THUS I MADE A MISTAKE AND TYPING LIKE THIS (yelling in other words) IS REALLY ANNOYING
Although I have not been able to find any actual documentation of Clinton or any of his staff out right saying they had plans of an invasion (since that would most likely be classified information). Everything I have found simply talks about keeping Saddam in a "box". One could argue that had the opportunity arose the Clinton administration would have invaded and yes this is debatable. And argued and discussed as much as some say that 9/11 or Pearl Harbor where not caused by Terrorist or Japan respectively, I use this to make an example that is all.

Originally Posted by Donkey

THUS I MADE A MISTAKE AND TYPING LIKE THIS (yelling in other words) IS REALLY ANNOYING

*I edited your loud voice*
Although I have not been able to find any actual documentation of Clinton or any of his staff out right saying they had plans of an invasion (since that would most likely be classified information). Everything I have found simply talks about keeping Saddam in a "box". One could argue that had the opportunity arose the Clinton administration would have invaded and yes this is debatable. And argued and discussed as much as some say that 9/11 or Pearl Harbor where not caused by Terrorist or Japan respectively, I use this to make an example that is all.

Discussing something and actually planning a contingency are NOT the same. Was invasion discussed ... it's possible ..... BUT .... at no time did Clinton and his advisers even entertain the probability that an invasion needed to be contemplated. The ONLY thing that seemed to occupy Clinton and advisers, was trying to "keep Saddam in his box" as you put it.

is this still going on?

S2D2

Originally Posted by Senior Chief

is this still going on?

S2D2

YEAH it is - annoying isn't it?

Originally Posted by Chief Bones

YEAH it is - annoying isn't it?

Not as much annoying as it is pointless. We can argue until we die and it won't change any opinions of anyone.

Originally Posted by Senior Chief

Not as much annoying as it is pointless. We can argue until we die and it won't change any opinions of anyone.

Senior - it's not the opinions we are trying to 'change', it's the possibilities we are trying to add to the discussion.

Sometimes you can add a possibility that wasn't considered and someone will go 'aha' ... and we are off to another round of discussion.

It isn't very often when we actually come to a complete breakdown in a discussion because someone can't come up with another possibility to be digested.

Originally Posted by Chief Bones

Senior - it's not the opinions we are trying to 'change', it's the possibilities we are trying to add to the discussion.

Sometimes you can add a possibility that wasn't considered and someone will go 'aha' ... and we are off to another round of discussion.

It isn't very often when we actually come to a complete breakdown in a discussion because someone can't come up with another possibility to be digested.

Political opinions rarely are changed by a comment and it is even more rare that an opinion can be changed. What this forum is doing is arguing beliefs and points of belief in an attempt to sway that opinion. You call it discussion, that is just another term for arguing you opinion.

With all that is going on in the world it seems that there might be better ways to spend our energies.

Nothing ever comes from not dicussing.....Someone famous amy have said that but whatever you get the point

Originally Posted by Senior Chief

Political opinions rarely are changed by a comment and it is even more rare that an opinion can be changed. What this forum is doing is arguing beliefs and points of belief in an attempt to sway that opinion. You call it discussion, that is just another term for arguing you opinion.

With all that is going on in the world it seems that there might be better ways to spend our energies.

Senior, you could very well be the person that swayed "just one person's opinion" ... and ... that person could very well be the one who casts the deciding vote before congress about an issue. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW.

You (like me), are more of a pessimist than an optimist ... but ... to say that it is NOT better to continue a discussion (any discussion), is the same as saying we should ALWAYS go to war because one person doesn't agree with our country's opinion as to where the sun rises and sets.

Bottom line ... you and I are no longer in a position to do anything BUT to continue our discussions. We are no longer on the cutting edge of 'military diplomacy' ... we are the 'couch potatoes' of our generation when it comes to influencing matters on the world stage.

IT'S A REAL BUMMER ISN'T IT?

What harm can come from discussion??? Sometimes I will even play "devils advocate" to spur more discussion even if I don’t agree with what I am saying.

I took a class once on the Theories of Science and Technology and the most valuable thing that class taught me was to think of everything at first as BS and to completely explore all possibilities as crazy as some may be. You can only achieve this through dicussion.