I've noticed something crusing cyber space and veiwing "Joe" boards from various sites. About 50% of "joe fans" are anti-war. Not just the current war we are involved in, but it's like as soon as something gets ugly overseas, they say things like "it's our own fault" or "we should just stay out of it" or something else along the lines that everything that the US does is wrong, and the only way we know how to react is force and violence.

It's their right to express themselves, and hold whatever opinions they want, but my question is...what scenarios do they have for their GI Joes? Do they change the name of the USS Flagg to the USS Rainbow Warrior? Does their GI Joe team surround the terrordrome and have a sit in? Is their commander General Ghandi?

War is an ugly thing, but in some cases, it becomes nesessary to step up and show people you mean business. And in a lot of cases, it's not clear who is at fault. In Iran for example, the Sha was the person we were dealing with. He was a bloody and brutal dictator, and when the people overthrew him, we were seen as his allies. But what if we had helped them overthrow the Sha? Wouldn't we been seen as invaders protecting our own interests...like we are in Iraq right now? It's not a world of simple black and white. We have to look at the situation as it stands NOW and adjust from there. Looking at what we did wrong is good, in that we try not to make the same mistakes again, but the truth of the matter is What's done is done and your only choice is to protect your interests at the moment. Then, try to help someone else. If you try to help others over acting in your best interests, you will end up being out of resources and your soceity in ruin. We constantly loan money to foreign countries...we send aid when disaster strikes...but when Katrina hit, how many countries sent us help and Aid?

Even in trying to help others, we have done wrong. We encouraged the Iraqis to overthrow Saddam in the 90's after the first Gulf war, and it got thousands killed. It comes down to this, no one ever avioded a war by sitting on the fence. No one ever ended a war by not participating. If someone is gonna hurt you, you have two choices, get them first, or take your chances that they're all talk! And we all saw by 9/11 that these people mean us harm!

The world is not black and white, but it eventaully comes down to which side are you on? And these individuals who constantly downtalk the US and claim that violence never solves anything yet play with war toys make about as much sense as racists who hate Jewish people and swear by the bible (being that the Bible states Jesus was Jewish). Why don't they play with teletubbies or Barbies? I never hear them arguing that Cobra had it's civil rights violated becasue they are a minority and the US was putting them down for that!

Maybe I'm over reacting....but when I was young, I remember this from latin;

FACTA NON VERBA = Actions not Words.

If the pen is mightier than the sword, why did all the scribes in losing medevial armies end up dead?


What are your thoughts? But only those who agree with me please!! (Just kidding!!)

War to me is a nice think on a movie or when I'm playing with my Joes (which don't are necessary linked with US army, navy or Air Force). Aside of that, I'm the kind of "Peace & Love". I'll be very fast here. I don't agree with the wars that US is running right now. What most of the great world mind are saying right now is that US have no interests on catching terrorists, but the real reason is take the oil under their protection. To me as far as US don't try to come down here and start saing what are the rules, fine. I wouldn't like kick you ,my friend Frank, back to US .
I would live in a world were we could avoid bad people, but Frank showed something real here. The world isn't black & white and I need to learn that everywhere are good and bad people, at my work place, at my neighborhood, at JoeDios and so one. All the war discussion, who is right or wrong, always hide from us that many soldiers didn't ask to go and die for others (politicians). Poor soldier that think he is fighting for his childs, women, in the real they're fighting for others to get rich.
I was reading an interviwe from an AH-1 COBRA pilot from Vietnam War and he said that where he was based, they knew where the enemy hideout was and from where they were always shooting at choppers that were landing/taking off. But the orders were always clear about not to shoot in that direction, 'cuz the enemy hide themselfs inside a latex extraction place that was under Goodyear possession . He said many enemies snipers killed US soldiers from that direction and no reaction could be placed.
War is a very stupid way to solve a problem. Frank, Shane and Fantom showed me it. And if I know you right Frank, inisde, you think like me. No more war!
I always look at a war and think that my son could be there, no means or motives would justify the dead of my boy. You'll say, yes, but if terrorrits get your son. FBI and other agencies knew that something would happen in 2001, they could done something before. Preventive actions and not corrective actions. We need to work on gathering intelligence more and less on getting blood drawn.

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I thought most boards were so modded that anything so much as having a opinion on favorite color is grounds for banning.

So where'd you get those stats?

I had a longer response...but no. I'm not going there. I like first person shooters and army toys...but really never wanted to join the military or go to war. Fantasy vs. reality.

Desert Storm was because Iraq invaded our allies in Kuwait. At least that was the reason giving to me before I deployed there beside we only get 10% of our oil from them. We've gone to "war" for humanitary reason and for acts of terrorism. There are many reasons, and it's our right to either agree or disagree with it. I myself still feel the need to honor my oath to protect and defend to US even though I've been out of service for several years now. I don't have to like the man in the oval office, I'm just proud to have served my country.

I've never been a pacifist myself..................only my health kept me out of the service. I happen not to like the current administration................but I don't want to pull the rug out from under our soldiers,sailors,Airmen,and Marines....


I wonder at times if we hadn't been so isolationist in the 1930's if we could of deterred war in Europe...............or more to the point,if a stronger response from us would of convinced the German High Command they were backing the wrong horse in one Adolph Hitler...........

Well, no one could ever say war is a good thing, or that it should ever be the first course of action, but as far as I'm concerned, regrettably it is sometimes the only course of action, as abhorrent as it is. There was a good point made about the world not being black and white anymore. WWI and WWII were clear cut; the expansionist bad guys needed to be stopped and shown the error of their ways. Those wars had clear cut good and bad. they had borders and "rules" (if there is such a thing as "rules of war".) Obviously these parameters don't apply to the scenario we find our selves in today. History will eventually show whether the correct decisions were made over Afghanistan and Iraq, but having watched everything as it has happened, committing to fighting terrorism was the only option. If that meant taking war to the terrorists own countries, then so be it. What's that old saying?...The best form of defence is attack.
As most of you know, I'm not American. But Australia, along with Great Britain, is one of the US's firmest allies. We have committed troops to both Afghanistan and Iraq in support of the US forces, and I could not be prouder that Australia, as a small nation (population of only 20 million) is doing it's bit to fight for a cause I strongly believe in. I'm damn proud that our government, against popular opinion, stood up and said "count us in". I'm also proud to live in a country that values doing the right thing in trying to make the world a safer place for everyone, so that eventually war may be a thing of history (though I doubt that will ever be the case).
The other thing is to explore the our options. Do you think terrorists are willing to sit down and talk about things? Do you think they are happy with anything other than the total destruction of the West, and of democracy? Of course not. The world for these radicals is black and white, and that's where the problem begins. For them it's domination or death, and I for one certainly won't let them dominate. They made the choice, now they can suffer the consequences.

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"The future's uncertain and the end is always near." - The Doors "Roadhouse Blues".

Outrider,first-you are right,Australia has been and is a very strong,committed ally in our military ventures-I didn't say AD-ventures!!-and America appreciates you!!!

I agree as well,terror groups are NOT going to sit with us and talk peace......they have already issued their ultimatum....if ALL the peoples of the world become Muslim,the terror ends..............supposedly.

I have no beef with Mr. & Mrs. Muslim Person..who are just as much victims of these terrorists as any.............but I'm NOT EVER going to change my faith by demand or ultimatum!!!