
	Saddam Hussein didn't kill 3,100 people on Sept. 11. Osama bin Laden did, and as far as we know he's still alive. — Bill Clinton, former U.S. President Thanks for coming out on such a hot day. I was sweating like Saddam Hussein watching Bush's poll numbers drop. — Jay Leno
The War in Iraq The Bush administration, has shamelessly used the 9/11 murders to justify the Neocons desire to invade Iraq, a desire that goes back to planning this invasion before 9/11, all the while the Right Honorable murderer of mankind George Bush was lying to his bosses, the American citizens, to be doing everything to resolve differences with Iraq peacefully without going to war. Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11. Some Shiite Moslems did (virtually all from Saudi Arabia), but not the ones who live in Iraq. Iraq was controlled by Sunni factional Moslems who were not responsible for bombing Americans abroad (nor in this case are the government leaders particularly religiously devout men, nor was Islam used to rule Iraq). Indeed, Iraq's more western conduct is one of the reasons that makes them so hated by neighboring Iran (and the fact that the Iraqis are Arabs, instead of Shiite Moslems and Persians). This is not to say that Saddam Hussein is a swell guy. He will be missed by few. But to the best of my knowledge he has never threatened countries outside of the region, nor Americans abroad, until the Gulf War. Nor had he especially threatened Americans since the Gulf War, unless they were invaders. Nor did he have the resources to pose much of a threat to Americans. He was not a legitimate target for our supposedly defensive military, unless you wish to argue that he as signatory, was violating his ten year old contract of conditional cessation of hostilities of the Gulf War. Who was a legitimate target for our military? We just got though requesting the government of Afghanistan turn over specified leaders of al-Qiada. They refused. So we successfully overthrew their government, drove them from power, killed a hell of a lot of Taliban, al-Qiada and many others who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This action has at least a basis for justification, and was carried out in a rather meticulous, rapid and efficient manner with low cost in American lives, using less than 11,000 troops. And this has been successfully carried out. It was a success! Is the job complete? I guess so. The President no longer talks about pursuing al-Qiada elsewhere (like into Pakistan for instance!). Instead, all he wants to talk about is Iraq. I would rather have been targeting the next country hiding those responsible for 9/11, since our troops were in place in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia comes to mind. But then Prince Bandar is close "friends" of the President. You just do not go about dropping bombs on your fellow oil barons. But apparently you do on CIA puppets, who have turned on their masters. But a 30-year war on terrorism is not acceptable from ANY libertarian standpoint. We now have the FBI advocating (and conducting) torture out of the country (on American citizens), people held incommunicado for over a year (some 1200) without acknowledgment inside this country (including American citizens), we are randomly strip searched at airports, ball parks, and political debates, without protest, secret trials are conducted by military tribunals, the nation is returning to military conscription, there is dramatically increased internal surveillance, increased ID requirements, increased draconian penalties on spurious infractions of the law, a war on immigrants, Orange alerts on every holiday and whenever the President’s poll numbers dip, . . . complete the list yourself. Hell, it has been less than three years! Finally, I tire of those who do NOT wish to contemplate, debate or confront the complicity of the government that represents them, in precipitating the attacks on 9/11. The constant raining of bombs from 40,000 feet on dubious targets, enforced regime changes, economic blockades and pizza delivery in force missions worldwide during the Reagan, Bush the Elder and Clinton administrations has made us much beloved worldwide. And turned Americans who joined military service to defend our nation, into the Hessians despised by our forefathers. The fact that many of our incursions are in Moslem countries merely makes the recruiting of people who are willing to die to accomplish terror, much easier. It is easy to hate when you survive the attack that kills the rest of those you love, and destroys all that your family has accumulated in your life. Unless you can explain why our government invaded Lebanon, Haiti, Somalia, Yugoslavia as a warranted interest of the American people, then we are the aggressors! 9/11 is but one small price we are paying for the failure to reign in our imperialist government's overseas campaigns of terror. There is no defense of our government's actions. Nor is there an overt expressed willingness to try and stop such actions at some unspecified far future date which implies to me a myopic outlook on America by Americans. Nobody is bombing Canada. Yet their economy and culture, and ours, are virtually identical. They however, do not go around the world dropping bombs on people – despite our arm twisting for them to give us cover as a "coalition force." They are not hated, we are. We ARE a better nation. Damned few in the USA pack their bags and move permanently to most countries, while many other country's citizens attempt to move here permanently. It is important to ask why. (relatively) Free Markets? Yup. Free people (sort of)? Yup. American ideals count for a lot worldwide, but only if we practice them ourselves and are insistent enough to demand them of others who interact with us. Otherwise, our ideals are not really our ideals are they? We sure as hell ought to demand those ideals be practiced by those elected to represent us! Just as people understand what is and is not libertarian, so too do they understand what is an American act, and what is un-American. Blindly supporting ones government or an unprepossessing President who needs to be reigned in, not encouraged, is not American. So you can join the nuke 'em cuz we got 'em crowd. A focused, clear cut policy that gets what you aimed at, and is fully consistent with a policy of undeserved payback on civilians (i.e., what terrorists do). Or you can join me in supporting tracking down, and capturing or killing those responsible for 9/11, wherever they are located using the powers of Marque and Reprisal present in the Constitution. And deal similarly with any government offering support and protection to those responsible. Our troops should leave all nations throughout the world and come home. With a clear cut message that from now on leave us alone and we will leave you alone. Otherwise we will be back — because despite our protestations to the contrary we are damned good at killing people and destroying things. Faithfully stick to this policy, and you really will have a Defense Department, instead of a War Department. Or join the doves who turn the other cheek. I admire the immense bravery of such folk, and acknowledge that if everyone were like them, we would not be having this discussion. But do not try to tell me that we as a people did not deserve what we got on 9/11. We deserved it the moment we allowed the government to keep passengers from carrying weapons aboard planes, and bred the sheep who were airline passengers that day who believed the government experts who continue to offer the, "Do Not Resist," message. [Note: Two of the four hijacked planes passengers rebelled with plastic forks, having the foreknowledge of what fate was to come.] We deserved it the moment we allow any sitting President who starts a war without the required Congressional approval from being immediately impeached, removed from office and extradited to the offended country to pay for his crimes (if they request it, and we have an extradition treaty with that country). But just because we deserve it does not mean it is not our sad task to utterly and ruthlessly destroy those responsible for either 9/11 or the actions that create such hatred of us. Otherwise, they will be back. As for Iraq, we have overthrown the Hussein government, and for one year now have ruled Iraq. We ought to get our 140,000 troops out of there immediately. Let the people of Iraq, get the government they deserve, which is always the government they permit. A marine squad was marching north of Basra when they came upon an Iraqi soldier badly injured and unconscious. Nearby, on the opposite side of the road, was an American Marine in a similar but less serious state. The Marine was conscious and alert. As first aid was given to both men, the Marine was asked what had happened. The Marine reported, "I was heavily armed and moving north along the highway and coming south was a heavily armed Iraqi soldier." Seeing each other we both took cover. "What happened then?" the corpsman asked. "I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein was a miserable low life slug, and he yelled back: 'George Bush, John Kerry, John Ashcroft, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and all of their kind are all miserable slime balls'. " "We were in the middle of the road shaking hands when a truck hit us." The War Prayer (abridged) should be on everyone's lips who patriotically supports our troops in their overseas missions: "O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle – be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen." – Mark Twain 1, There were no WMDs. USA Today The Washington Post 2. There was no connection between Iraq and Al Qaida or 9/11. The Guardian The Washington Post 3. Now, there is no Abu Mus’ab Al Zarqawi in Falluja. Bush's claim to the contrary is simply a lie like 1. and 2. above. This phantom terrorist is simply an excuse for Bush to terrorize the residents there. Al Jazeera TruthSeeker It doesn't appear that this will stop the U.S. from terrorizing Falluja's residents who refuse to recognize the U.S.-installed puppet government. The Bush Administration lied to justify invading Iraq and it continues to lie to justify its ongoing terrorism against the people of Iraq. Yes, it is that simple and the U.S. military is the real terrorist in Iraq. Antiwar Lew Rockwell Old American Century Furthermore, the war is illegal under the conditions required by Public Law 107-243 Oct. 16, 2002 - Authorization for Use of Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. What Really Happened This makes those at the top of the Bush administration WAR CRIMINALS who should be tried and punished just like the Nazi regime at the conclusion of WWII. Or must we wait for millions to die first? Make no mistake. The rest of the world is waiting and watching to see what Americans will do on November 2 with the same sort of concern with which the world watched Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. Will Americans stop this fascism in its tracks? Or will the rest of the world have to find a way to stop it? Just like it had to find a final solution to fascist Germany. How much death and destruction will it take before Americans recognize this EVIL and put a stop to it? Cato on The War in Iraq Soldier over there Letters from over there [258kb PDF file] Reports from the War

If we can do it to Iraq, we can invade anyone.

Saddam Hussein didn't kill 3,100 people on Sept. 11. Osama bin Laden did, and as far as we know he's still alive.
— Bill Clinton, former U.S. President

Thanks for coming out on such a hot day. I was sweating like Saddam Hussein watching Bush's poll numbers drop.
— Jay Leno

The War in Iraq

The Bush administration, has shamelessly used the 9/11 murders to justify the Neocons desire to invade Iraq, a desire that goes back to planning this invasion before 9/11, all the while the Right Honorable murderer of mankind George Bush was lying to his bosses, the American citizens, to be doing everything to resolve differences with Iraq peacefully without going to war. Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11. Some Shiite Moslems did (virtually all from Saudi Arabia), but not the ones who live in Iraq. Iraq was controlled by Sunni factional Moslems who were not responsible for bombing Americans abroad (nor in this case are the government leaders particularly religiously devout men, nor was Islam used to rule Iraq). Indeed, Iraq's more western conduct is one of the reasons that makes them so hated by neighboring Iran (and the fact that the Iraqis are Arabs, instead of Shiite Moslems and Persians).

This is not to say that Saddam Hussein is a swell guy. He will be missed by few. But to the best of my knowledge he has never threatened countries outside of the region, nor Americans abroad, until the Gulf War. Nor had he especially threatened Americans since the Gulf War, unless they were invaders. Nor did he have the resources to pose much of a threat to Americans. He was not a legitimate target for our supposedly defensive military, unless you wish to argue that he as signatory, was violating his ten year old contract of conditional cessation of hostilities of the Gulf War.

Who was a legitimate target for our military? We just got though requesting the government of Afghanistan turn over specified leaders of al-Qiada. They refused. So we successfully overthrew their government, drove them from power, killed a hell of a lot of Taliban, al-Qiada and many others who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This action has at least a basis for justification, and was carried out in a rather meticulous, rapid and efficient manner with low cost in American lives, using less than 11,000 troops. And this has been successfully carried out. It was a success!

Is the job complete? I guess so. The President no longer talks about pursuing al-Qiada elsewhere (like into Pakistan for instance!). Instead, all he wants to talk about is Iraq. I would rather have been targeting the next country hiding those responsible for 9/11, since our troops were in place in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia comes to mind. But then Prince Bandar is close "friends" of the President. You just do not go about dropping bombs on your fellow oil barons. But apparently you do on CIA puppets, who have turned on their masters.

But a 30-year war on terrorism is not acceptable from ANY libertarian standpoint. We now have the FBI advocating (and conducting) torture out of the country (on American citizens), people held incommunicado for over a year (some 1200) without acknowledgment inside this country (including American citizens), we are randomly strip searched at airports, ball parks, and political debates, without protest, secret trials are conducted by military tribunals, the nation is returning to military conscription, there is dramatically increased internal surveillance, increased ID requirements, increased draconian penalties on spurious infractions of the law, a war on immigrants, Orange alerts on every holiday and whenever the President’s poll numbers dip, . . . complete the list yourself. Hell, it has been less than three years!

Finally, I tire of those who do NOT wish to contemplate, debate or confront the complicity of the government that represents them, in precipitating the attacks on 9/11. The constant raining of bombs from 40,000 feet on dubious targets, enforced regime changes, economic blockades and pizza delivery in force missions worldwide during the Reagan, Bush the Elder and Clinton administrations has made us much beloved worldwide. And turned Americans who joined military service to defend our nation, into the Hessians despised by our forefathers. The fact that many of our incursions are in Moslem countries merely makes the recruiting of people who are willing to die to accomplish terror, much easier. It is easy to hate when you survive the attack that kills the rest of those you love, and destroys all that your family has accumulated in your life. Unless you can explain why our government invaded Lebanon, Haiti, Somalia, Yugoslavia as a warranted interest of the American people, then we are the aggressors! 9/11 is but one small price we are paying for the failure to reign in our imperialist government's overseas campaigns of terror. There is no defense of our government's actions. Nor is there an overt expressed willingness to try and stop such actions at some unspecified far future date which implies to me a myopic outlook on America by Americans. Nobody is bombing Canada. Yet their economy and culture, and ours, are virtually identical. They however, do not go around the world dropping bombs on people – despite our arm twisting for them to give us cover as a "coalition force." They are not hated, we are.

We ARE a better nation. Damned few in the USA pack their bags and move permanently to most countries, while many other country's citizens attempt to move here permanently. It is important to ask why. (relatively) Free Markets? Yup. Free people (sort of)? Yup. American ideals count for a lot worldwide, but only if we practice them ourselves and are insistent enough to demand them of others who interact with us. Otherwise, our ideals are not really our ideals are they? We sure as hell ought to demand those ideals be practiced by those elected to represent us! Just as people understand what is and is not libertarian, so too do they understand what is an American act, and what is un-American. Blindly supporting ones government or an unprepossessing President who needs to be reigned in, not encouraged, is not American.

So you can join the nuke 'em cuz we got 'em crowd. A focused, clear cut policy that gets what you aimed at, and is fully consistent with a policy of undeserved payback on civilians (i.e., what terrorists do).

Or you can join me in supporting tracking down, and capturing or killing those responsible for 9/11, wherever they are located using the powers of Marque and Reprisal present in the Constitution. And deal similarly with any government offering support and protection to those responsible.

Our troops should leave all nations throughout the world and come home. With a clear cut message that from now on leave us alone and we will leave you alone. Otherwise we will be back — because despite our protestations to the contrary we are damned good at killing people and destroying things. Faithfully stick to this policy, and you really will have a Defense Department, instead of a War Department.

Or join the doves who turn the other cheek. I admire the immense bravery of such folk, and acknowledge that if everyone were like them, we would not be having this discussion.

But do not try to tell me that we as a people did not deserve what we got on 9/11. We deserved it the moment we allowed the government to keep passengers from carrying weapons aboard planes, and bred the sheep who were airline passengers that day who believed the government experts who continue to offer the, "Do Not Resist," message. [Note: Two of the four hijacked planes passengers rebelled with plastic forks, having the foreknowledge of what fate was to come.]

We deserved it the moment we allow any sitting President who starts a war without the required Congressional approval from being immediately impeached, removed from office and extradited to the offended country to pay for his crimes (if they request it, and we have an extradition treaty with that country). But just because we deserve it does not mean it is not our sad task to utterly and ruthlessly destroy those responsible for either 9/11 or the actions that create such hatred of us. Otherwise, they will be back.

As for Iraq, we have overthrown the Hussein government, and for one year now have ruled Iraq. We ought to get our 140,000 troops out of there immediately. Let the people of Iraq, get the government they deserve, which is always the government they permit.

A marine squad was marching north of Basra when they came upon an Iraqi soldier badly injured and unconscious.

Nearby, on the opposite side of the road, was an American Marine in a similar but less serious state. The Marine was conscious and alert. As first aid was given to both men, the Marine was asked what had happened.

The Marine reported, "I was heavily armed and moving north along the highway and coming south was a heavily armed Iraqi soldier." Seeing each other we both took cover.

"What happened then?" the corpsman asked.

"I yelled to him that Saddam Hussein was a miserable low life slug, and he yelled back: 'George Bush, John Kerry, John Ashcroft, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and all of their kind are all miserable slime balls'. "

"We were in the middle of the road shaking hands when a truck hit us."

The War Prayer (abridged) should be on everyone's lips who patriotically supports our troops in their overseas missions:

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle – be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe.

O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet!

We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."

– Mark Twain

1, There were no WMDs.

USA Today

The Washington Post

2. There was no connection between Iraq and Al Qaida or 9/11.

The Guardian

The Washington Post

3. Now, there is no Abu Mus’ab Al Zarqawi in Falluja. Bush's claim to the contrary is simply a lie like 1. and 2. above. This phantom terrorist is simply an excuse for Bush to terrorize the residents there.

Al Jazeera

TruthSeeker

It doesn't appear that this will stop the U.S. from terrorizing Falluja's residents who refuse to recognize the U.S.-installed puppet government. The Bush Administration lied to justify invading Iraq and it continues to lie to justify its ongoing terrorism against the people of Iraq. Yes, it is that simple and the U.S. military is the real terrorist in Iraq.

Antiwar

Lew Rockwell

Old American Century

Furthermore, the war is illegal under the conditions required by Public Law 107-243 Oct. 16, 2002 - Authorization for Use of Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.

What Really Happened

This makes those at the top of the Bush administration WAR CRIMINALS who should be tried and punished just like the Nazi regime at the conclusion of WWII. Or must we wait for millions to die first?

Make no mistake. The rest of the world is waiting and watching to see what Americans will do on November 2 with the same sort of concern with which the world watched Nazi Germany in the late 1930s. Will Americans stop this fascism in its tracks? Or will the rest of the world have to find a way to stop it? Just like it had to find a final solution to fascist Germany.

How much death and destruction will it take before Americans recognize this EVIL and put a stop to it?

Cato on The War in Iraq

Soldier over there

Letters from over there [258kb PDF file]

Reports from the War