🚀 go-pugleaf

crb7q@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (Cameron Randale Bass) writes:

>In article <1477@mpirbn.mpifr-bonn.mpg.de> p515dfi@mpirbn.UUCP (Daniel Fischer) writes:

>    [a bunch of garbage about the German demonstrations deleted]

Thanks for your serious argumentation and carefull choosing of words.
Very convincing.

>>This is the first time I have heard comments calling for an end of the Gulf War
>>here in Germany's mainstream media (most newspaper commentators today are not
>>yet that bold, but they'll learn, too...). The spell of Schwarzkopf's 'Video
>>Game' delusion is broken!
>>
>>           Time's running out  -  STOP THE WAR  -  CEASE-FIRE NOW !

>     This is no video game, this is deadly serious, and all of our
>     military and policy makers know it.  Strangely enough, it seems
>     that many of the anti-war demonstrators do not think that
>     the whole situation is very serious.

Of course this is no video game. But from what we see here in Germany,
it is presented to the U.S. and to the world as a video game.
I do not doubt that your military and policy makers know that it is not.
But what about your people?

Why do you think that the anti-war demonstrators do not think that the
whole situation is very serious? More than 200.000 people marching to
the capital of our small country seems to be quite serious to me, 
especially if you consider the short time for organization.

>     Also, it is pretty easy to be anti-war when you have been protected for
>     the last 45 years and do not have to shoulder any responsibility
>     for this action since the good old Americans and British are
>     ponying up once again.

It is pretty easy to be pro-war when you are far far away from the
theatre of war. It is even more easy to be pro-war if you only have
a right to be against war if you take part in it. Your argumentation
seems to be a little bit flawed.

>  Germany has dissapointed me very much
>     by even trying to whine out of their NATO commitment to Turkey.
>     It seems that treaty obligations mean to Germany only gimmee, 
>     gimmee, gimmee.

Pay, pay, pay seems to be more appropriate.

>     Gee, I seem to remember exactly how effective the anti-war effort
>     has been at keeping soviet troops out of the baltic states and
>     keeping iraqi troops out of kuwait.  I wonder how anti-war you 
>     would be if America immediately withdrew from NATO prior to the roughly
>     300,000 russian soldiers being withdrawn from the east.  You'd
>     have to rely on the good will of the soviet army, good luck.
>     The take-over probably  wouldn't even be overt.  Can you say
>     Finlandization?  Sure, I knew you could.

It isn't that simple. It isn't US vs. USSR only, you know?

>     Coalition forces are involved in an anti-war effort.  Fortunately,
>     some can see that sometimes in order to defend the peace, you must
>     wage war.

Sometimes? What peace is defended here? And at what price?

>     I sincerely hope that this is not a majority opinion in the Federal
>     Republic.  Otherwise, I would suggest ...

Oh, please do. And thanks for your kind words.

>  Time's running out - Quit defending Germany - Bring our boys home now.

Exactly. Support the troops - bring them home, now. They, and the world
will thank you.

Wolfgang Strobl