"Thank You America"

[priccobe]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Offering a simple, "Thank you America," Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared Thursday that his country is succeeding in its effort to move past the war that ousted Saddam Hussein.

In an appearance that President Bush's advisers hoped would ease American voters' doubts about the troubled campaign in Iraq, Allawi told a joint meeting of Congress that despite struggles and setbacks, "the values of liberty and democracy" are taking hold there.

"Today, we are better off, you are better off, the world is better off without Saddam Hussein," Allawi said. He added: "Your decision to go into Iraq was not an easy one, but it was the right one."

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040923/D859DRJO0.html

I guess that trumps all the other BS posts about "illegal wars", etc...

So I'd like to be the first on here to say to Allawi, "You're Welcome".

[MKtexan]

What do you say to that one Mister Annan???? :lol:

[Knutsen]

What do you expect a puppet prime minister to say???????????????
The opinion that counts is the opinion of the IRAQI population, not the one of some guy living under the umbrella of the US.

[Geezah]

What do you expect a puppet prime minister to say???????????????
The opinion that counts is the opinion of the IRAQI population, not the one of some guy living under the umbrella of the US.

Oh that's right.......I forgot under Saddam the Iraqi population was able to voice their opinion!!!!

[Knutsen]

They've changed Saddam's regime for a puppet controlled by a country which only interest is their oil.
so what's the difference? With Saddam at least they had some kind of normal life.
As an iraqi said: "If more TV channels and access to the internet is the kind of freedom americans have to bring us, then we don't want it"

Please learn something about the muslim world. They didn't want Saddam but they don't want WESTENERS either. They want to be in charge of their situation , they want to control their country, they want to decide for themselves.

And this upcoming election is pure theatre since the only ones that will be able to vote are the ones that have a food rationing card.

[Geezah]

They've changed Saddam's regime for a puppet controlled by a country which only interest is their oil.

Finally a liberal muppet has come out and said the war was about oil, well seeing as you have all the answers you should be able to tell me when the price of gasoline will be going down seeing as we have all this oil to spare??????
So when will this dramatic drop in fuel prices come about???? rofl



so what's the difference? With Saddam at least they had some kind of normal life.

And for you Sir, 1 or 2 members of your family strapped into the iron maiden?



As an iraqi said: "If more TV channels and access to the internet is the kind of freedom americans have to bring us, then we don't want it"

Former Baath member by chance or maybe a member of Saddam's tribe!

I know a few Christian Iraqis that fled their (normal under Saddams rule) country back in the early to mid 80s, I can recall now how upset she was she wasn't back in the then Saddam run Iraq :cantbeli:



Please learn something about the muslim world. They didn't want Saddam but they don't want WESTENERS either. They want to be in charge of their situation , they want to control their country, they want to decide for themselves.

Are we talking about Muslims in Iraq or all the Muslim insurgents that want to wreak havoc in the now free Iraq?



And this upcoming election is pure theatre since the only ones that will be able to vote are the ones that have a food rationing card.???

[fokket]

Any country with more than 2 brain cells do not go into a war for anything other other than its own benefit.

[Knutsen]

Finally a liberal muppet has come out and said the war was about oil, well seeing as you have all the answers you should be able to tell me when the price of gasoline will be going down seeing as we have all this oil to spare??????


Ok, as always i get stupid answers presuming things about people with opposite ideas. Great discussion , thanx.


Former Baath member by chance or maybe a member of Saddam's tribe!


Student whose father died under Saddams regime tortured in jail.


Are we talking about Muslims in Iraq or all the Muslim insurgents that want to wreak havoc in the now free Iraq?


Among those muslim insurgents there are lots of them who have nothing to do with havoc , they just want foreign troops out.
It's not that hard to understand.

My reference to the muslim world is that they don't want to live like us. I've written that in previous posts, and if you think you can invade their country and expect to be welcomed as in paris in 1944 that simply shows your ignorance.

[priccobe]

it's all about the OILLLLL!!!!

[MKtexan]

Any country with more than 2 brain cells do not go into a war for anything other other than its own benefit.


Oh yea fokket??? Let me remind you the Coalition IS at war for its benefit, to destroy terrorists, benefiting itself, and actualy benefiting the rest of the world.

[Jack Mehoff]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

[Ayura]

Where is my benefits????


That you live under a roof in safety and get food on your table and not having to wake up to face another struggle to fight for life, whether it's hunger or oppression.

[Knutsen]

Oh yea fokket??? Let me remind you the Coalition IS at war for its benefit, to destroy terrorists, benefiting itself, and actualy benefiting the rest of the world.


That's a bit pretentious, isn't it?

[priccobe]

Where is my benefits????


That you live under a roof in safety and get food on your table and not having to wake up to face another struggle to fight for life, whether it's hunger or oppression.

I'm sure he had that before we went to war...

[Ichhabe]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

Gas expensive in the US, compared to Norway??? You are a clown mister.

[Beowulf]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

Gas expensive in the US, compared to Norway??? You are a clown mister.

Maybe you should invade somewhere?

[Ichhabe]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

Gas expensive in the US, compared to Norway??? You are a clown mister.

Maybe you should invade somewhere?

When we, as a oil exporting country have such huge prices on gas; then I'm just so happy that we doesn't make cars ourselves. I wonder how expencive they would have been.

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*

[Yosy]

Knutsen is right. I saw Allawi's speech in the Congress and it made me sick. It looks just like Bush - he says to or three phrases, stops and waits for the applause. And of course he only says what the US wants to hear (thank you, thank you, thank you, you are the best, bla, bla, bla)

People in here got to realise that international relations isn't black-and-white, good-or-bad. A lot of times you have to make deals wth the Devil. The lesser evil, the greater good.

[szr]

...bla, bla, bla)

People in here got to realise that international relations isn't black-and-white, good-or-bad. A lot of times you have to make deals wth the Devil. The lesser evil, the greater good.Exactly. This is why we are still a member of the UN, despite what it has become.

[Knutsen]

Ok, i've been reading a lo about the UN in this forum and my impression is that many members here think the UN is a military organisation. Obviously the UN has not military capabilities and in many occasions hasn't helped properly (Rwanda, Balkans......), but the UN has thousands of different programs that help the world ( i mean , UNESCO, WHO, ACNUR.......) and all those programs and organisations help third world countries in a way many of you can't imagine.
If the UN fails in it's military actions it's not because of the UN but because of its members.

In 1991 the UN was great cause it was involved in Iraq and the great coalition , but in 2003 the UN becomes a s*** cause it don't support US interests..... come on guys , that's real hypocrisy.

[Seiyuuki]

The only conclusion anyone can draw from all these rantings is that...the U.S. is the UN...

[Jack Mehoff]

Where is my benefits????


That you live under a roof in safety and get food on your table and not having to wake up to face another struggle to fight for life, whether it's hunger or oppression.

So you're saying that this war in Iraq is NOT about oil, but it's about oppression on the American people by Saddam?

[American Patriot]

This war is about freedom.. talkin' bout freedom.

[VorpalDoom]

not as many iraqis are dying a day because saddam is gone... iraqis have personal liberties... iraqis can go where they want when they want... iraqis can get a decent education... iraqis can listen to music and use cell phones... iraqis can protest... iraqis can do what they want....

most iraqis are happy that we got rid of saddam... most iraqis want us out as soon as we're done... most iraqis are in an era of better quality of life... most iraqis are thankful. This so-called "puppet" is no more ofa puppet then any other leader of any country. He can say what he wants, when he wants. If he asked us to leave, we'd try to convince him that we cant leave, but, if he and the iraqi people wanted us out right now, what do you think we'd do? leave.

the only legit reason you can be against this war at this point is:
You are against war and violence in every way shape and form.

If you still are against the war, its not ignorance any longer.. rather, its stupidity... you have to be blatantly ignoring the facts.

[He219]

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*
"cheap, almost free gas"?!? Riiiiiiight.
We're paying for it one way or another ...

That tone rings kind'a like 'cheap, almost free' socialized healthcare.
;)

[Ichhabe]

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*
"cheap, almost free gas"?!? Riiiiiiight.
We're paying for it one way or another ...

That tone rings kind'a like 'cheap, almost free' socialized healthcare.
;)

Compared to our prices, your gas is as good as free. Amen.

[Ratamacue]

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*
"cheap, almost free gas"?!? Riiiiiiight.
We're paying for it one way or another ...

That tone rings kind'a like 'cheap, almost free' socialized healthcare.
;)
Compared to our prices, your gas is as good as free. Amen.
Yeah, well, the US doesn't keep its gas prices artificially raised.

[fokket]

Some of you people are way too naive.

There's one single element of war that has never changed in the history of mankind. The reason.

No, I'm not a liberal.

[Knutsen]

iraqis can get a decent education

Until 1990 iraq was the most advanced country in the region, it was even economically and in education matters above Spain.


most iraqis are happy that we got rid of saddam... most iraqis want us out as soon as we're done... most iraqis are in an era of better quality of life... most iraqis are thankful.

What about the lack of basic services sucha as elecricity and water?


If you still are against the war, its not ignorance any longer.. rather, its stupidity... you have to be blatantly ignoring the facts.

Democracy and freedom at its finest....

[big_les]

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*
"cheap, almost free gas"?!? Riiiiiiight.
We're paying for it one way or another ...

That tone rings kind'a like 'cheap, almost free' socialized healthcare.
;)

Compared to our prices, your gas is as good as free. Amen.

I pay between £0.80 and £0.90 per litre. Convert that to gallons and dollars, and its a *****load* of cash. The US must have one of the lowest petrol prices in the world. For the record, I really don't think oil was a prime motivator for the war, but rest assured guys, your 'gas' is dirt cheap!

[BarkingSquirrel]

Hey, when you buy in bulk(compared to most other places) you pay less.

[Geezah]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

Gas expensive in the US, compared to Norway??? You are a clown mister.

I think he was being sarcastic ;)

[Flagg]

Until 1990 iraq was the most advanced country in the region, it was even economically and in education matters above Spain.

I appologize in advance if I seem blunt but:

Where did you find that crap?


If you simply mistook an 8 for a 9 I could understand 1980 being on track to correlate with your statement, but not 1990.

In 1980, just before Sadam Hussein led Iraq into it's first of two wars of aggression, Iraq had an outstanding standard of living for the region....

In 1990, Saddam was preparing to sack the Kuwaiti oil fields to increase his oil resources, and eliminate a substantial portion of the masive debt he racked up with Kuwait paying for his war of attrition with Iran....Iraq was BROKE, Iraqi standard of living was nosediving and Saddam's reign was in jeopardy.

After GWI the economy continued to go down the toilet until his fall in 2003.......exclusively due to his expansionist and militaristic designs.

The average Iraqi standard of living has fallen from a high in 1980 to it's multi-decade low in 2003.

Saddam alone is reponsible for Iraq's case of terminal cancer.

[Ichhabe]

This war is about oil??? How come I still have to pay out of my ass to fill up my vehicle? Where is my benefits???? :cantbeli:

Gas expensive in the US, compared to Norway??? You are a clown mister.

I think he was being sarcastic ;)

So was I. ;)

[Jack Mehoff]

Listening to guys that bitch about their cheap, almost free gas makes me think that I have entered the Twilight Zone...*que music*
"cheap, almost free gas"?!? Riiiiiiight.
We're paying for it one way or another ...

That tone rings kind'a like 'cheap, almost free' socialized healthcare.
;)

Compared to our prices, your gas is as good as free. Amen.

I pay between £0.80 and £0.90 per litre. Convert that to gallons and dollars, and its a *****load* of cash. The US must have one of the lowest petrol prices in the world. For the record, I really don't think oil was a prime motivator for the war, but rest assured guys, your 'gas' is dirt cheap!
Yes, our gas is dirt cheap is because the U.S. government doesn't inflated it and tax it to hell.

[Knutsen]

Flagg, you're right, its 1980. Wong typing

[Knutsen]

It would be impossible to have in the US the prices we have in Europe for several reasons:
1-American cars need more gas
2- Distances are longer, to move in the US you NEED a car, but in europe you can perfectly walk in most cities.

Imagine if gas was the same in the US, people would spend all their money in gas.

[fokket]

Here's Rummy back in 80s and we know what happend back in 80s

http://www.virtualtome.org/images/rumsfeld_saddam.jpg



Iraq, which recently discovered an oil field in its western desert, is widely regarded as having more oil than Saudi Arabia once its deposits are developed. Prior to the 2003 U.S. preemptive invasion of Iraq, Iraq was producing 3 million barrels a day, funneling most of it to world markets through a United Nations-monitored program that directed the proceeds to food and medicine for the Iraqi people. Saddam Hussein was still exporting his oil to Syria, which was glad to resell Iraqi oil as if it were Syrian. The United States was one of Syria's biggest customers, because it liked the low sulfur content of Iraqi oil, according to Nimrod Raphaeli, publisher of the Middle East Economic News, a Washington-based newsletter. Iraq earned $1.5 billion a year from oil smuggling and oil sales outside UN controls, through Syria, Turkey, and Jordan, as well as by ship down the Gulf.

Beginning in September of 2001, the Bush regime threatened to include Iraq in its "war on terrorism." Any incursion into Iraq had to deal with the reality that American companies, such as Cheney's Halliburton and G.E. were making billions in Iraq by selling them goods and services. Also, the difficulty that the eradication of the Saddam Hussein regime would seriously compromise America's establishment of bases on the Arabian peninsula on the pretext of protecting poor Arab sheikhs against the Iraqi Evil Monster.

Prior to the 2003 Iraq war, Saddam was desperately trying to ingratiate himself with the Gulf Arab Cooperation Council (GCC) members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to gain support for the lifting of the U.N. sanctions against it. Russia, Iraq's closest U.N. Security Council ally and a major beneficiary of contracts to purchase Iraqi oil and to sell Iraq humanitarian supplies, was demanding "a comprehensive settlement" of the sanctions issue, including steps leading to lifting the military embargo against Iraq. On January 24, 2002, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov made a formal statement that Moscow was opposed to any U.S. military operation against Iraq.

Russia's Lukoil Oil Company and two Russian government agencies had a 23-year contract to develop Iraq's West Qurna oil field. By the terms of the contract, Lukoil was to get one half, Iraq one quarter, and the Russian government agencies was to get one quarter of the oil field's 667 million tons of crude, potentially a $20 billion deal. Iraq still owed Russia at least $8 billion from the old cold war days when Russia armed Iraq, considering it a client state. Is it any wonder that Russia opposed Bush's war on Iraq?

But because of United Nations sanctions on Iraq, Lukoil had not pumped a drop from West Qurna since it won drilling rights in 1997. In 2001, Saddam gave Russia $1.3 billion in oil contracts under the United Nations oil-for-food program that allowed Iraq to sell oil to buy supplies to help Iraqi civilians. In September, 2001, Saddam announced plans to award Russian companies another $40 billion in contracts as soon as United Nations sanctions were lifted.

In February, 2002, Russia's foreign minister, Igor S. Ivanov, said that Russia and Iraq saw eye to eye on questions of extremism and terrorism and that the American-backed sanctions against Iraq were counterproductive and should be lifted. He then emphasized that Russia solidly opposed "spreading or applying the international antiterror operation to any arbitrarily chosen state, including Iraq."

The 2003 Standard Oil-Bush junta war against Iraq ended all the prior Iraqi agreements with nations such as Russia, Germany, and France. The opposition by these Eurasian nations to Dubya's preemptive attack on Iraq was understandable.

Also to be considered in any plans to extend the Standard Oil/Bush oil imperialism is China's growing interest in supporting Middle-East nations in their struggle against the U.S. During Jordanian King Abdallah II's January, 2002 visit to China, Chinese President Jiang Zemin said that China wants stronger ties with Arab countries to help promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Yeah, sure, that's the reason China wants to put its foot into the Middle East, to promote peace. China has supplied military weaponry to Pakistan and may intervene if the Standard Oil/Bush imperialists continue to expand their empire in the Middle East.


Hope that explains all the oppositions against war from France, Germany, Russia etc.

[TallGuy]

I agree that gas is cheap in the States. Here in Iceland the gas prices are about $5.60 per gallon. :(

[Knutsen]

1 gallon= ... litres?

[radon]

1 US gallon = 3.7854118 liters

[Geezah]

It would be impossible to have in the US the prices we have in Europe for several reasons:
1-American cars need more gas
2- Distances are longer, to move in the US you NEED a car, but in europe you can perfectly walk in most cities.

Imagine if gas was the same in the US, people would spend all their money in gas.

I was told this about a year ago by some family members that have in the past driven hot rods, the gasoline in Europe is allot cleaner than the gas over here, they told me they would travel to Eaton, Ohio(about 50miles) to get a much higher grade of gasoline because of it's performance in hot rods, compared to the standard street level gas, but that this gas was also close to what was sold in Europe?
I'm not sure how true this was but it made sense to me as I've paid for gasoline/petrol both here and England.

[Knutsen]

Don't know, i've never bought gas in the US.

[TallGuy]

Gasoline in Europe is usually higher-octane. In the States the octane is usually from 88-93, 93 being "super premium" gas.

[szr]

In America we like our gasoline like we like our beer: Cheap and plentiful.

[Knutsen]

In America we like our gasoline like we like our beer: Cheap and plentiful

Beer in europe is stronger than in the US. I've met many americans that ended really drunk just because of beer and when i asked them the next morning about the 'incident' they answered ' man , your beer is great'

[TallGuy]

Yeah, beer is cheap in the States. Here the average price of a six-pack(bottles) is about $15. A liter of Smirnoff vodka costs $54.

[Yosy]

I have to say I don't really fancy american drinks. I tried Jim Beam and didn't like it. The same goes for Budweiser. The best beer around is the Guiness.

[foxtrot023]

In America we like our gasoline like we like our beer: Cheap and plentiful.

That`s because you will need plenty of american beer to a mild buzz.
Joke (as told to me in Chatanooga TN by a bunch of fraternity brothers drinking Red Killian): What is the similarity between american beer and having *** on a boat- Both are pretty darn close to water. ;)