I think the U.S. historically forgets that those they help usually turn around in time and resent it and bite the hand that feeds it...


>>>>I allowed myself to get sucked into an unwinnable arguement here, and now I'm bowing out. It's pretty clear to me that my views are in the minority here. That doesn't make you (plural) any more right, or me any more wrong. I believe we went there for the right reasons, that we need to stay until the job is done, and that the US has the right to defend itself and its citizens against threats real or potential, in the manner that the administration and our military sees fit. Ugly things happen in war, and that's what this is.
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>>>People just have different values. You're not wrong and many on the other side aren't necessarily wrong either.
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>>>Some feel spreading freedom and democracy is the right thing to do, and others feel that it isn't our (America's) business, you know, "as long as I got my freedom and democracy, who cares about the others who are really oppressed". And still some think war is never the answer.
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>>>As the old saying goes... Only time will tell.
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>>When we see some consistency in any such "policy" (it's more of a God-directive to President Bush than it is a policy) then maybe people can get on board.
>I look at China and I see overt as5-kissing. I look at Sudan and I hear words. I look at Saudi Arabia and I see/hear NOTHING. Same for Egypt and Jordan. Yet I hear threats to Syria and Iran. I look at Afghanistan and I hear people calling what's there "democracy" but it sure looks totally different from here. And I'm sure there are plenty of other dictators who are left alone.
>So "spreading democracy" doesn't really look like "spreading democracy" to many (most?) of us, but rather something else altogether. Projection of power to protect American interests looks more thruthful than "spreading democracy".
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>Jim I don't disagree with what you've just said. But we know that this isn't a perfect world and no matter how hard the free world trys to do the right thing, there's always another "bad/evil" thing/person sprouting in up some where.
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>No one country has enough resources to fight all/every "criminals" of the world. So the U.S. chooses according to their interest.
>Perhaps Bush administration didn't want someone like Saddam Hussain to gain control of the biggest oil reserve in the world.
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>Just a thought.