I am totally against the upcoming war with Iraq because of the following reasons:

• So far the United States has not come up with an iota of evidence proving beyond a doubt that Saddam has any so-called weapons of mass destruction. This despite the fact that they have loudly proclaimed for months on end that they will show the world what this evidence is some day.
Diplomacy must first be given the chance to resolve international conflicts via all possible avenues of dialog. The United Nations was well along the way and was not given a chance to complete its task. Many believe that this conflict could have been resolved peacefully within a few months as the international pressure on Saddam increased.
• War might topple the Iraqi government but who says that a puppet supported by the United States to replace Saddam will do any better? The political vacuum could be devastating for world peace.
• There are enough terrible dictators around the world who violently oppress their own people, so why pick on Iraq? The main reason must be the oil, in order further to satiate the greedy thirst of a wasteful American lifestyle (10% of the world population using 90% of the world's resources).
• Isn't it obvious that everyone else in the world is against war, so why breach this confidence and risk being isolated from international affairs for years to come?
• President Bush is a complete idiot out of control, nothing less than a raging maniac out to prove something most of us do not come close to understanding.
• War of any kind is senseless and in the end causes more harm than good. Thousands of innocent lives will be snuffed out by the senselessness of war.
• There is a risk that extremist Muslim factions will use the war as an excuse to use terrorism to kill yet even more innocent victims.
• Years and years of time and energy building up the United Nations as a feasible and respected organization threaten to go up in smoke because of the uncontrolled antics of Bush.

Amen. I agree with everything you said.

It's curious that here in the states, support for war is stronger on the east coast than on the west coast. Why is that? I don't know.

I live on the west coast, was raised in a peace church, am college educated, claim no party affiliation.

I believe that George W. Bush is a threat to the United States' interests, both domestically and internationally. It's scary.

Yes, president Bush can be viewed as an evil person.

Your reasoning is flawed. Lets take each point in turn, shall we?

1.) The discovery of artillary shells tipped with gas that saddam wasn't supposed to posses obviously doesn't float your boat. How about, now granted this isn't us proving it, but the total lack of evidence for the thousands of pounds of Anthrax and Saran gas that Iraq had but has mysteriously disappeared without a shred of evidence showing that it was destroyed...what about that?

2.) Diplomacy has been given its chance. Its called 17 U.N. resolutions (The latest which required IMMEDIATE disarmerment which Iraq has NOT complied with) and a few last chances issued by the United States. What more do you want? How many more resolutions (10? 20? 30?) do you want us to give him? How many more people shall die in Iraq before the United States is sent in (because we always handle the worlds dirty work since every other nation basicly rests on us) to clean up the worlds mess?

3.) No one says it will be...yet there is a chance. Isn't that what your asking for with the diplomacy part? Oh wait, I forgot...different application. As to the political vaccum, no it won't influence the majority of the world. It'll influence the United States and Israeli...oh wait and OPEC. Can't forget about them...they'll get hurt because oil prices will drop which are artifically inflated anyways.

4.) Why pick on Iraq? Lets see, it does have WMD and has the will to use them (See Iraq and the Kurds for that). Its a situation that can be delt with and one we should have delt with 10 years ago (but the world balked at that one too) and now America has the support within itself to deal with it. Did we mention that Iraq funds and trains terrorists? Yes they didn't have anything to do with Sept 11 (atleast that we can prove so far) but they have funded others.

5.) Do you live in America? Do you vote in the American Republic (for that is what we are, NOT a democracy)? If so...then you have a say. The majority of America is telling President Bush what to do. He does what we SAY, not what the world says. The only ones I see really complaining about the war are France and Germany. France is patheticly hypocritical and double-faced, and Germany is going with France because it wants dominant control of the EU union with the new constitution.

6.) Ok, personal attacks are so good for effective argument.

7.) War does nothing? tell that to Europe. Oh WAIT, they forgot! Yea, that happens alot. War does nothing? Half of the technology you USE comes out of war.

8.) A risk, a chance, a possibility. Hell thats existed for the past SIXTY years. After losing 3,000+ americans, do you really think we're going to shudder now? We'll do what we can to protect ourselves and hells bells try and snuff it out. Granted its a war that can't be won, but we can win the battles.

9.) the UN is failing because of ITSELF. Because it doesn't have the balls to enforce the resolutions it puts forth. The U.N. has become a joke, a body used only to impliment the policies of presidental countries. Have you SEEN who's in charge of the human rights group? Take a look...the U.N. needs alot of fixing. America and Britan basiclly built it, if anyone can fix it...we can.

In case my reading is ignored for this try reading this link though I doubt it'll be listened to.

In the midst of loud voices screaming for war, I am strengthened by the quieter ones hoping and longing for peace. I am strengthened by those who admit they do not have all the answers.

I am frightened by those who think they do. I only hope this war ends soon, and with as little loss of life as possible.

I think that Chris has some good points, while not all of them are as convincing to him as to me. One thing is clear, and that is that hefty rhetoric embroiled by emotions is a dangerous thing we need to harness in order to make this a better world. But it will take time and patience and honesty and goodwill.

This is very important. I firmly believe that there is a great and fundamental difference between active and obvious aggressors like the Germans and the Japanese during World War II and the current situation. How do we deal with the "potential" to be aggressive? Not by wrongly comparing it to a completely different situation which took place more than fifty years ago. Why, with this form of rationalization we are then free to accuse many more so-called potential dictators around the world, blowing them up for something that they might or might not do. You know, just in case.