h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

mrs the wife, you might not have seen my post as it was near the end of the page. Thank you for your statement.

my post is in the wrong place. I need to use the refresh button more.

? “As for the NZers. I really enjoy that island paradise. I took all of the people there at face value.

They do seem a little simple, for lack of a better term. Sadly, I think the Euros there are sometimes closet racists, seems like most of the immigrants to the former southern colonies of England have a bent to that.”

Simple and racist

I guess I'll have to follow the remedy of ignoring - under the dogster accord. I'd advise Della to also. This enlightened soul condemnds based on nationality and preceived race.

Della said that Hans Blix wants some missiles destroyed because they have a range greater than the 150 km permitted by the UN. (150 km = 93.2 miles). I have looked at a map of the region, and 150 km is a bit less than the shortest distance from Iraq to Israel. This may explain the choice of the limiting distance.

Iraq has said that the operational range of this type of missile is not more than 150 km. The tests results upon which Hans Blix made his decision were of missiles carrying less than the full operational load, so the missiles don't breach the UN rules. Since this claim of Iraq's is verifiable, I tend to believe it. In any case, we should not rush to the conclusion that Iraq is in breach of a UN resolution before checking our facts.

Dry.

Dear me what a masterful sleuth you are. Bully for you that you have the time to do this.

I stand by my statement about closet racism having been at the getting end of it so often! My experience in South Africa, in Australia (in particular Queensland) and in New Zealand (Auckland not Christchurch) was consistent in that there were always people of European extraction who couldn't stand to see a kefir, a non-white or a non-resident as an equal.

Listen, it is up to you to face the fact that the non European people of the world have suffered since the advent of the Age of Exploitation (ah, Exploration). It is up to the current generations to change the history and prevent further crimes.

You in your splendid isolation in NZ and within its relative homogeneity don't wish to see it.

Sticks and stones you can throw and insults you can hurl and laugh me out of here you can try to do but it won't change the fact that you carry a burden left on your shoulders by the Age of Exploitation. If you fail to do something it is the same as saying well it isn't up to me to get rid of apartheid, it isn't up to me to make reparations and offer apologies; it isn't up to me to help dismantle the caste system and so on.

Do you have anything to say App or will you just spend your time trying, in a juvenile fashion, to poke hole in everyone else’s posts. And you Della, won't you let go your preconceptions and your anger?

anhaga, I posted as I felt, mostly sad at the behavior on display here by some. I suppose you are justified to accuse me. May I refer you to post 4949, I think you might better understand my position. Thanks for taking the time.

Hi agian mrs the wife, please would you look at post 4917. I've attempted to explain what I've stated. I appreciate it.

Ah, any excuse to do some mathematics!

I don't know how to put this, but isn't "kaffir" the South African whites' synonym for "n****r"??

All I know about New Zealand is that it has lots of sheep, mountains, and some interesting fauna.

Dry.

"To take the Pakistan example... we're not supposed to worry because the UN hasn't voted them to disarm? Where's that idea come from? According to Mr Blair, there *is* concern and there *is* diplomatic activity over Pakistan's nukes. There's also diplomatic activity over North Korea."

We're not to worry about admitted nukes in Afghanistan or Pakistan because diplomacy will work there, but we should be so worried about Iraq maybe developing nukes, to the point that we should invade Iraq. That's what I meant about the nations we're told to worry about and which ones are .

The specifics of Iraq are different enough for you to believe they should not be treated similarly to North Korea or Pakistan. For myself and much of the rest of the world, the specifics are not different enough to merit these kinds of different treatments. There have been articles for the last few months asking spokespeople for the US and UK why Iraq merits different treatment from North Korea, so this "illogical" idea is apparently shared by others.

"I buy into the fact that the system is there and it's all there is to work with. Realpolitik."

I don't think "pragmatism" justifies the number of people that will be killed by this.

"Iraq has said that the operational range of this type of missile is not more than 150 km. The tests results upon which Hans Blix made his decision were of missiles carrying less than the full operational load, so the missiles don't breach the UN rules. Since this claim of Iraq's is verifiable, I tend to believe it. In any case, we should not rush to the conclusion that Iraq is in breach of a UN resolution before checking our facts."

From what I've seen of Iraq's missile tests. They could do with some help from university physics students.

"You can't FIGHT for peace"

That's the bit of post 4949 I was responding to. And, in fact, I did understand your position, I just didn't think it was worth all the hairsplitting. But then, now I'm doing it to. Let's just forget it.

The reason the US won't invade N.Korea or Pakistan may be because they do have nuclear weapons.

I used to be sceptical about the theory that this war is all about oil. Having learnt that the nations with oil concessions in Iraq include France and Russia but not yet the US or UK, I now believe there may be something in this theory. Of course, the West does want to extend its influence in the middle East, and it does want to overturn governments that won't play ball with Western economic interests. It's a combination of factors.

Dry.

Dryopithecus, yes "kaffir" is south african. If ? had spelt it properly it would be the name of an african tribe. As with many such words it started as an arrogant generalisation before becomming a racial slur.

The above is remembered from 4th form social studies

ApparÏtÏon: "From what I've seen of Iraq's missile tests. They could do with some help from university physics students"
Why not? They may need these missiles to defend themselves!

Dry.

What I meant was that they try hard but don't seem to be very good at building them.

Sorry, ApparÏtÏon, I did get it. I was implying that some physics students may like to help the Iraqis defend themselves against the expected invasion.

Dry.

?: "You can't FIGHT for peace,.."


You fight for life, you fight for freedom, you fight for equality and you fight for peace.

Fighting does not neccesitate violence. It's a state of mind and a state of purpose.

Stuart, do you have some sources that would support this statement?: "I doubt if sanctions are the main cause as it is supposed to be children that are suffering most from sanctions."

I know the outdated statistic that gets batted around so often was 500,000 Iraqis under the age of 5 dead as a result of sanctions. That was a UN agency (FAO or WHO or something?) from 1997. I assumed they only gave the statistic for children because people wouldn't care how many adult Iraqis were dying, but if you have a credible source saying that children are hit harder by sanctions, that would be interesting.

"Sorry, ApparÏtÏon, I did get it. I was implying that some physics students may like to help the Iraqis defend themselves against the expected invasion."

Ah,right. They do need something. Perhaps conscience on the part of those so eager to kill them.

"...The specifics of Iraq are different enough for you to believe they should not be treated similarly to North Korea or Pakistan. For myself and much of the rest of the world, the specifics are not different enough to merit these kinds of different treatments..."

I'd take issue with the "much of the rest of the world" bit, (since most opinion polls suggest majority report for action after a 2nd resolution, according to the Economist).

But leaving that aside, I guess you've hit the nail on the head about the crux of the difference between us. I *do* believe that the Iraq situation is unique, and that the current mechanism for dealing with such matters should be followed.