[Sleeper]

OZ, I felt compelled to answer some of your questions:

Explain to me exactly how Iraq is a direct threat to the USA. Will America be invaded by the Iraqi army? Will Iraq launch a military strike on Iraq? Some cynics would argue that America is more concerned with a threat to the supply of petroleum.

**No, Iraq doesn't have the military capability to invade the US (few countries do). What Iraq does have the capability to do is supply terrorist organization with capital, from the sale of oil, and weapons, both conventional and catastrophic. Iraq has also shown the willingness to use chemical weapons, such as nerve gas, on it's own citizens. Finally, oil IS a big part of it. Iraq invaded Kuwait for oil and would have continued to other countries if not for the actions of a US-led coalition. Iraq is in continued violation of multiple UNITED NATIONS resolutions and has ignored the international community and their mandates. The fact is, without the US, the UN has no teeth. That is why time and again US troops are put in harms way to enforce UN directives.

Yes I would like Australia to remain an ally of America.

Does America go out of its way to kill civilians during wars? Do the words Hiroshima and Nagasaki mean anything to you? Look at Vietnam - invading a country to fight on "behalf" of a people that didn't want you.

**If you want to bring up either WWII or Vietnam, you should probably present a little more balanced view. The US, while supporting the Allied cause in Europe, stayed out of WWII. It was an unprovoked Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that brought us into the war. The two atomic weapons that were dropped kept the US from having to invade the Japanese mainland, which saved tens of thousands of US lives. War is neither pretty or fair, with the goal being to save as many of your lives as possible while driving your enemy into submission. Historically, the US has yet to be an agressor in any war. Once provoked, we play to win. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but that is how war exists.

Vietnam was not an invasion, either. We originally went in to assist, invited, by the French and the South Vietnamese government to combat communist invasions funded largely by the Soviet Union and China (much like in Korea) and got sucked in to a police action (war) that we had no business being in. There are very few people in the US that will defend either the decision to go into Vietnam or how the war was run.

Uneducated and uniformed? Why? Because my views differ to yours? I'm sorry I didn't realise that your opinion was the only correct one.

Am I anti-American? No. Do I think that America gets carried away by their own importance? Yes. Do I object to politicans (especially those of other nations) telling me how to act, think and feel? Yes.

**Yes, you are uneducated and uninformed and I have no idea why. I don't care if you are anti-American or if you support the US, but at least get your facts straight about our role in recent conflicts. If you are going to argue a point, do so rationally and not with the same, tired emotional arguements that continue to be used.

How would I feel if Iraq attacked Australia? Well besides suprised, I would expect Australia's allies to come to our defence. However, thus far, I have not seen any indication that Iraq has committed an act of war against another nation - correct me if I am wrong (I'm sure you will )

**The US would come to your aid just as quickly as we do for everyone else. Iraq has committed acts of war, against its own people in the northern part of the country, against Kuwait, Israel and Iran in recent memory. Iraq has actively funded terrorist groups that bombed the World Trade Centers (twice), several of our embassies, the hotel housing US troops in Saudi Arabia, and thousands of innocents in Israel. In addition, they continue their pursuit of atomic weapons, for which they are only a couple of years away, according to a scientist who defected (can't remember his name off hand)

The fact remains - the government of America is always the first to jump up and complain about other countries - whether it be their human rights record, trade agreements or lack of democracy. But as soon as another country (or the UN) criticises the USA all hell breaks loose. Again, the word hypocritical springs to mind.

**The FACTS are that the US has supported the UN at every step of the way, providing the millitary power that the UN needs to be legitimate. No country takes criticism particularly well, but the US bears the brunt of it internationally, mainly from Europe, who we have assisted in two major wars, rebuilding and supplying capital and support. Yes, the US doesn't take criticism well, but when all hell breaks loose, we are the first place leaders of the world come running to for help.

I don't care if you like the US, I don't care if you are anti-US. In fact, I defend your right to disagree, because that is a part of the country in which I live. However, get your information straight before you level arguements that are factually incorrect.