After reading all of these posts. As a former U.S. Soldier and Marine. I would prefer a thousand al quedas in front of me. Than a thousand of these haters behind me.....<br><br>

I hate to rehash this thread but you do have a point *SacredBovine*.<br><br>Here's to "pitiful arguments"…<br><br>Where's the links??? <br><br>Here is more information supporting my statements:<br><br>Pollution Problems in the Third World<br>Often, rich Western countries take advantage of the dilemma of Third World countries. They dump garbage and hazardous waste in developing countries. First World companies might also build plants, which emit considerable pollution, in Third World nations to avoid the regulations these companies would face at home.<br><br>Ecuadoreans sue U.S. oil company over pollution in Amazon<br>"It is irreparable damage," he said outside the courthouse, as protesters read testimonials from cancer victims. "Everything has been damaged. People have died. Everything has been lost."<br><br>Swamps and streams are frequently covered with a thin layer of oil. The region's inhabitants complain of stomach cramps, sore throats, and difficult-to-treat skin rashes, which they blame on the pollution.<br><br>Ricardo Beija, a vice president and legal adviser for the oil company, told reporters the damage caused by drilling was "minimal" and "normal for any operation."<br><br>WTO— not just the U.S.<br>Huge oil, gas, mining, pharmaceutical and agri-business multinationals keep expanding their operations at all costs, creating more and more pollution. Their sole goal - to make money, not to take care of our planet and health, now or for future generations.<br><br>http://www.afn.org/~govern/free_trade.html<br>At issue are such concerns as pollution, pesticides, health and work standards. Since most third-world nations are more interested in agricultural and industrial development than in pollution, these countries permit industries (often American owned) to defile the entire planet. Pesticides, which are not permitted for use in the U.S., such as DDT, are used freely in many of the countries exporting fruits and vegetables for use in our homes. Nor do you have any idea of what health standards (if any) are enforced on imported meats. And whether the products you buy in the department stores were made by child labor or slave labor is not indicated on the label, but in all cases it was done for a negligible labor cost.<br><br>It all comes down to the simple fact that American companies have moved overseas, not out of the goodness of their hearts to help the downtrodden third-world peoples, but to exploit them. It is these industrialists, and the bankers who finance them, who pay off the ruling families and cliques who then permit the abuse of their citizens. Very little money, if any, ever winds up in improving either the standard of living of their citizens or for improvement of the infrastructure of their country.<br><br>http://www.globalwarming.org/Kyoto/agree.htm<br><br> Democracy Now<br><br>Report: EPA Rules Changes Will Lead to More Pollution<br>A new study by the Congressional General Accounting Office found that recent rules changes by the Environmental Protection Agency will lead to the release annually of 1.4 million tons more air pollution spread over 12 states.<br><br>http://www.enn.com/news/2004-03-09/s_13820.asp<br><br>________________________________________________________<br><br>Feel free to let me know if you need more information ok.<br><br><br>[color:yellow]a candle is not there to illuminate itself</font color=yellow>

Sadly, Cherry, you don't hate to rehash this post. We've moved on, but finding new ways to be negitive is the only thing you have going for yourself.<br><br>Face it. You're only posting here because you don't like me. Sorry kiddo, but I'm so done with you. It's not even that I disagree with your position on issues, but you're real undoing is that you're painfully mundane. Stay here and play in the muck and mire. It's all yours. I'm moving on to more positive things. Enjoy posting your crimes against 'fill in the blank' by the a. corporate empire, b. black ops government, c. ugly american, d. men, e. white man, or g. all the above.<br><br>

Seriously, what is wrong with you? You really have problems…<br>"You're only posting here because you don't like me."<br>I don't care about you, I don't know you! Leave me alone <br>if you don't like me! (we're back in 6th grade again!)<br><br>Also I am not sure how calling attention to important issues<br>that effect the world and all of its inhabitants is being "negative".<br>I would like to call to EVERYONE'S attention that we need to change.<br>Also it helps me with my research and (see below)<br><br>I did read where you wrote that you care about your children,<br>yet you seem to disregard all that would protect them and<br>their future. Just go on being a good american daddy eh?<br>Support the military that takes money from their education,<br>take your kids to {corporate establishment} for a nice healthy <br>lunch of antibiotics and growth hormones. Educate yourself<br>for the good of your children and their future world.<br><br>I am doing it for my child, and for yours.<br><br>[color:yellow]a candle is not there to illuminate itself</font color=yellow>

Edit:<br>http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/campaigns/intro?campaign_id=4003<br>see_More information:<br>click_Threatening the Environment<br>Huge oil, gas, mining, pharmaceutical and agri-business multinationals keep expanding their operations at all costs, creating more and more pollution. Their sole goal - to make money, not to take care of our planet and health, now or for future generations.<br><br>Thanks Celandine!<br><br><br>[color:yellow]a candle is not there to illuminate itself</font color=yellow>

The fact is that the military with all its weapons and gung-ho lifestyle is attractive to a significant percentage of testosterone-laden youth, in the same way xtreme motocross and other xtreme sports attracts them. It's a fact of life. If the military relied on 40 year olds for its rank and file, it would be a very small military indeed. As we age, our sense of mortality and hopefully our maturity increases and we are more likely to weigh the consequences of our actions.<br><br>Is there some doubt about that? Do you doubt that armies the world over rely on this sense of immortality in order to exist at all.<br><br>If you spoke to the young Ranger survivors following the Mogadishu conflict, do you really believe they would so keen to re-enlist having tasted the reality of combat?<br><br>As to the morality, taking advantage of a young man's immaturity and diminished sense of mortality and exploiting that in order to field an army could be seen as immoral. I find I am less inclined to support the notion of sending our youth to die as I age. I think that is a sign of maturity and more balanced testosterone levels.<br><br>My guess is that you believe it's something else.<br><br><br><br>Moo?

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Is there some doubt about that? Do you doubt that armies the world over rely on this sense of immortality in order to exist at all.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Yes. Ask just about any military person and they would probably tell you they are prepared to give their life for their country.<br><br>In the Marines it was understood - job one was to make the enemy die for their country.<br><br>Those of us who survived and stayed around long enough, rose through the ranks (the seniors of the rank and file) found it necessary to temper and hone the skills of the wild-eyed youth of our military. I've raised some good ones.<br><br><br><br><br>[color:blue]"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in<br>the country,"<br>--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.</font color=blue>

I agree most whole heartedly.<br><br>For the most part, these young people<br>(and sometimes not so young people)<br>don't join to die, they join to do what<br>they feel is right. (God Bless Them).<br>That makes it so much more poignant<br>when the find out down the road, that<br>they'd been lied to.<br><br>[color:green]"...or am I a butterfly that's dreaming she's a woman?"</font color=green>

From Democracy Now<br><br>28 soldiers on leave from Iraq refuse to return.<br><br>[color:yellow]a candle is not there to illuminate itself</font color=yellow>

And you're pretty far off the mark, in your very short time in this forum... under *that* particular monicker, anyway...<br><br>Since you've basically admitted you're NOT 18 years of age and have yet to mention any hint of military action, I'm wondering how you can sit back and profess to know or understand anyone's reasons for joining the service, or speak for someone of that age group as it relates to such matters.... And I'm a little confused & dismayed at your suggestion that the military is reeling in hordes of thrill-seekers with promises of some sort of 'rush' from having bullets whizz by their heads... <br><br>It's obvious that both of us were, at one time, testosterone-charged teenagers looking for an outlet for our energies. But we made different choices in our lives. A choice that isn't always available, but last time I checked they weren't drawing people's names out of a hat to go over to Iraq...<br><br>It's amusing the way you've basically been twisting my words and ideas this whole time into some sort of gung-ho, pro-war stance, which I don't believe I ever came close to doing myself. I think you've got me mixed up with the right-wing hardliners around here. <br><br>War is evil, and war claims many many lives who might have gone on to do something else in this world. But as long as someone has the CHOICE of whether or not they'd want to go and fight, then I can't feel anything greater than sympathy for a life lost and the regret that war exists at all.<br><br>You're preaching to the choir, Cow-Boy.<br><br>[color:red]You slap my back, I'll slap yours!</font color=red>