Britain has been oppressing Ireland for many, many years now. Why won't the U.S. step up and free them? We seem to love war here in the U.S. I thought Bush might actually step up and fight for a just cause!
122186
Because we're not about saving oppressed people.  There are millions of oppressed people in the world, and we don't do much for them.  We only use the rationale of tyrants and dictators oppressing their people when it suits our economic interests to apply pressure on the governments in power.  \n\nIts not about democracy- its about economics.\n\nLook at Darfur.  There's millions dead there, and Bush hasn't even blinked.\n\nIf these places had resources that they were being less-than forthcoming with to our country, you'd see us "helping" the oppressed people of their country.\n\nIf they don't have resources or economic value to us, they don't get help.\n\nQuite hypocrytical and opportunistic, if you ask me.  But that's the way the world works.
196787
I agree with you - it is two faced! Why is it ok for America to bomb Afghanistan when the legitimate government, the Taliban, who were America's allies against Soviet invaders, were unable to hand over Osama bin Laden? (The new government even with aid from American Navy Seals, Britisn SAS and Ausie SAS troops have not been able to accomplish this task). With that logic Britain should have bombed the USA for not handing over Irish-Americans in NY and Boston - the biggest sponsors of terrorism against the UK, the Irish Republican Army.\n\nIn the same way why did USA not bomb Pakistan for harbouring Osama and Al Queda, running Madrassas where hatred and violence against all other religions is taught. Yet Musharaf was given bribes by Bush and allowed to be a nuclear power. Why is Pk allowed to threaten India with nuclear war and sponsor terrorists to kill MPs in the democratic India Parliament building but Bush told India not to retaliate? Why is Iran not allowed to develop a nuclear deterrent like North Korea's, when US performed blitzkrieg, invasion & occupation on Iran's neighbours who were former US allies: Iraq & Afghanistan!   \n\nWhy is Bush trying Saddam for killing revolutionary seperatist Kurds using the same method Winston Churchill did to the Kurds - poison gas, but sold to him by Donald Rumsfeld (who even embraced Saddam and declared that Saddam was his best friend in the world!!!); but kissing China's communist leader's a.s.s. when China has threatenned Bush with nuclear war over Taiwan & killed their own citizens - students protesting that they want democracy!
523532
International Diplomacy....getting European and Arab countries More involved by forming a coalition (Ala desert storm)....Europe and all these other Arab countries have way more to loose than America (terrorism wise).  It would be in all of their respective best interests in the long haul to stomp out the chaos of the growing civil unrest going on now....if USA just pulls out....terrorists AND IRAN will move right in....This is no longer about America vs Iraqi insurgency....it's total global situation now!
421867
Agreed. Nothing is going to help over there. Shrub is trying to reverse umpteen thousand years of religious hatred for the sake of "democracy" and it's just goiing to get more of us killed. Woo-hoo!. Good times. (But not really)
449754
We tried that before with Iran under the Clinton administration. It didn't work. We need to let the world handle this. If the dictators of N.K. and Iran won't comply, it will be up to the world to take them out.
504611
It is so much easier for people to shout at each other than face reality. And as long as they themselves feel alright, they are not inclined to even want to do anything about it.\nI am from Ireland, a country that was crippled by its national debt for decades after a spending spree of one irresponsible gouvernment, and only the EU funds got us finally out of it.\nIt might still be great at the moment, but it will certainly catch up with the US in the long run.
398256
The Middle East IS overrun with terrorists. Where have you been? Europe seems to be stocking up on white flags. all out war is a definite possibility. That's why we should do everything possible to stop them now. If we don't, they will only get stronger & the war, when (not if) it comes will be bloodier.
601737
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!\n\nHowever, in Ireland (we are not racist) we never support England.\nThis is not because of the history (republicans don't care about Northern Ireland) but because the media always acts like the team has already won it.
400606
Ya know, I'm getting pissed at people from other countries criticizing our country and our president. The US is great as long as we're protecting some second rate nation but if we attempt to protect ourselves, well, we're just evil bulies. George Bush didn't ask for a war against a phantom enemy. An enemy that calls no nation home. An enemy that wears no uniform. An enemy that kills women and children as part of a strategy. An enemy that fires, then runs and hides behind those same women and children.  An enemy that teaches it children to hate people of other  religions. An enemy that straps bombs on its children and sends them to pizza parlors to blow up innocent people. And George Bush is the bad guy here? It's just damn sad that people don't understand who and what we're fighting and why we went to Iraq in the first place. As for America being a "better place".  You stinking socialists wish you had it so good.
24528
I'm not going to turn this into an anti or pro Bush diatribe (personally, I'm indifferent to him), but the Iran situation is indeed very serious, and it is not just Bush that thinks so.  France, Germany and Britain have been working on this for many years.  China and Russia are stake holders.  Even the Australia Group has issued an opinion.  What you're observing is simply more attention being paid to the matter by the media (don't forget the European Union has been working on this seriously since at least 2000, even before September 11).  Iran clearly wants nuclear weapons and has made overt threats to use them, which escalates the situation above a mere arms race.  Further, Iran has not been transparent with the program, which is a direct violation of an international treaty which the country signed on its own accord.  However, when the EU-3 first noticed that Iran had broken the treaty and bought the issue to international attention, the Iranians suddenly became indignant -- essentially casting asside an agreeement they had made with civilized society.   However, now the attention of the world's citizens is on Iran, I hope that the same level heads that have been working 'behind the scenes' continue to prevail.
483854
David (above).. I'd like to make a small correction to your assumption, if I may.\n\n90+  percent of the UK population did not support the UK government in its decision to send UK troops into the Iraq invasion.  Hence, you can take it that the UK does _not_ support George Bush today, either.  His only real ally is Tony Blair, who is about to lose his position as Prime Minister mainly because of his support for Bush. If you were to read the serious political commentators, the leaders in many newspapers, discussions on TV and radio, and listen to the conversations of ordinary Brits, you would find that Geo Bush is not supported by the majority of UK people.   Indeed, it would be nonsensical to  support a person whose precipitous and misjudged action has destroyed a sovereign country (forget about Saddam being a bad person - there are plenty of places with wicked heads of state);  whose decisions have led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people; who has (according to his own intelligence people) made the threat of terrorism in the West much worse; who has increased the number of terrorist recruits way above that which existed prior to Iraq;  who has spent over $350 Billion of US taxpayers money on this fiasco of a war (and will probably end up by paying even more in order to rebuild Iraq); who has curtailed the civil freedom of his own countrymen, and who has made America not only hated more intensely by the Muslim world, but diminished its standing in the eyes of its Western friends.    No wonder he got a hammering yesterday!
646588
What are we going to do? Go cry to their mommies? It isn't like we can tell them to mobilize into an actual fighting army, because even if we do, they aren't going to. Of course we don't like it, but why b!tch and moan if we can't do anything bout it.\nWe observe the GC to show that we are better than them, not that the rest of the world cares. And if you believe that there are not parts of the US intelligence community that aren't using torture, you are sadly ignorant.
182589
You people of the great UK are right on target with what you are thinking. We have alot of the blind leading the blind in the Conservative party. It's a brainwashing for about 33% of them that still support the actions of this Administration. We have right winged Conservatives on Yahoo right now as we speak that are policing this site for their own benefits. Nevertheless it matters none. America is sick of their abuse and will vote them out of office starting in November of this year. The Republicans are really working hard to maintain their position in office of the Senate and House of Representatives. The President doesn't have any hope, for what he has done to America in the last 6 years.
375276
I lived in Britain and Ireland for a good number of years, and can tell you the situation in Britain is, if anything, worse than here ... they're swamped with moslems and illegal immigrants from mainly the Eastern European countries, and can barely cope ... the Brits are getting more and more frustrated, and I reckon it won't be long before things will boil over ...\n\nWhen Romania and Bulgaria join the EU in January 2007, things will get worse ... Britain is already the target of illegal immigration from Romania in particular, and after Jan 2007 these people can enter at will .. there are organized gangs of human smugglers in Romania who are also keeping their eyes on the illegal immigration and amnesty situation in the United States ... and after 2007, we can prepare for an exodous from Romania and Bulgaria into the United States as well ... so be prepared ....
551740
Hi, I have absolutely nothing against the Americans. I have been over there on holiday a few times and have worked a while in Kansas City, Missouri. Of course as a Brit (living in Switzerland presently),  I did notice that life in America is much more anonym, probably because of the vast size of your country and the sheer magnitude of your population.\nThe only reservation I have with Americans are their eating habits (fast food etc), and their lack of geographical knowledge..outside of the USA. (Who is perfect anyway?)\nI do not detest Bush as a person, I do not really know him,  but I have not agreed with all of his policies and decisions. Then again, the whole world is corrupt anyway. I think we have to be patient for the truth to be illuminated. Maybe one day we will find out the full truth with regard to Irak and other armed conflicts, in which the US Forces are and have been involved.\n\nI evaluate the change as a positive step for USA and for the world, but cannot make any prognosis, as we, normal citizens do not have access to all the information!.\nI was very suprised that Bush was re-elected in 2004 and not surprised at all, that the long-yearned for change of leadership is happening now.\n\nGood luck, and a good question. It shows that you think globally and are interested in outsiders' opinions!
308967
littleluvkitty - Thankyou for yet again demonstrating how little most people know of the conflict in Northern Ireland and the misery it has caused for people on both sides of that conflict.\n\nIt was that ignorant one sided sentiment which kept american money going into funding bombs and bullets which killed lots of innocent people in that troubled place. \n\nA terrorist is a terrorist whether he is blowing up a skyscraper in New York or a Hotel in Belfast.\n\nWhen will you guys realise that the Irish terror gangs (on both sides) were not good old boys who sang songs drank Guinness and bravely fought the invading Brits? They were (and are) gangsters who blew shopping centres, hotels and pubs full of people (their own Irish people included) to bits on a regular basis. They ran protection rackets, and punishement squads in their own communities, and they have killed many more children than ever they killed soldiers with their clumsy antics.\n\nBut back to the question. The medals are service medals and simply indicate that there has been a completed tour of duty. All armies do that and in fact the Brits give out a lot less than most.\n\nAnd to your point, yes I agree the long suffering ordinary people of Northern Ireland, Catholic and Protestant, who starved the terrorists of their oxygen do deserve a medal.
534478
of course the should but what baffels me is that there is a party called domcratic unionest party.\nhow can the be domacratic if the wont sit down and talk to another domocratialy elected party.\nyou are either a demorocy or not\nand the brits dont give a shit about any part of ireland the cant tell the difference between either side\nthe guy who said send them all to iraq is right