Sons of B****es

[wossname]

Kenneth Bigley is dead. The terrorists murdered him with a knife.

The first British hostage to be executed in this fashion in Iraq.

I wonder if Gulf War 2 counts as World War 3? WW4 to follow shortly I expect.

[LabtroRob]

A more accurate description might unfortunately be "Vietnam War 2", rather than World War 3.

[Memnoch1207]

Originally posted by LabtroRob
A more accurate description might unfortunately be "Vietnam War 2", rather than World War 3.

Here we go again...how do you figure?

1) Vietnam lasted 10+ years - Iraq has been going on about 1 1/2 years.

2) Total U.S. casualties in Vietnam - 58,202
Total U.S. casualties in Iraq - 1,068
(Iraq would have to last another 54 years, to reach the total casualty count for Vietnam)

3) Environments:
Vietnam - Jungle
Iraq - Desert

The only thing similar is the Governments complete refusal to see the truth of the situation.

[Shaggy Hiker]

I would say it is more like Vietnam than WW X simply because of scope.

I actually thought, going into this, that a Vietnam-like war was impossible because of the openness of the terrain. I live in a desert, so I understand how the visibility is relatively unhindered in open country.

I guess size is a much bigger factor than I had realized. The Viet Cong had tunnels under some of our bases where they could actually listen to movies being played for the troops above them. Heavy jungle vegetation must have helped considerably with that kind of defense. The Iraqis seem to have found a way to build their tunnels above ground.

One similarity is that an insurgency is an insurgency. Vietnam was an insurgency plus, in so far as it could also be considered an invasion, but it had a strong insurgency flavor to it as well. We were unable to find a solution to that, and we may find that we will have no solution in Iraq, either.

One point about the casualties. They started slowly in Vietnam, as well.

I don't believe the two will be similar in magnitude, but I fear they may well be similar in magnitude of the national backlash in this country. Not the protests, but in national attitude towards foreign involvement of all sorts. We ran away for a while after Vietnam, and we may do it again.

[KodeShark]

I actually thought, going into this, that a Vietnam-like war was impossible because of the openness of the terrain. I live in a desert, so I understand how the visibility is relatively unhindered in open country.

Not only that, but the mountains. There are mountains (one of the reasons we couldn't attack when we had Osama cornered is that they were in the mountains. They would have eaten us alive.)

[anddos]

i think its ken fault , he knew he was going in to a country that wasnt stable and full of iraq's running around with guns . i did hear tho he escaped for 20 mins because one of the captors was paid to help ken escape. Maybe if ken didnt escape they might not of killed him , so it could of been a diferent story.
does anyone know if they would of fed him at any time during the 3 weeks or would he have starved since he was captured ..
RIP ken

[yrwyddfa]

Maybe it's just me but did anyone else notice that he was murdered when the issue stopped being front-page news.

Playing the media? They didn't name, nor seem to care, for the Iraqi women they said they wanted released.

[BodwadUK]

They want to influence governments by horrifiying the people. Its worked to some and so they are trying again!

I have every sympathy for his family and friends but he did choose to go into a hostile environment without security. He knew the dangers and yet many blame Blair. I dont really support Blair too much but in this case he made the right choice by not backing down. That would be like pulling all troops sent into a danger zone back because the were fired upon.

It is still wrong but what is more wrong is that people download these beheading videos!!!!!!

[davebat]

Originally posted by BodwadUK


It is still wrong but what is more wrong is that people download these beheading videos!!!!!!

Its human nature to be curious about death

[Memnoch1207]

Originally posted by davebat
Its human nature to be curious about death

Yes, but it is morbid to actually want to see someone die.

[Wally Pipp]

Only because it's a human. If it were a sheep or a cow you wouldn't care.

[mendhak]

rottendotcom is testimony to that.

[davebat]

Originally posted by Memnoch1207
Yes, but it is morbid to actually want to see someone die.

if society says so then they must be right.

[visualAd]

Originally posted by Memnoch1207
Yes, but it is morbid to actually want to see someone die.

Not morbid just curious. I think its a natural human instinct to be interested in such things, our ancestors were hunters after all.

Killing people is wrong, killing animals is wrong (in my opinion) but death facinates me.

[Wally Pipp]

*sigh*

People are animals. Why differentiate?

[BodwadUK]

Hmmmm your all sick

[visualAd]

Originally posted by Wally Pipp
*sigh*

People are animals. Why differentiate?

Good point, and most animals are morwe humain than humans

[davebat]

killing animals is ok as long as they are of a different species and it is to eat. Im sure most animals would agree.

Why do people find death more fascinating than life?

[davebat]

Originally posted by Wally Pipp
*sigh*

People are animals. Why differentiate?

Because there is obvious major differences between humans and all other life on the planet. dont ask me to explain because you knwo exactly what it is.

[BodwadUK]

Yeah we are sick

[mendhak]

Originally posted by davebat

Why do people find death more fascinating than life?

Fascination and fear of the unknown. That's why we invented a god.

[davebat]

Originally posted by mendhak
Fascination and fear of the unknown. That's why we invented a god.

And ghosts and ESP and aliens.

[BodwadUK]

You are presuming that God doesnt exist!

[Wally Pipp]

Whilst the existence of pesky little smelly mutts can't be denied. Sadly enough

[visualAd]

Originally posted by BodwadUK
You are presuming that God doesnt exist!

Now if we knew that there would be no need for this discussion. I guess god exists as much as an individual wants him to.

[BodwadUK]

Now you jump to the conclusion God is a he!

[mendhak]

The universe exists only if you do something that would acknowledge its existence, like think of it, mention it in a sentence, yadda yadda yadda it.

[BodwadUK]

I call it Pogo

[DeadEyes]

Originally posted by visualAd
Now if we knew that there would be no need for this discussion. I guess god exists as much as an individual wants him to.

If we knew God existed the human race would die out. All those people who chose the wrong faith (or had it choosen for them) would be first to go. Then the pressure of having to follow all the rules set down in religous texts would put paid to the rest of us.

[visualAd]

Originally posted by DeadEyes
If we knew God existed the human race would die out. All those people who chose the wrong faith (or had it choosen for them) would be first to go. Then the pressure of having to follow all the rules set down in religous texts would put paid to the rest of us.

Thank god for free will

[mendhak]

I once tried talking to god... I realized that I was talking to myself.

[yrwyddfa]

I cannot preclude the existence of a creator.