23 to 1?
LightBob, none of us are interested in "rumours" of WMD. We want to see the detector paper on that one.
WMD in itself is a misnomer, like "Tactical" Nukes.
Everyone seems to think that a WMD, has to be mounted on a scud. A WMD, could be a pint bottle filled with the nasties, and dropped in a reservoir. Even a kid with a Chemistry set and the right culture, could produce that.
The real question is, is Saddam prepared to use them, in an OFFENSIVE role. My belief, is no. Because the whirlwind he would reap, would have his country glowing in the dark for a generation. That is cold hard fact, and in writing, from the US Government to the Iraqi one. It was delivered by GWB snrs Government, and reinforced by the Clinton administration.
To date, we still have not seen any evidence, that Saddam is producing Nukes or ChemWeps in quantity, and you can guarantee, the NSA's birds, and the U-2's are looking very hard.
It's all about oil, let's just admit it. We don't think we can have the deal with Saddam, therefore, Wall Street thinks we should invade him. Bush's campaign contributors want their investment returned, so Iraq will get a hammering.
Lets recoup, how many Iraqis were on board the airliners on 9/11? Now , how many Saudi Arabians were there?
We backed Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war. We supplied them with arms, we trained their pilots and Infantry Commanders. The only reason, we are not trying to talk to Iraq, in anything like a serious fashion, is the Jewish Lobby in the US, would just not contemplate such a move. Well, whilst we maintain an "Iraq no chance" stance, the real enemy IMHO, the Kingdom of Saud, will continue funding islamic terrorism, ad infinitum,
British and US interests have been attacked far more often, by Saudi Nationals, then Iraqi ones. Actually, I'm trying to think when the last time, that Iraq instigated a hostile act against the West was....
Bluppet, very properly, and quite correctly on 9/12 pledged support for the Spams, in the War against terrorism. Maybe he thought Bogside would get an Arclight, or that the US would move decisively against PIRA funders in the US. Well quelle surprise, neither happened. Bluppet got sold the classic dummy, and all of a sudden, BritFor is committed to supporting Bush's adventurism in Iraq. It stinks.
There are some that argue, that the White Farmers, are getting what they deserve in Zimbabwe. Maybe so. I've done an awful lot of reading in the last few days, from HMS Tiger to Operation "Quartz", and I can see where Black Bobs driving.
His mission, very simply, is to destroy any group, that might become a focus for resistance. Hence the 5.7 million people faced with starvation, or rather, the Non-Mugabe supporters.
The White Farmers, gave up their right to be British citizens after UDI, maybe not all of them, but a goodly proportion. It can be argued, that they made their beds, now they must lie in it.
Interesting. So why exactly did we go into Sierra Leone, or Bosnia? Or Kosovo?
Because a catastrophe of enourmous proportions, that could set the entire region on fire was looming.
I made the point yestersday, and I see Jockanicko says the same thing. It is not Rhodesia, it is Zimbabwe, a sovereign nation in it's own right.
However, it is rapidly becoming the Balkans of Africa. A leadership intent on clinging to power, violent discrimination against ethnic minorities, and democratically elected opponents, corruption on a grand scale etc.
We can wring our hands and do nothing, or, we can intervene now.
Sanctions, will only hurt those, we are trying to help. Iraq has proven that. We need, with other Commonwealth nations, to intervene now, to force a regime change in Zimbabwe.
Once that has been achived, we can then, with a level playing field, address the issue of land reform, and there DOES need to be comprehensive land reform, or the resentment , will fester forever.
I am not in favour of committing British Forces to a regime change, so the resident White population can get it all. I am, in favour however, of regime change, fair distribution of land, dictated on Economic and logistical neccessity , and the training of the indigenous population, to become more self-reliant,better farmers and businessmen and major contributors to their nations well-being.
If the White farmers, want that, and believe it is one, not 2 Zimbabwes, then show us that, and stop wringing your fcuking hands, and reaching for the British passport, when it all goes tits.
Do the British care? Well I don't see the Nat.Union of Farmers , marching to London, or the Countryside alliance marching to Downing Street, then again, if Mugabe was to ban fox hunting...
I don't see ex-Zims organising petitions, or trying to bring their plight, forcibly to the medias attention.
So, all you Zim ex-pats, BLACK and WHITE, if there is a problem, really a problem, and you're not just concerned, about your financial well being, start showing the British population, and garnering popular support
That's it.... Rant Switch to off...
P3