Is nobody talking about whats going on in IRAQ?

[Frog]

[Vedubin01]

[cale]

The outcome would have been the same no matter who sits in office at your capital, but feel free to continue using this as political ammo.

[BraveUlysses]

nobody gives a fuck about biden

[ajhostetter]

nobody gives a fuck about biden

qft

[marshallnoise]

Convenient disposal.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[anabolice30]

Assyrians were the first to create the wheel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel#History

[mrsleeve]

nobody gives a fuck about biden

For once we are on the same team...............

[Frog]

The outcome would have been the same no matter who sits in office at your capital

This ^

I don't particularly like Chirac, but I wish Bush had listened to him on this one:


AMANPOUR: Britain and the United States have accused France of poisoning the process by saying that you would use your veto under any circumstances. Even in Iraq, newspapers loyal to Saddam Hussein are hailing, are praising, the division in the world community, calling it a great victory for Saddam Hussein. Do you not think that your repeated vow to veto has emboldened Saddam Hussein?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: France is not pacifist. We are not anti-American either. We are not just going to use our veto to nag and annoy the US. But we just feel that there is another option, another way, another more normal way, a less dramatic way than war, and that we have to go through that path. And we should pursue it until we've come [to] a dead end, but that isn't the case.

AMANPOUR: Mr. President, you know that since you have taken the position you have there has been a massive backlash in the United States at almost every level of society. From the leader of the House of Representatives, who is talking about initiating sanctions against France in some form or another, to restaurants in the Congress which have renamed their frites. Their French fries are now being called "freedom fries." People feel… they are asking, 'what happened to our friendship? Does France remember who liberated them? Why is France betraying us?'

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Whenever there were difficult circumstances the French were side by side with the Americans. The French don't either forget what America and Americans did for us in both world wars. It is in our minds and also deep down in our hearts. I think that the relationship between the French and the Americans, the human relationship, is a relationship of friendship. Of love even, I would say. But if I see my friend or somebody I dearly love going down the wrong path, then I owe it to him to warn him be careful…

AMANPOUR:You have studied in the United States, you have worked briefly in the United States. You profess to love the United States. As I said, many Americans feel betrayed. Do you have anything to say in English, which I know you speak, to Americans tonight?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: I want to tell them also that France and I have always been friends of the United States, and this will not change

AMANPOUR: The fact is, Mr. President, that in America many people think it's just because you are a friend, a pal of Saddam Hussein. That you have had long contacts with him, that you helped build the nuclear reactor there, that there are the oil deals. You invited Saddam Hussein to France. There is a famous picture of you toasting him. They think it is about a personal and a business relationship

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: That is a myth. I did indeed meet President Saddam Hussein when he was vice president in the mid '70s but never since. But in those days everybody had excellent relations with Saddam Hussein and with his party …it was seen as progressive. Everybody had contact with them… including some important figures of the current US administration who had contacts with Saddam Hussein as late as 1983, but not me.

AMANPOUR: There have also been persistent allegations that Saddam Hussein put money into one of your electoral campaigns. How do you respond to that?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: (laughter) It's preposterous, really.. Anything can be said about anyone. As we say in French, 'The taller the tale, the more likely people will believe in it.'

AMANPOUR: The New York Times has reported that there is evidence that France is involved, French companies, in transferring materials for use in long-range missiles, Iraqi missiles. Are you aware of any French companies being involved in such an effort, and if so…

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Because The New York Times is a serious newspaper, as soon as I read this I ordered an inquiry. I can now confirm officially after an inquiry by the French foreign ministry, France and French companies have never endorsed or even provided such material to Iraq. So I am clearly denying this allegation.

AMANPOUR: Can I ask you again about the nuclear reactor at Ossirac? You know, a lot of people called it "Os-Chirac", as you know. In retrospect, do you regret that it was destroyed, given that it could have been used to form nuclear weapons?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Well, this reactor was civilian reactor. But in those days, all of the major democracies, all of them, each and every one of them, had contacts and trade and exchanges with Iraq, including on weapons. Even weapons of mass destruction sometimes, including bacteriological, biological weapons

AMANPOUR: Do you believe that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction; for instance, chemical or biological weapons?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Well, I don't know. I have no evidence to support that… It seems that there are no nuclear weapons - no nuclear weapons program. That is something that the inspectors seem to be sure of.

As for weapons of mass destruction, bacteriological, biological, chemical, we don't know. And that is precisely what the inspectors' mandate is all about. But rushing into war, rushing into battle today is clearly a disproportionate response.

AMANPOUR: Here, many commentators, many newspapers have been hailing you as a hero. They have even said your position should make you qualify for a Nobel Peace Prize. Of course, in America, in Britain, they call you an appeaser, that you are appeasing this terrible dictator who may have weapons of mass destruction.

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: I feel the same way about Saddam Hussein as George Bush or Tony Blair. There is a rather long list of countries where there are dictatorships, and if we were going to wage war to get rid of all of them without pursuing all other options, we are going to be very busy

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: You have said that inspections were working in great part because of the massive US and British force that is arrayed outside Saddam Hussein's doorstep. Wouldn't it be even more effective if France had sent troops also to double and triple the threat?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: I have said that it is indeed thanks to the pressure of British and American troops that the Iraqi authorities and Saddam Hussein have changed their position and have agreed to cooperate with the inspectors..

So I would say that the Americans have already won, and they haven't fired a single bullet.

AMANPOUR: On the eve of what looks like war, what do you have to say to President Bush, who you call a friend?

PRESIDENT CHIRAC: I just want to tell him I don't share his views, that I don't approve of his initiative, and of course I hope that things run as smoothly as possible and there is a peaceful disarmament… But if we have to have a war let there be as few dramas and as little destruction as possible.

source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chirac-m...-case-on-iraq/

[Dozyproductions]

Good set of series here.

[Dozyproductions]

the vids are oldish but paint a good picture.

[freeride53]

A few things to throw into this thread:

While I agree that the War in Iraq was publicly justified on false terms, Saddam had to go. That man ordered out the extermination of thousands of Iranians and Kurds. Other than the over the fact that thousands of innocent Americans and Iraqis died amidst fighting the Iraqi war, there is no way that I will ever say that removing Saddam was a bad idea. Keep in mind - a whole lot of these degenerate extremists are being funded by the Saudis and Saddam-Era cronies.

Furthermore Tooman, I don't think you can solely define Assyrians as the only victims in this. Being that one of my grandmothers is a Shomali Christian, I can only sympathize with you but ISIS is bottom-line a Sunni militant group, which views Iranian Shiites the same as Christians, the same as Jews, the same as Baha'i, the same as Zoroastrians.

Side note: it is really amazing how most Americans think that the whole Middle East is as intolerant as war-torn Iraq, Syria, and Israel. Not many know that just over the eastern border of Iraq, Christians, Muslims, Jews (in lesser proportions),..save for the sanctioned discrimination of Baha'i), have been living in relative peace together for quite some time.

In all, my heart goes out to the Assyrian people being murdered by ISIS, but it also goes out for all the Shiites, Jews, etc. who are feeling ISIS' wrath. Personally, hope every last one of them found guilty of these crimes is punished at ruthlessly as possible.

Side-side note: While I might be partial to my namesake :D , I think this Persian dude also had a lot to do with advancements in math, astronomy, medicine, etc...

-S

[z31maniac]

Saddam had to go.

Why is this?

There are plenty of dictatorships with horrific human rights records around the globe, yet we don't dispose of them?

[z31maniac]

the vids are oldish but paint a good picture.

The 2nd set is relatively new.

[freeride53]

Why is this?

There are plenty of dictatorships with horrific human rights records around the globe, yet we don't dispose of them?

Because a lot of those dictators protect our interests! Or we'd start international wars in the process of removing the ones that don't.

But you're absolutely right in your point. I'm sure plenty of people who have had loved ones murdered by such dictators would feel the same way.