Bush won't rule out nuclear stike on Iran...

[lw49033]

They were prepared to stop the fight on their terms. We rarely hear anything about Japan's contributions to regional conquest in the 40s, only that we dropped atomic bombs on them. There's more to the story.

Funny, I grew up hearng all about that--as well as the lie that dropping the atomic bombs was a last resort--but nothing at all about what we did to the Phillipines, oddly.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Could it possibly be that the President is playing a little politics with the whole nuke option? To me, since he brought it up early in the game, it smacks of both world class "saber rattling" and a pathetic attempt to rally his base. I truly doubt if he has even considered plans to go nuclear...but it sure makes for interesting headlines, which this President desperatly needs.

 

[Charade]

Well, if General Zinni and his compadres were to decide to go Pinochet on Bush, you wouldn't find me jumping on any barricades to defend him

That's because we already know how you feel about Shrub.

 

[Teejay32]

Funny, I grew up hearng all about that--as well as the lie that dropping the atomic bombs was a last resort--but nothing at all about what we did to the Phillipines, oddly.

can't say the same. Oddly enough, Japan invaded the Phillipines too. (But you never see casualty counts. They just "seized".) We learned about the US war in the Phillipines sometime in jr. high...the only things covered for the Pacific in WWII were Pearl Harbor and atomic bombs.

 

[pdchris]

Two points, if I may:
1. Preceding US administrations have never ruled out nuclear weapons. That isn't to say they would use them, but it's been US policy to never rule out a nuclear option. Not that I agree with it, I'm just saying you can't paint Bush as a war-monger for not removing that option. Gosh, I remember when Reagan was in office, people were screaming he was going to get us into a nuke war.
2. Regarding the A-bombs on Japan, I think it's best to always look at the situation as the people who lived through and during it. The US had just lived through 3 1/2 years of terrible fighting in the Pacific; thousands killed and many more thousand maimed for life. At the time, it appeared it would come to a case of invading the Home Islands or bomb.

 

[Teejay32]

To me, since he brought it up early in the game, it smacks of both world class "saber rattling" and a pathetic attempt to rally his base.

I'll bet it was the question at some news conference. "Will you rule out using nukes?" "No." Headline: Bush won't rule out nuclear option.

 

[Charade]

Funny, I grew up hearng all about that--as well as the lie that dropping the atomic bombs was a last resort--but nothing at all about what we did to the Phillipines, oddly.

I think I see a pattern here. You think that all adminstrations are liars. So why all the hub bub about this one?

 

[lw49033]

2. Regarding the A-bombs on Japan, I think it's best to always look at the situation as the people who lived through and during it. The US had just lived through 3 1/2 years of terrible fighting in the Pacific; thousands killed and many more thousand maimed for life. At the time, it appeared it would come to a case of invading the Home Islands or bomb.

Yes, it appeared that way, to the public. But that's not the way it was. A deal was available short of using nukes. We didn't care, because that's how Americans always are in foreign relations: arrogant, cruel and hypocritical.

 

[lw49033]

I think I see a pattern here. You think that all adminstrations are liars.

Just about.

So why all the hub bub about this one?

Because it's a little late to do anything about William McKinley and Franklin Roosevelt, isn't it? Are you also going to be shocked I don't get mad about Genghis Khan?

 

[DawnCt1]

5.4 million European-born Americans out of 34.6 million total foreign-born Americans, out of about what, 290 milllion Americans? I wouldn't say Europeans are beating down our door, no.

You seem very unhappy with the country on a number of levels. You could always leave and make room for one more.

 

[DawnCt1]

Funny, I grew up hearng all about that--as well as the lie that dropping the atomic bombs was a last resort--but nothing at all about what we did to the Phillipines, oddly.

Do tell what you know about the Batan Death March.

 

[Charade]

Yes, it appeared that way, to the public. But that's not the way it was. A deal was available short of using nukes. We didn't care, because that's how Americans always are in foreign relations: arrogant, cruel and hypocritical.

Really? Well just have to disagree then.

 

[Charade]

You seem very unhappy with the country on a number of levels. You could always leave and make room for one more.

He is. He longs for the day when Jimmy Carter was in the WH.

 

[lw49033]

Do tell what you know about the Batan Death March.

As much as I need to know about it; probably as much as you know about it. Ever ask yourself why they captured a bunch of us in the Phillipines in the first place? Or isn't that relevant?

 

[DawnCt1]

As much as I need to know about it; probably as much as you know about it. Ever ask yourself why they captured a bunch of us in the Phillipines in the first place? Or isn't that relevant?

Is there anything you like about this country??

 

[DawnCt1]

He is. He longs for the day when Jimmy Carter was in the WH.

I am not sure he is old enough to know who Jimmy Carter is.

 

[JoeEpcotRocks]

The stated reason we used our atomic weapons was that we wanted an unconditional surrender--in other words, we wanted to reserve the right to hang the Japanese Emperor, since that was the only condition that was holding up a peace agreement in July, 1945.

Sounds like a pi$$poor reason to me.

Nice re-write of history there. Not what they said on the History Channel.

 

[lw49033]

Is there anything you like about this country??

I like the Bill of Rights, although it's coming to be less and less relevant with each passing criminal adminstration.

 

[basas]

Yes, compared to Iran, Bush is the world's big bully. Iran hasn't invaded anyone for generations.

As for Iraq, don't even get me started. The U.S. helped instigate the war with Iran, sold Hussein raw materials for sarin and anthrax and the VX gas he used on the Kurds (who, by the way, had rebelled in favor of Iran in the middle of a war, which doesn't get mentioned very often. Considering the treatment war opponents get in the U.S. even for criticizing Bush, I can only imagine what would happen to us if, like the sainted Kurds, we started an insurrection!)

Completely agree with you here. Bush is a terrible, terrible man. Iran's government, calling to 'wipe Israel off the map', completely destroy it, providing financial assistance to terrorist-parties (Hammas) while European and North American Countries cut it, planning on making Nuclear weapons, not to mention treating their own citizens like dirt…they are the good guys, along with all those other Middle-Eastern, African, Asian, and other nations around the world in which the government couldn’t really care less about their people or their problems. How dare Bush want Mid-East stability….how dare he try to keep Iran (the good guys) from progressing forward with their ambitions…he is, without a doubt, the big world bully.

 

[lw49033]

I am not sure he is old enough to know who Jimmy Carter is.

Yeah, I know who William McKinley is, but not Jimmy Carter.

I'm a female, btw.