English leader: Entrenched on the freedom front
Kommentaarid on kirjutatud EWR lugejate poolt. Nende sisu ei pruugi ühtida EWR toimetuse seisukohtadega.
VanemadUuemad
angleshooter26 Mar 2003 07:26
True, the Bush administration lacks a degree of credibility today - choosing to attack Iraq, while providing only a muted response to continuing Russian atrocities in Chechnya.
-------------------------
Good point! I find it interesting that this sentence is in the article at all as the goal of the article seemas to be to justify the US war against Iraq. When I consider that the US is waging war on Iraq while completely ignoring Chechnya I can only come to the conclusion that the Bush administration is hypocritical and their actions are unconscionable.

Also I find the statement that:
...
The US Army has long been the military manifestation of the good and the moral in major world conflicts, a fact that the French, for one, seem to have conveniently forgotten.
...

inconsistent with the end of the same paragraph:

...
side with countries either because of guilt (Israel) or economics (China).
...

How can a country that lets economics guide their conscience be called good and moral???????????????????
Sidewinder27 Mar 2003 08:04
I tend to agree with most ofthe points made in this comment, and a fair bit of the ones in the article as well.
Its hard to take sides in issues, where chances are, one won't be touched by it personally. I have a fondness for the American principles, because they gave my parents a country to live in that judged them very little, as long as they broke no laws. That is why the Iraq - Chechnya - issues, where both the US and russia are breaking laws are hard to comment on.
The article has some idealistic flaws, and could use the editor to edit it. But? Seems like he wrote it.

All in all, complaining is a democratic right. While I do not like what civilians are enduring in Iraq, well-meaening people who have no personal family history of oppression, who forget about why their grand-parents or parents chose America as their only safe home talk negatively about war - I don't get it.

I'd rather be free to talk rather than worry about what will happen to my family next week. That is what is happening in Iraq to bold people like those who comment anonymously on web sites.
Final point: poor example with Israel and China in the article, but worse for the commenter not to be aware of what I THINK was intended to ve the point.

Elagu vabadus,
Jaan27 Mar 2003 14:39
My opinion: The Western media is all about money. What is conscience against that? Who cares if they are doing right or wrong. Why waste time on stupid issues. Cowards are not always from Europe or from America. They maybe could be enjoying your house and you find out later.
angleshooter28 Mar 2003 00:28
Sidewinder:

You suggest that I have forgotten about what my parents and grandparents have lived through?

That's simply not true and frankly you should be ashamed of yourself for suggesting it. You have no idea who my parents or grandparents are/were or what their lives were like. I suggest you not comment about things you know nothing about.

You say that I missed what you THINK was intended to be the point of the article. That's a little vague. Perhaps you could say what you THINK was the point of the article and why you think that I missed it.

You say that complaining is a democratic right - then turn around and take issue with me complaining. Do you think that I should have the right to say what I want but that I not use this right? Do you think that I should be free to say whatever I want just as long as I say the right things and support the right causes? I'm afraid that that's not democracy at all but it does sound rather a lot like totalitarianism.

You say that Iraq - Chechnya - issues, where both the US and russia are breaking laws are hard to comment on. I agree 100%. However, the fact that these are hard issues does not mean that we should not discuss them infact I believe that the opposite is true.

Elagu vabadus! Indeed. Let's not be content with the fact that we are free but make our goal freedom for everyone.

My apologies for criticizing what I see as inconsistencies in this article. I have great respect for the author, I think that he is a very good writer and that readers of this paper are lucky to have him as a contributor!
Peter30 Mar 2003 07:35
Tõnu, ma ei ole Teie arvamisega nõus. Iraak võib küll olla opressiivne aga võrreldes teiste Aasia riikidega see oli küll üks vabam. Iraaki kodanikud elasid hästi ja olid parema haridusega seal ümbruses. Hussein sai ka islamistidest jagu ja tõi Iraaki poliitilise stabiilsuse. Ainult pärast Kuveidi sõda läks see riik väga vaeseks sanktioonide tõttu. Mul on üllatuseks et üks eestlane saaks seda sõda toetada sest meile juhtus sama asi kui Nõukogude Liit tuli meid vabastama ja arvas et Eestis peaks olema regime change.



Kommentaarid sellele artiklile on suletud.