The Smiley Smile Message Board

There was a McCan/Iran discussion in the General-On Topic forum. As it was going to get more political (and already had, obviously), I thought we could talk about it here. Obviously we'll have a lot of disagreement, but let's try to remain civil to one another here.

So...let's talk about Iran, presumably from a Western perspective, as most visitors here tend to be American or Western European. (Any other input from other parts of the world is welcome, of course, too.)

OK, I'll start...

My point in the original post was simply this: whether a war were to end up warranted--and I am not convinced one is or will be warranted by any stretch of the imagination, but even if it were to eventually be 100% warranted--I just don't think a war is anything to joke about. Everyone has a right to say whatever s/he wants to. But to me, it's bad taste to joke about war, it being the most horrific human experience there is, in my opinion. I'm sure many Americans would be horrified if the Iranian government started telling knock-knock jokes about 9/11, after all. War is war, people are people, and those who cause and lead wars unfortunately are nowhere near the only ones affected. That was my point in that thread.

Good move Luther.....

I agree with Competition Clutch, 100%. I'm a conservative. I don't like the term neocon. It makes no sense to me. I hate seeing Republicans spending money like there is no tommorow. That is why they lost the election. Not Iraq, but because as Republicans they are supposed to be cutting spending, and sending more power to the states.

As far as Iran is concerned, we will not invade them. I wish we could just destroy their nuke plant....too much shady deals going on with Russia and socialist Europe. Probably won't happen.

I fear for this country now that Democrats control the House and Senate. I fear for this country if a Democrat is elected president. They are too soft on national security, which is my biggest issue. Bill Clinton did nothing concerning terrorism except try to divert attention from the Monica Lewinsky scandal. 9/11 is fresh in my memory.

Anyway, I don't want to argue. These are my thoughts. I really think the Beach Boys are the greatest band ever. Not the most popular, just the greatest. God Bless Brian Wilson. I am now leaving the sandbox. Try not to get too dirty and wipe off yer feet upon leaving. peace.

The joke doesn't bother me though. Political Correctness does.

Political correctness bothers me, too. I consider it a backhanded style of censorship. But to criticize the content of someone's speech is not to seek to limit it. As I said, McCain has every right to make his joke. I have every right to think it's stupid.

I didn't hear it, but I could see it as being kind of lame.

I think it was a truly stupid remark. I'd like to be able to disable the nuclear reactors or destabilise the Iranian government as well, but I'd be wary of getting into another war and have to witness the deaths of soldiers, civilians and, in some cases, the truth. We weren't informed enough about Iraq and I doubt we are about Iran. I'd also be reluctant to see favoured contractors make money out of the death of men and women. Maybe with enough pressure and negotiation we can move to do some kind of North Korea-style arrangement. And one more point, while France and Germany ought to have supported us plying pressure on Iraq before the war, it's not just 'socialist' Europe or Russia which does deals with dictators of varying political stripes... But you're right about the Beach Boys, Jon.

I know it's not just socialist Europe....I over simplified... :)

McCain is probably in the last throws of his campaign, unless Guiliani or Romney make a truly stupid remark....

Biden makes some comments about Obama and everything ends for him because of his shameless bigotry :quote , but McCain makes a comment about making a hostile move on a country -- a move that indiscrimanately kills and would undoubtedly lead to the deaths of innocent people -- and he gets off with little to no backlash?   :shrug Can I chalk this one up to more inconsistencies of the American Political Mind?

For the record, neither comment bothered me at all.  I'm happy as long as we're not actually bombing Iran.  But I'm amused at the way these things unfold.

You know, the funny thing is, I don't think I ever heard anyone on either side even hint that Biden ACTUALLY is bigoted. Pretty much everyone chalked it up to him tending to "shoot from the hip" when it comes to speaking. And yet everyone immediately said it cost him any chance. Strange world we live in when we all seem to want politicians who are real people, yet we are unwilling to let them say anything that hasn't gone through 10 focus groups, three PR firms and a campaign manager.