At War? With Whom?

[VoodooAce]

Who exactly are we at war with? Keep hearing talk about how we will win this war, and it's the first war of the 21st century, but who the hell are we at war with? Makes no sense and sounds reactionary and irrational. Adding to the panic.

Maybe we should be a little more careful with the language we use, as the next attack's victims will rightfully be called "collateral damage".

I should hope that we have the capabilities to find this guy, deposit a bullet or two into his malfunctioning brain, and be done with it.

 

[BlueMonday]

It's a politicians' term. When an American hears the word "war" we think either <img src="graemlins/goodwork.gif" border="0" alt="[Good Job]" /> or <img src="icon8.gif" border="0"> . Right now we are all thinking <img src="graemlins/goodwork.gif" border="0" alt="[Good Job]" /> . As to who we fight: whoever we need to.

 

[jc011]

well, bush said that they will attack all who harbour them, so far Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lybia, Sudan, and Afghanistan are on the list of suspected countries harbouring terrorists. I agree, i don't think we should have a war, but as a Canadian, i guess we don't have much say, now more innocent people will die, <img src="icon9.gif" border="0">

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

We have had a war since the attack on Tuseday. I will explain AGAIN, that although it is unlawfull for non-governmetns to wage war, its is not impossible for them to do so, and indeed it is quite common. And war can be waged back against the, lawfully. In international law non-goverments waging war anywhere outside of a territory where they are lawful residents are pirates (Yes that is the definition of a pirate, not someone who robs ships. It is just that robbing other people ships usually involves attacking and boarding them, which is waging war under international law) Non-governments waging war in their resident territory against a goverment therein are rebels, mostly dealt with under national laws. Other catagories of private or non-goverment warfare have existed (even some legal ones at some places and times in history) but need not be described here. International terroism is commonly all of 1. waging war, 2. Piracy 3. war crime (atrocity) 4. a violation of other crimminal laws.<br />A nation fight them in a situation that qualifies a warfare, is under no obligation to choses with regime of laws to deal with them. It can wage war back and use criminal prosecution and prosecute for war crimes. You can legally, with out need any sort of judicial hearing, go in the the military, kill any terroists (who do not surrender), then try any one you captured for crimes or war crimes. While hostilities are on going you can hold them as POWs, without trial. You can lay on them which ever of the applicable regimes of law is most advantages to the goverment fighting them. <br />What level of International hostile activity is view generally as warfare is not a fixed or fine line but is effectively a moving consensus among governments (an no, none of the governement really give a damn about what lay citizens (like most of us here) opinions on are on what that legal definition should be.

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by jc011:<br /><strong> I agree, i don't think we should have a war, but as a Canadian, i guess we don't have much say, <img src="icon9.gif" border="0"> </strong><hr></blockquote>

As a canadian, you are, since the unanimous NATO declaration yesterday invoking article V, equally in a state of hostilities as I am.

 

[VoodooAce]

Oh. Ok. You did all but give me Webster's definition of the word 'war', but you didn't answer my question.

I just saw conservative golden boy and felon Ollie North demanding that we declare war. Now! I was just curious as to whom he was referring. Are we going to ask the US Congress to declare war on Osama Bin Lauden?

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by VoodooAce:<br /><strong>Are we going to ask the US Congress to declare war on Osama Bin Lauden?</strong><hr></blockquote><br />A little out of date here. We do not mcuh do the "declare war" bit any more (not done since WW1, even the DEC8, 1941 "declaration" was something different, that war had already existed fromn the time of the Perl harbor attack, rather than from the Japanese declartion was delivered some hours later), but you would not know from the number of times the press and even congressmen have used that phrase recently. There would be an resolution or "authorization" under the War Powers act authorizing the president to use all means to engage in hostilities against something like "all persons using international terrosim against the USA or its allies". There is no legal requirement or any judicial review on how specific the resolution is, just what ever the congress reaches an agreement on. There is nothing in the Cconstitution at all about the contents or form of a "declaration of war" are, and the the war powers act is designed only to limit the president, not to impose a particular form on the congressional resolution. It is a political act more than a legal one.

 

[VoodooAce]

<img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

All i can say lefty is that i hope you plan on playing some civ3 MP (next year! <img src="graemlins/reddevil.gif" border="0" alt="[Red Devil]" /> )

 

[gjts00]

Originally posted by VoodooAce:<br /><strong>

Are we going to ask the US Congress to declare war on Osama Bin Lauden?</strong><hr></blockquote>

<br />Based on my interpretation of what I've been hearing the past couple of days, I'd say yes. Along with wich ever nation(s) that we can link to aiding him in his activities.

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by VoodooAce:<br /><strong> <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

All i can say lefty is that i hope you plan on playing some civ3 MP (next year! <img src="graemlins/reddevil.gif" border="0" alt="[Red Devil]" /> )</strong><hr></blockquote>

I have 12 Civ3s on pre order, hopefully to arrive in time for christmas gifts. But I am not much into MP on computor games. getting people coordinated for a game is a bit of a pain, and when I go to that effort, I prefer face to face wargame, where we talk, eat, and drink together, and where I can see their face when deliveing the death blow.

<img src="graemlins/snipersmilie.gif" border="0" alt="[Sniper]" />

[ September 14, 2001: Message edited by: Lefty Scaevola ]</p>