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More UK troops to Iraq

Geoff Hune is about to say that hundreds more troops are going to Iraq.

Its not certain yet but it seems likely.
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I must admit it's a 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation for Blair at the moment. On the one hand one feels compelled to think that since Blair and Bush are the ones who created this almighty mess in the first place they should not be allowed to pull out to avoid further casualties and to leave the country in chaos for as long as the country remains an orgy of violence and lawlessness.

    But on the other hand it would be better if the US and British army, which are seen as an unwelcome occupying force by the great majority of Iraqis, dismantle their posts, leave immediately and let the UN take charge.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Where's the evidence they do?

    One quick look at the news bulletin seems to confirm that they're not welcome. By anyone.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i wouldnt want it to be be that the us and uk pull out and then try and hand over power to un, i want them to plead to un, so we know for sure theyll be a precense when we leave, and any troops there under iraqi control
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I want to see evidence that they're not.

    You're the one making the extraordinary claims mate. If I say the Earth is round and you say it is flat, you'd be the one expected to prove you're right since you're making the extraordinary claim.

    And if I say that the majority of Iraqis don't want a foreign army bombing, invading and occupying their country and subsequently abusing, torturing and killing them, and you say that the Iraqis actually welcome that foreign army to carry on ruling and shooting them, you should be the one providing evidence of this since the claim would be every bit as absurd as saying the Earth is flat.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The two do not go hand in hand Luke.

    If an epidemic of Black Plague had swept Iraq and killed a couple of million people including Saddam Hussein, I'm sure the survivors would be glad to see him gone. But do you think they would also be grateful to the Black Plague?

    Do you think that they appreciated foreign powers bombing their place to fuck, only to install themselves and their puppets in government and continue carrying out the abuses they claimed to have come to get rid of?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    the people of Iraq are glad saddam is gone and the majority thank britian/america for that.

    Have you actually spoken to any Iraqi people lukesh, or are you just presuming that you know what they think?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What? Luke would NEVER do such thing!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    ok then I'll say what you want me to say toavoid these petty arguments. ALL Iraqi people hated the idea of the war. :confused:

    I only asked you a simple question. You can hardly claim to be talking for all Iraqi people if you haven't even spoken to ONE. I've spoken to loads but still don't presume to speak for them!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    it was done by minorites who need to be punished just liek there are islamic exteremists but that doesn't make islam a unpeaceful religion does it?
    I'm not sure what the above means but it does not sound very encouraging.

    Firstly, the insurgence is not by minorities. The insurgence is by Shiite and Sunni fighters. Shiite and Sunni groups make 80% of the population of Iraq and I hope I don't have to mention to you that the fighters count with the immense if not absolute total support of their communities.

    Let's put a rest once and for all to the completely absurd claims that the fighting is being done by "foreign terrorists" and that the majority of people in Iraq oppose them. The only ones the majority of people in Iraq oppose are the foreign occupiers.

    And secondly, that the fuck do you mean by saying they "need to be punished?" Are you condoning beatings, torture and unlawful killings by Allied soldiers now???
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    how do you know I hvn't spoken to one? why do you always assume you know me like everyone else?

    I have spoken to Iraqis but them in this country and most are glad of the US led war. The situation in iraq does seem worse now than when it was under saddam but you got to think about that there are no laws in place, it's a heaven for terrorists etc.

    well I asked you, and you didn't answer. And I am surprised you speak to Iraqis given your views on asylum seekers and refugees.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    and you think iam very anti asylum don't you? OMG i give up now, me head hurts :( not good as i have tons of revision todo.

    I have lied all today, everything I have said it lies and your all right and better than me and I'm a racist and I don't agree with the war.

    can i rest now and just look around?

    Come on Luke, you can do better than running away and saying your head hurts when the going gets tough and you don't know what to say.

    I'm not calling you a liar and I never have. Just try to back up what you say a bit more!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    how can i back it up that virtually all the next street are cheating the system? I just know they are. trust me.

    you have just called me a lair again! :( by saying i'm making it up that my head hurts to get out of it.

    it is hurting, i'm worried about life and everything thats why

    If you say you KNOW, then how do you know? That's all we want to know.

    I have not called you a liar!

    What are you worried about?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The iraqis I was with last week, didn't seem to be against the US presence in Iraq, and neither did they seem to be against the riddance of Saddam.
    Actually one of them said that if the majority of Iraqis really wanted the US out, then they'd have gotten rid of them within 3 days. How correct that is, I don't know. He was kind trying to impress all night. But I got the impression that these two guys and their family and friends circle weren't against the US.
    Though one of them did say that if he could he'd send an atom-bomb off to Iraq and to Israel...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper

    Though one of them did say that if he could he'd send an atom-bomb off to Iraq and to Israel...
    Ever the diplomat he is then ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin
    Ever the diplomat he is then ;)

    Not one of the most intelligent people I have ever encountered... Fucking annoying too.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper
    How correct that is, I don't know. He was kind trying to impress all night.

    Get used to it Jacqs, us guys are full of it ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BlackArab
    Get used to it Jacqs, us guys are full of it ;)

    There's nothing wrong with wanting to impress.
    There's something wrong when it's done excessively (sp?) and with no basis. And then they expect you to be awestruck and confirm them. Urgh, they're the ones with no guts usually and who seek someone to lean on and them move on to suffocate...

    And now, I think the mods should move this thread to relationships.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin


    ... it would be better if the US and British army, which are seen as an unwelcome occupying force by the great majority of Iraqis, dismantle their posts, leave immediately and let the UN take charge.
    So you think UN-led occupying army will make Iraqis happier than US-led one?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Less unhappy, that's for sure.

    Is not as if the UN is revered there at the moment, but tensions would not run nearly as high. For starters UN troops are not trigger-happy cowboys. And secondly they would be not directly associated with the war and the subsequent occupation and countless incidents that have happened since.

    Ensuring a good proportion of the UN troops are from Muslim countries might also help a little bit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The 1st Battalion (the Black Watch), trained in operating out of Warrior personnel carriers, would replace the 1 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders when their tour of duty ends in July. Which apparently amounts to a net increase of 200 troops.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin
    Less unhappy, that's for sure.

    Is not as if the UN is revered there at the moment, but tensions would not run nearly as high. For starters UN troops are not trigger-happy cowboys.

    UN troops are just troops from member nations including the U.S. obviously. Im assuming youre insinuating that American troops are trigger happy cowboys; im sure that less professional and less scrupulous armies of Muslim countries wouldn't be any better.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And obviously the UN would ensure that in this case few if any US soldiers would form part of the troops sent to Iraq.

    As for the trigger happy cowboys remark, yes of course I'm referring to the Americans. This is a universally acknowledged fact and even British troops will happily confirm it.

    In fact, as British troops have demonstrated you don't need to shoot at anything that moves or to bomb wedding parties to keep the peace. They in fact have been far more successful in that than the Americans.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why do we need to send more in when we are leaving in a month's time?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think the troops are actually leaving in a month. The Americans are certainly staying. The only thing happening on June 30th is that power will be transferred in to the Iraqi governing council.

    Remember how there was a story a couple of days ago about discrepances between Britain and the US regarding whether the Iraqis would have commanding powers over the Allied troops... so I'm sure most of the troops will stay put for quite a long time yet.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I guess some will but have not heard of any numbers.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin
    And obviously the UN would ensure that in this case few if any US soldiers would form part of the troops sent to Iraq.

    I think U.S. forces would make up a substantial part of any U.N. force. They were the main instigators of the war after all.
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