Haluk Skywalker wrote:

> But there is a general perception in Turkey that Turkish government is too
> chicken to say no to US (pertaining sending troops to Iraq) despite the fact
> that majority of Turkish people are against the idea. We, Turks, simply
> don't buy lies about war on terrorism.

Lies in the war on terrorism are irrelevant. Iraq needs help, right now. Even
the UN and Red Cross are leaving.

So exactly WHO is going to do something in Iraq? Santa Claus? Jesus Christ?
Right now, the US is the best Iraq has, as sorry as that is. If the world wants
better, they can go try to do better themselves or with their own money.

PS, I am not paying my money to the US government or US military, I am paying
it to charitable organizations, for use on more productive things in the
region, than combat.

If anybody can find better than

http://www.mercycorps.org/
http://www.ifrc.org/

Tell me, and I'd be glad to get involved.

> > NATO, with a full-scale conflict occuring on your border, at the same time
> > suffering viscious terrorist attacks from Muslim extremists in recent days
> > and you don't want to get involved.
>
> Exactly. I don't see the connection between the terrorism and Iraq.

Neither do I.

But Iraq still needs help now, and has needed help for some time.

> I don't believe Bush administration.

Neither do about half of Americans.

> I believe it's all because of oil.

The US is spending maybe 500 BILLION DOLLARS, risking lives of its own soldiers
and people for the foreseeable future, pissing off about half of its own
citizens, and antagonizing most of the world; over some stinking oil they can't
even get at (and will not own), when they could have simply bought some oil
from more friendly countries?

> And there are lots of other people who believe the way I do.

Doesn't make it more true. The easiest way for the US to get oil, is to spend
money they would spend on defense or rebuilding Iraq, on buying oil from a
friendly government. It would be terrible to imagine a way to screw up the
situation in Iraq, the image of the US, more than it already has been.

> We grieve for those who got killed in recent bombings in Istanbul. But I
> don't know for sure its really connected with Al Quaeda. This is one sick
> world. Who are you gonna believe?

I am sorry to say that even terrorist acts and deaths in Turkey are not
relevant to the fact that Iraq needs help, right now, and most people and
nations are not not doing anything more than bitching about it. No, I am not
going to enlist and go over to Iraq to be a more friendly security officer or
stop the violence. But I can try to provide some needy people some medicine,
food and water, for example. And it isn't just a handout that must continue
indefinitely, either. Everyday people can help needy Iraqis build their own
future like this:

http://www.mercycorps.org/article.php?id=1617

> Besides, even *if* the two was really connected and even *if* Americans were
> in Iraq to stop terrorism,

They're not.

Still irrelevant to the fact Iraq needs help, right now.

> I wouldn't support the idea anyway. Because
> terrorism cannot be dealt with by means of war. Who are you gonna hit?
> Terrorist acts are planned in studio apartments in New York, or Sydney, or
> Tokyo, or anywhere else by sick people and executed in other major cities by
> other sick people. There are more terrorist in Europe and US than there is
> anywhere else. Bombing some pathetic thirld world country and killing its
> poor people won't do any good for terrorism. It will just serve to hatred.
>
> That's why I don't support war in Iraq. That's why I condemn Bush as much as
> I condemn those extremist muslim terrorists. Fuck'em, they're buncha wackos
> anyway.
>
> So paying military aids

Military aid? Heavens no. If the US wants to do that, and face most of the
violence, let them do it.

Pay for humanitarian aid, or let other governments provide humanitarian funds,
supplies and workers. Not even the US spending $401 BILLION on the military for
next year will help Iraqis go back to school (WITH pencils and notebooks) or
drink clean water, for example. Americans can see it for themselves.

> instead of sending solid citizens to die in a foreign land is much better.

But those who join the military are VOLUNTEERS, remember? If my own children
joined the military, I'd tell them to get their asses to Iraq if they were
called.

> But the best, IMHO, is not to get involved at all.

Wrong. The best thing to do is help Iraq, because they need it.

--
"I want to meet my father and say, your sperm became me."

http://tinyurl.com/wc8y