’s teat once it sees how wonderful our corporations are? No. Hopefully, they will establish plenty of successful Arab businesses that will give American corporations international competition, earn obscene piles of money, and make their countries rich. It’s high damn time the Arab world entered this century. I don’t believe I am alone in viewing it as a fundamental conflict between a culture of narrow-mindedness, religious oppression, intolerance, and theocracy against one of globalization, economic expansion, human rights, and law. The world’s future, I believe, lies in not suffering dictatorships. It lies in open economic trade and the strong discouragement of religion in government. I realize we still have problems with this in our own country, but we’re a damn sight further along the curve than a lot of Arab countries. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/118 "2003-04-08T07:50:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Any post-Gulf war violations of the UN resolution are for the UN to deal with, not the US. Bush Jr. has no legal authority to enforce UN resolutions on his own. If you know you have a crack house in your neighborhood, and the police are doing nothing about it, you still do not have the right to organize a posse and raid it on your own. Bad analogy, DTC. Here’s a better one: Let’s say you’re a cop, part of a large group of many police. Part of your job is to watch people and make sure they don’t commit any crimes… and if you catch somebody committing a crime, you’re to call for backup. Now, in the process of doing your job, a bad guy walks up and starts punching you in the face. Do you, A: punch him back, wrestle him to the ground, and restrain him, or B: call for backup, and wait for said backup, even if that backup doesn’t, y’know, back you up? You’re suggesting that we, the United States, which has been enforcing the US sanctions (alone with the UK) for well over a decade, do B. I’m sorry, my dear imbecile, but that’s insane. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/119 "2003-04-08T07:53:39Z")
Iraq punched us in the face? ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2003, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111/120 "2003-04-08T09:55:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ogre \* > No. Hopefully, they will establish plenty of successful Arab businesses that will give American corporations international competition, earn obscene piles of money, and make their countries rich. It’s high damn time the Arab world entered this century. There are alot of Arab businesses earning obscene piles of money and their countries are very rich. they’re sitting n mst f the freaking oil reserves! Please explain what you mean by the last sentence. > [@](#): > > I don’t believe I am alone in viewing it as a fundamental conflict between a culture of narrow-mindedness, religious oppression, intolerance, and theocracy against one of globalization, economic expansion, human rights, and law. The world’s future, I believe, lies in not suffering dictatorships. Except of course, when the dictatorships suit the interests of big business and politics. Pinochet, anyone? > [@](#): > > It lies in open economic trade and the strong discouragement of religion in government. I realize we still have problems with this in our own country, but we’re a damn sight further along the curve than a lot of Arab countries. \*\* While I agree with the thecracy point, there is still plenty of Economic trade happening in the Arab world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wmd-found-and-were-ready-to-fire-neener-neener-neener/167111.md?page=7)