On War On Terror, Are YOU Open Minded?

[Annie]

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/

Challenge yourself, regardless of your personal point of view:

On Joe Galloway
E-mail Print
26 June 2008

I read Joe Galloway’s columns and often disagree with him. But Joe usually makes points that deserve consideration. Joe is not weak or weak-minded; I’ve told him to his face that he’s a mean old man. But I respect Joe. He has fought in pitched combat side-by-side with our troops. Joe thinks we’re losing the Iraq War and I believe we’re winning. Even though we disagree about Iraq, Joe and I both believe that torture is wrong....

 

[Swamp Fox]

I don't think we need to use torture either. However, I don't think we should run around and announce that we won't torture people either. Fear of the unknown is a wonderful stress producing tool and can be very effective in gathering information. You can actually make someone give you information without ever having to lay a hand upon them simply because they don't know what's coming.

 

[midcan5]

Open minded? Iraq was an illegal war, none of the comparisons hold, even those about how we helped rebuild Japan and Germany are more complicated than noted. If you start from a wrong act that has caused such horror for so many apologizing / rationalizing seems to me an act of cowardice.

 

[Swamp Fox]

Open minded? Iraq was an illegal war, none of the comparisons hold, even those about how we helped rebuild Japan and Germany are more complicated than noted. If you start from a wrong act that has caused such horror for so many apologizing / rationalizing seems to me an act of cowardice.

So much for the open mind..................

 

[Jeepers]

So much for the open mind..................

Open minded? Iraq was an illegal war, none of the comparisons hold, even those about how we helped rebuild Japan and Germany are more complicated than noted. If you start from a wrong act that has caused such horror for so many apologizing / rationalizing seems to me an act of cowardice.

Cant much take the moral highground if you've never had it... I was against the war in Iraq from the start. But, if we were going to go in we should have given it our all.. when the insurgence erupted we should have stuck a boot on ever street corner of every town and kept them there. You cant fight an insurgent war by taking and retreating or dropping bombs from 30,000 feet. A first year graduate from west point could have told you that. Now what the hell those brains, with all their stars and ribbons, were thinking I'll never understand.

 

[busara]

i dont feel that the war in iraq and the war on terror are the same

 

[Steerpike]

Open minded? Iraq was an illegal war, none of the comparisons hold, even those about how we helped rebuild Japan and Germany are more complicated than noted. If you start from a wrong act that has caused such horror for so many apologizing / rationalizing seems to me an act of cowardice.

Maybe you could expand on the "illegal" comment.

btw - Wittgenstein was a nut

 

[editec]

i dont feel that the war in iraq and the war on terror are the same

Of course, you are right.

 

[rayboyusmc]

It is one thing to wage a war that doesn't need to be fought and violates another sovereign country.

In my opinion it is even worse to fight that war without a real plan and to totally FUBAR it up and then make excuses. To have that many troops die because we didn't plan it --- That is a high crime and treason.

The people who are responsible should be held accountable. If there is a hereafter, they will be in for a world of pain.

 

[Ravi]

I don't understand the question.

 

[Annie]

I don't understand the question.

Why didn't you 'quote' what you were referring to? I've gone back several posts and seen no question, much less be able to understand it.

 

[Ravi]

Why didn't you 'quote' what you were referring to? I've gone back several posts and seen no question, much less be able to understand it.

this one:

On War On Terror, Are YOU Open Minded?

 

[Annie]

this one:

On War On Terror, Are YOU Open Minded?

Hello? Did you read the link?

 

[Ravi]

Hello? Did you read the link?

Most of it. I stopped when he wrote, the fact is, torture works. I don't know if it does or not, but that statement seemed rather close minded.

 

[Foxfyre]

To not take a public position on torture is not to condone or promote torture as acceptable. To not telegraph to the enemy what we will or will not do is not to presume that we will or will not do anything. Also the definition of 'torture' is not universally shared by all and, until it is, it is imprudent to outlaw it either in principle or by law. (Example: Is solitary confinement or uncomfortable conditions or boring food or embarrassment or humiliation or instilling fear or dread torture? Some extremists say yes while others limit the definition of torture to that which inflicts excruciating pain, injures, maims, and/or is intended to cause lasting injury.

It is also prudent to allow some flexibility should the lives of innocents, especially hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of lives of innocents, be at stake.

The war in Iraq is not the War on Terror, but it is certainly part of it and was considered as such by the U.S. Congress when it authorized it. With so much distance between the emotional impact of 9/11 and now, we probably need to redefine what the War on Terror is again, too. Some seem to have forgotten already.

An open mind considers ALL the aspects of an issue, not just the politically correct ones.

 

[Ravi]

At one time we considered humiliation to be torture, or something close to it, when the Nazis did it. I've never actually heard anyone claim that boring food was torture, though.

 

[Annie]

Most of it. I stopped when he wrote, the fact is, torture works. I don't know if it does or not, but that statement seemed rather close minded.

I find it amusing that those that consider themselves among the 'elite' cannot finish rather short essays, due to a phrase or whatever they disagree with. For the most part, I try to read though most links.

 

[Ravi]

I find it amusing that those that consider themselves among the 'elite' cannot finish rather short essays, due to a phrase or whatever they disagree with. For the most part, I try to read though most links.

Who are these people that consider themselves among the "elite?" Are you referring to me?

I find it amusing that an article about being open minded isn't. But hardly surprising.

 

[Annie]

Who are these people that consider themselves among the "elite?" Are you referring to me?

I find it amusing that an article about being open minded isn't. But hardly surprising.

Great nonresponse. Yes, you seem to consider yourself above the 'norm.'

 

[Ravi]

Yes, you seem to consider yourself above the 'norm.'

Doesn't everyone?