Rumsfeld Praises Austria in Senate! - Page 4

Demerzel · February 15, 2003, 22:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin

Powell said yesterday that an extension on inspections "seems to be a forgone conclusion".

out all yesterday in London so didn't see that but good on Powell eh?

Spiffor · February 15, 2003, 22:43

My vocabulary fails. What does "forgone conclucion" mean ?

DinoDoc · February 15, 2003, 22:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
My vocabulary fails. What does "forgone conclucion" mean ?

Obviously going to happen.

Demerzel · February 15, 2003, 22:50

yes it means thats its a certainty.

*EDIT*
bah didnt realise Off-Topic posts didn't increase your post count. damn, never gonna get that custom avatar now...

Spiffor · February 15, 2003, 22:50

thx. Glad Powell said so

KrazyHorse · February 15, 2003, 22:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin

What you do is talk them into abstaining by pointing out all the nasty little things you could do to them if they stand in the way and then show them all the nice helpful things you can do if they don't.

Given that the haven't imposed X billion dollars in trade sanctions they've been authorised to do by the WTO, the US might want to step carefully in how much it threatens Europe right now.

Comrade Tribune · February 15, 2003, 23:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Frogger
..., the US might want to step carefully in how much it threatens Europe right now.

I hope not. The more the US go ahead threatening everybody and generally making fools out of themselves, the more it will eventually backfire. Can´t wait for the backlash!

Oerdin · February 15, 2003, 23:12

Of course by then Austria will be a smoking ruin!

Demerzel · February 15, 2003, 23:13

you mean the US are going to bomb Austria next? bit harsh for not toeing the US line isn't it?

Spiffor · February 15, 2003, 23:16

Nah Demerzel, these Austrian traitors had it coming. After all, they are rabid pro-Saddam and pro-genocide sausages eaters ! Hell is too good a place for them

Demerzel · February 15, 2003, 23:21

heh I marched in the anti-war rally today in London, I better watch out for all the US smart bombs that'll be sailing through the window later I guess.

My only hope is that they will leave me alone as I don't eat "pro-genocide sausages", I prefer nice Lincolnshire ones

Velociryx · February 15, 2003, 23:35

Total aside, but....

Did France go through the UN when it dealt with the Ivory Coast(?)

The Brits Falkan Islands affair...UN sanctioned, or no?

I'm sure there are others, and I'm not asking to troll....just genuinely curious.

-=Vel=-

Oerdin · February 15, 2003, 23:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Demerzel
you mean the US are going to bomb Austria next? bit harsh for not toeing the US line isn't it?

*whispers in Demerzel's ear* "It was a joke."

Spiffor · February 15, 2003, 23:41

I don't remember France going to the UN at the beginning of the Ivory Coast crisis. I think the UN now backs France (heard that on French TV), but French action wasn't UN-approved when our troops went there AFAIK.

Edit : IIRC, the latest intervention of the French army in Africa, during the Rwandan genocide, has been backed internationally. I forgot if it was NATO or the UN which accepted though

Velociryx · February 15, 2003, 23:44

Interesting.

Not that I'm saying they're anywhere *close* to being the same scale, because clearly, Iraq is a bit more....shall we say....strategically located, but....isn't that a bit of a hypocritical stance? Countries who have done their own thing regardless of a UN mandate demanding that the US seek one?

-=Vel=-

Spiffor · February 15, 2003, 23:52

Is there any diplomat in the whole arena who is not an hypocrite ?

edit : However, it is a bit different too, re French actions in Africa. These are not a war, but an intervention with the (reluctant) agreement of the authorities. Hence, France officially doesn't trample the Ivorian (sp?) sovereignity.

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 00:00

Well said, Spiff, and again, let me make clear that I'm not saying they're anywhere close to the same scale....just that....I dunno. Strikes me as a very....unusual position for France to take. It's like saying "well, I'm gonna go over here and muck around in the Ivory Coast, and worry about UN approval later on, but you, Mister USA....you have to get your UN ducks in a row first!"

Just....making sure I'm understanding the situation correctly....

-=Vel=-

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 00:01

Ahhh...and no worries there, Spiff....our "adventure" in Iraq won't be a war either....no declaration from congress....we'll just call it an intervention too....

-=Vel=-
(which would not be entirely innacurate, since we created Saddam in the first place)

Spiffor · February 16, 2003, 00:08

There will be no war in Iraq, but only an intervention ? This is great !

I'll email my anti-war friends immediately to tell them the protests have worked !

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 00:12

Rock on! At the end of the day, it's all about semantics....

-=Vel=-

Spiffor · February 16, 2003, 00:15

I think we've just understood what diplomacy is all about

(Wait it isn't funny, it is true

)

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 00:21

There may be hope for the grand alliance yet!

Shhhh! Don't tell anybody tho....an American and a Frenchman in agreement! That could give the world a moment's pause....

-=Vel=-

Spiffor · February 16, 2003, 00:25

Erm, let's stop this hugging now

I'm against the "war", "intervention", "flowers-gathering" or whatever you call it in Iraq !

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 00:35

Fair enough, and I DO respect your views on it.

But I gotta say that if this punk-dog mother f**ker keeps foot-dragging, he's going to turn us against each other to the point where it would be political suicide for ANY western nation to agree to enforce the resolution when it comes to troops.

IMO, he's playing for time, hoping for that very result. So far, it's working. Which means that even though he defied another UN resolution, we'll let him get away with it. Worse, we stand to lose the best shot we've had in a decade to finally be rid of the little $hit....and worse still, the Iraqi people will have to go on living under his not-very-enlightened rule.

I'd rather not see it go to war either, but Saddam will not comply with the UN resolution. He hasn't so far (12 years and counting), and he's toying with us now to buy time and turn public sentiment to his favor.

THAT's what chaffes my a$$. The fact that he's playing us (against each other) and it's working

-=Vel=-

Demerzel · February 16, 2003, 12:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Oerdin

*whispers in Demerzel's ear* "It was a joke."

heh and my two responses weren't absurb enough to not require the obligatory

?

Dauphin · February 16, 2003, 12:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Velociryx
Total aside, but....

The Brits Falkan Islands affair...UN sanctioned, or no?

I'm sure there are others, and I'm not asking to troll....just genuinely curious.

-=Vel=-

The Falklands is a UK dependency. If Puertp Rico is attacked then the US could respond without a peep from the UN.

Velociryx · February 16, 2003, 13:46

I wouldn't bet the ranch on that, Big C, but it's unlikely to happen in any case....

-=Vel=-

Ted Striker · February 16, 2003, 14:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Velociryx
Fair enough, and I DO respect your views on it.

But I gotta say that if this punk-dog mother f**ker keeps foot-dragging, he's going to turn us against each other to the point where it would be political suicide for ANY western nation to agree to enforce the resolution when it comes to troops.

IMO, he's playing for time, hoping for that very result. So far, it's working. Which means that even though he defied another UN resolution, we'll let him get away with it. Worse, we stand to lose the best shot we've had in a decade to finally be rid of the little $hit....and worse still, the Iraqi people will have to go on living under his not-very-enlightened rule.

I'd rather not see it go to war either, but Saddam will not comply with the UN resolution. He hasn't so far (12 years and counting), and he's toying with us now to buy time and turn public sentiment to his favor.

THAT's what chaffes my a$$. The fact that he's playing us (against each other) and it's working

-=Vel=-

EXACTLY.

More time for UN weapons inspectors isn't going to do a damn thing.

Comrade Tribune · February 16, 2003, 15:17

Quote:

Originally posted by Frogger
No, the effect it has is to keep big companies out of Cuba and encourage small businessmen to start up shop down there.

I rarely agree with you, but this is a *GOOD* observation!

[OOOPS, now you must distance yourself from me, again!

]

Comrade Tribune · February 16, 2003, 15:23

Quote:

Originally posted by Ted Striker
More time for UN weapons inspectors isn't going to do a damn thing.

Oh, yes, it does.

It may delay your strike to when the weather is worse, which is a very good thing.