I'm on Iraq "war" discussion panel Sunday.

[trof]

Our local Democratic club monthly meeting.
I've gleaned several articles from the net, but would like to hear any suggestions any of you may have.
Thanks.

[rodeodance]

1. how do you fight against 'democracy'.freedom and liberty"--good luck

[trof]

2. Surprisingly, one of the best articles is by Pat Buchanan.

http://www.amconmag.com/2005_02_28/buchanan.html

The Anti-Conservatives

Who convinced the president that our democracy depends on a worldwide crusade?

[slipslidingaway]

3. Iraq 'war' and use of depleted uranium weapons

Has your group ever discussed the use of these weapons?


First section of article linked below deals with agent orange, the second half is about DU weapons.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Presentations_on_agent_011704.htm

This WHO article makes the weapons seem not so bad, but our military has built containment facilities to test these weapons, second link.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs257/en/

http://www.atc.army.mil/fac_guide/facilities/superbox.html

[trof]

4. Thanks.

I'll check it out.

[robbedvoter]

5. An angle that should be discussed:

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=614127
> President's Uncle Bucky emerges as a big winner from Iraq war
>
> By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
>
> 24 February 2005
>
> The Iraq war has produced many winners and many losers. And one small
> but significant winner is a certain William "Bucky" Bush, brother of
> one president and uncle to the current occupant of the White House.
>
and a bit of history:

> http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/results.html?st=adv...
> Here is what has been posted on Daily Kos:
> http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/31/2335/87390
> ***
> U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote:
> Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror
> by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times (9/4/1967: p. 2)
> WASHINGTON, Sept. 3-- United States officials were surprised and
> heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential
> election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.
> According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million
> registered voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked
> reprisals threatened by the Vietcong.
> The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to
> destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a
> preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete
> returns reaching here.
(months before the Tet offensive)

[trof]

7. That goes in. thanks.

[kentuck]

6. Bush thinks he has already convinced America he did the right thing

by invading Iraq and over-throwing Saddam. As proof, he shows the recent elections in Iraq. He does not show the "results" of those elections but just the fact there was an election. There was an "election" under Saddam. Elections by themselves are not that significant. The results from the elections is what we should watch.

Then Bush goes to Europe to attempt to convince the Europeans that he did the right thing by invading Iraq, since he thinks he has already convinced the American people. They looked at him like he was a fool. And they were not too far from the mark.

[trof]

8. Many thanks for the suggestions.

I have enough articles that I could just read them for 3 hours. It'll be hard to cut it all down to an opening statement.
The meeting will begin with statements and discussion amongst 4 of us and then it's opened to the audience for comments and questions.
I'll let you know how it comes out.

DU never fails me.