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

The war is over (but people are still being killed).

Not much is working very well (but it will, it will.... some time).

Given today's situation in Iraq : What should the coalition troops do?

reorganianise iraqui army and police and leave as so soon as possible

I echo that, crazyhorse.

"What should the coalition troops do?"

F*ck off. How's that?

And leave the country in the hands of Islamic extremists? Great.

Not necessarily, Ste. Left to themselves, they could choose *any* government. (Of course, Saddam Hussein was a bulwark against Islamic extremists. Isn't that ironic?)

What the hell makes you think that would happen?

And what the hell makes you think it affects you?

And what the hell makes you think you have the right to do about it?

Della,

"Left to themselves, they could choose *any* government."

That's true. Including a fundamentalist one, which is what noone wants apart from the zealots who shout the loudest and get the most attention.

I, unlike, Bush, don't think democracy is the natural state of human society. It has to be created. We fought an illegal and unjustified war and we invaded another country. We have a responsibility to leave it in a better state than we found it. A Taliban-style, or even Iran-style government wouldn't be desirable.


Maths Wizard,

"What the hell makes you think that would happen?"

See above.

"And what the hell makes you think it affects you?"

Geopolitics affects everyone.

"And what the hell makes you think you have the right to do about it?"

Please rephrase the question so it makes sense.


Ste

"A Taliban-style, or even Iran-style government wouldn't be desirable"

The Iranian government is one of the most democratic in the region (not that it has much competition) and hasn't invaded any of its neighbours recently. As for funding terrorists Saudi Arabia was the main source of Bin nLadens funds. I fail to see why an Iranian-style government would be such a disaster.

It is an Islamic fundamentalist dictatorship. If Iraq were to follow that path it would be a unmitigated disaster. Do you really want another government issuing fatwas against people it disagrees with?

"As for funding terrorists Saudi Arabia was the main source of Bin nLadens funds."

As the Bushes are so eager to cover up. But what is your point here?

Ste

Not a dictatorship
Currently has an elected president the ayatollahs have many disagreements with
Much less supportive of terrorist activity or military adventurism than countries the west backs like Saudi Arabia and Isreal
The fatwa issue was settled about 10 years ago and was not issued by the government but by a religious leader
You shouldn't believe everything Bush says about Iran

What about what the Iraninas say about Iran?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3505049.stm

A country where newspapers that print opposition to the muslim hardliners are not censored but completely shutdown.

What does it have to do with us? "No man is an island", "Ask not for whom the bell tolls it tolls for thee"

If anyone wonders what goes on for other people has to do with them then they should stop watching the news close the curtains switch off their Tv and pretend that the rest of the world has nothing to do with them either.

one love

I

I am interested in Iran - news we get in NZ comes from several competing sources, many are different factions of American, it's quite hard to work out what's going on. I *do* know it's not a dictatorship...and maybe it never was...

It's technically a theocracy, which has the same effect as despotism.

I'm sorry, I just don't see it that way...
Israel and the USA are as much theocracies, but you'd never agree either was despotic would you?

Even though Bush used dubious means to secure his post he cannot declare other candidates as being not worthy of participation, which is exactly what has happened in Iran. Imagine that the man or woman you wanted to vote for is excluded from the ballot on the say so of a religious leader you did not have any say in choosing. People have a choice of candidate in both the US and Israel that they choose not to vote or vote for right wingers is just that, their choice. I know you dont agree with whats happened but at least they have free elections unlike in Iran.

one love

"Israel and the USA are as much theocracies, but you'd never agree either was despotic would you?"

Errr, they're not theocracies.

Ste

Quote;
The decision to disqualify 2,300 reformist candidates - including 80 members of parliament - from standing was taken by the country's hardline Guardians Council, a 12-member body appointed by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3509151.stm

Iran's complex and unusual political system combines elements of a modern Islamic theocracy with democracy. The whole system operates under a Supreme Leader who, although appointed by an elected body, is in effect answerable to no-one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/iran_power/html/default.stm


Alji

Ste - '"And what the hell makes you think you have the right to do about it?"

Please rephrase the question so it makes sense.'

I thought someone of enough intelligence to be allowed to use a computer without supervision would be able to work it out. You know perfectly well what I meant. You're just trying to avoid the question. I think you know you have none.

I see from the rest of your postings on this thread that you don't listen to what other people say. You just continue with your - clearly invalid, from what other people have said - assertions.

Ok, so now you're being an angry retard.

I can't be blamed if you cannot construct basic english sentences. Go away.

Ste