ME and Ophelia

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THANK GOD THE ANTI IRAQ WAR PROTESTORS
ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING US
Even the Iraqis say life has got better since the war

Don't you wonder why people, after eleven years and acres of news on Iraq under the full glare of the world's media, still bang on about wanting to know why we were taken to war? I do. Even in today's report on the demo in London to mark the Iraq war anniversary, it quotes Kate Hudson, chairwoman of CND, as saying: 'We reiterate our call for a full public inquiry because the public has a right to know why we were taken to war.'

I don't get what the anti Iraq war people are talking about or how they would protect us. See why in my comment below. Note the above report links to a wide-ranging poll, commissioned by the BBC in association with other international broadcasters, that has given a fresh insight into the views of Iraqis a year after the US-led war. Of 2,652 Iraqis surveyed, the majority said life has got better since the war. Even more expected further improvements.
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DO NOT APPEASE THE TERRORISTS
Neutrality is not an option

Yesterday, in response to a post and comment made by an American blogger Fran, aka Redondowriter, I left the following comment over at Adagio's Life in Wales:

"My guess is that most people are against war. Hopefully too, most are opposed to terrorism. Terrorists must not be appeased. Neutrality is no option. Saddam Hussein for eleven years defied (too much to list here) and was given every opportunity to come clean and document what weapons he had stockpiled. In front of the world's media, he refused to do so. Even after defying UN resolutions. And in the last three days before March 18 2003, he was defiant. Why? What was he hiding?

He'd invaded, attacked his neighbour Iran. For what? He lost. As a result, he was not allowed to build up weapons of mass destruction. Why was the work of the UN weapons inspectors made so difficult, and for months at a time impossible? People who are anti the Iraq war seem to gloss over many issues, including the atrocities that Saddam Hussein committed, even against his own people - civilian men, women and children, not to mention the gassing of some 5,000.

I do not agree that the Americans are the laughing stock of the world nor that this is a very dark time for the US. Take the long view. History will vindicate President George Bush. To me, the world felt a mighty unsafe place on 9/11. I, for one, am grateful to the US and our Prime Minister for taking such bold and decisive action. It saddens me that the complexity of protecting us from mass murdering terrorists, in this day and age, is such an unappreciated and thankless task.

Recently, I blogged a post about the stomach churning walk through the deadly silence of Chernobyl. Click through the pictures of today. Read about the 400,000 people that have died and the countless others still suffering and dying. See all 17 pages of that site to remind yourselves everything - at any cost - must be done to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again - either by accident or chemical, biological or nuclear warfare.

What happened at Chernobyl shows that when it does happen, it's too late for man to do anything about it."
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HAVE YOUR SAY
Are Iraqis better off now than before the war?

An opinion poll In Iraq suggests that people are happier than they were before the invasion, optimistic about the future and opposed to violence.

57% of Iraqis think their lives have improved since the former president, Saddam Hussein, was deposed.

Almost half (49%) believed the invasion of Iraq by the US-led coalition was right, although 41% felt that the invasion "humiliated Iraq".

The poll, of more than 2,500 adults, was carried out by Oxford Research International between February 10 and 28. It was commissioned by the BBC in association with other international broadcasters and coincides with the first anniversary of the start of the war that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Is Iraq a better place now? Here's what people are saying.