budgie

Way up in the wilds of the Yukon, there is a small lumber town where the lumberjacks go to quench their thirst. One night, a middle-aged woodcutter bursts into the town's only bar, a large, log cabin with a loft. Surprised, the patrons all turn their heads at the commotion. "Run!" The man shouts, "Big Mike's on his way!" The place turns rowdy as all the loggers go into panic mode. They pick up their coats, chainsaws and women, leave money and half finished whiskey on the tables and quickly exit the pub. in a few moments, the bartender is the only one left. Soon he hears footsteps,

Thank you. That was Mitterand's government, right? Did they give any reason?

People just don't want a fight and until backed against a wall they won't want to. With the strongest and most capable militaries in the world, the western powers can certaibnly afford to wait, yet the biggest of them all is not willing to do that. I am over six feet and 190lbs. I lift weights and I look like it. Yet I'm not the kind of guy to slap someone down just because he doesn't agree, or gets smart or thumbs his nose at me or even because he once harmed my friends and I slapped him down before. I will still wait until I have no other choice, because in a civilised society, people

I agree with 300mag that a majority rules plan would be better at NATO and the UN, however that is not the case, so they have to work with it or change the plan. Presumably the US was all for the veto idea when it was introduced, because they wanted the right to veto. Even in a democracy the president has veto power. Now if it's okay for one member to use its veto power, its okay for the others. As for keeping the French out in the cold when as members of the alliance they have every right to be there - it doesn't matter what actions they took in the past, if they were not expelled. As

The UN has not been inactive. Bush actually did a good thing by pressing the world community into passing a new resolution on Iraq. The inspectors have returned, Saddam is made weaker by their probing. Now he's trying to rush to the next step. War should be the last resort, not among the first. The inspections and sanctions have not run their course yet. For not leaping into action prematurely, the UN can hardly be accused of inaction. Remember that the UN is actually a body of nations - 60 million in France or Britain, 80 odd in germany, 19 in Australia, 180 or so each in Brazil and

Locking the French out of the process was near-sighted and foolish. A decision might have been reached even with them in the process. As a member country they had a right to be there. It is good that the impasse is over but a sad day for the alliance when a key member is no longer taken seriously because it doesn't agree with the most powerful member. This is exactly the kind of near-sighted foreign policy that the Bush camp pursues. With a little more time, if the Germans and Belgians could change their minds, why not the French?

I don't think KJI has real power in North Korea. His generals are the ones in control and they're smart enough to know they'd lose any war. It is very unlikely the Chinese will back them up this time if the go on the offensive and although large, their miliatry is starving and outdated by decades. They would simply be outmatched. The real reason for all these threats is hat despite failure, a war would be devestating, so they're using the threat of war to gain leverage and aid. They may also be scared when they see another 'Rogue State' and member of the "Axis of Evil' about to be toppled

I noticed his commentaries on future government when I read it but I think he was actually warning against that kind of society. I know the officers and the schoolteacher and other characters extolled the virtues of such a system, but the real aim I though was to ask us if that was what we wanted. After all, Heinlein served during WWII and he saw the different ideologies opposing one another in that war. The questions the book raises are anti-facist and ant-communist.

I'm not as passionate about this as you guys are, which is why I can tease Mr. Blair. Actually he has pretty good teeth for an Englishman. So does my boss. As for it taking a great leader to step out and achieve something, there is serious debate in the world as to whether Dubya is a great leader. Other presidents have been less popular or more, but few have stepped on as many toes in such a short space of time. The reason I'm not as passionate is that I still agree than Saddam needs to be taken care of, but I am not convinced - in this day and age more than in emergencies like Granada

It's not the US's duty to hold the UN to their word, but the other way around. The world body wasn't designed to be policed by individual nations, no matter how strong. If the UN has changed its outlook, it's not the responsibility of the US to pull it back into line or teach it a lesson by whipping Saddam of its own accord. A majority of nations doe not want to go to war and they will not endorse what they see as Bush's military adventurism. And Tyovan, you're right about the protest picture. The ill informed like to equate anyone they disagree with to the Nazis. Thankfully most peop

looks like a Sig slide on a Glock receiver. sexy. dead sexy.

Actually I do care about the Iraqi people. A war to liberate them would be just and should have UN backing. I still believe that without UN backing, however, the need is not pressing enough for a few countries to go it alone. Bush's reasons for going to war aren't enough to satisfy a number of key security council members. If it were me, I'd play the save Iraq from itself card. Rather than present a lot of hokey evidence about iraq's al-Qaeda links and dreams of attacking the United States. Saddam has lost control of large chunks of his country and he can barely attack his own people anym

We got jungle maps and african skins. Some bright cookie will make one sooner or later.

I would like nothing better than to see the UN agree that Saddam is dangerous and needs to be removed, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon. TRC is right about Bush's schedule - he's trying to rush everyone into it and the UN doesn't feel that inspections have run their course yet. He really needs more time to make a case. But I disagree with the notion that time is something we don't have. Let's look at Saddam's recent history: While his tyrannical machinations have continued to keep him in power and his people suffering, his armies have shrunk to a third the size they

@Tyovan - Are those servicemen suing the 'president' refusing to fight or just making a point? If they will still follow their orders they don't need to be court-martialled. @Streinger- the 20 year old students probably still remember the horrors of the wars that fformed their country and want to spare the Iraqis some of the same horror. Some people have seen enough blood. @300Mag - But you gotta admit, what a stud!

I agree there. And Uncle Sam will race to protect them. That doesn't mean they have to follow Dubya into his little pet-project this time when it is clear nobody is in danger. Hitler was powerful as a leader: Saddam has had his teeth filed by 12 years under sanctions. he's barely strong enough to hold on to his own country let alone attack another. Nor is he a madman in the true sense. He is a psychopath but a self-serving one. He will never attack the US or its allies [again] because that would ensure his own destruction. Nor would he assist in a terrorist attack against them while

Clouding the issue with facts is right. The issue remains that they don't see Saddam as a biog enough threat to go to war over. Theat's all. It doesn't matter how mean he is to them or how much he dreams of rearming - they believe he is simply too weak. Evil intent does not constitute a threat in their eyes. Once the schoolyard bully picked on a smaller kid. the toughest guy got together with his mates and taught the bully a lesson. They injured him so bad he can't pick on others any more (things might still be bad at the bully's home, but their chielf concern is the safety of the oth

Typical suburban [idiot]. Looks like mommy forgot what Kennedy asked all those years ago. Apparently she wants to know what her country can do for her, as if Uncle Sugar owes her son a free education and his service is just window dressing. Being anti-war is fine, but there's no room for pacifists in the military. If she had said something like "My Son joined to defend this country and not to die in a foreign war," she would have made a better point.

Makes me wanna mend my ways.

That's about it. Who knows? Iraq will probably be better off. I just hope this doesn't cause bigger problems in other for the UN, further down the road.

Rounding up the Japanese Americans for four years didn't help win the war - it was a knee jerk reaction based on racism. All it did was make life worse for those in the camps and their loved ones outside. Anyone seen that Dennis Quaid movie about the dude who's Japanese wife and mixed kids were sent to the camps while he had to serve? Jesus, that's no way toi treat the family of a serviceman. Same goes for Arab Americans. Being shady, brown, unchristian and probably disapproving of the current administration does not a terrorist make. I'm sure Bush and his right wing cadres would lo

The nickname of a tiny variety of parakeet, called Budgerigars (from the Australian Aboriginal betchyriga meaning "good food." My ex wife introduced me to the joys of having them as pets. When properly tame (hand reared from very young) they make wonderful companions. They are also very quirky and temperamental. That's one in my avatar.

They've nothing to hide, stop being so paranoid. This sounds similar to the "with us or against us" vein or any country disagreeing being anti-American. The French have always been a diplomatic pain the rear - must be something in the frog legs. Back to what Time said about the likely result if the UN inspectors come back and confirm that Saddam is in material breach. If that's all it takes to make the stubborn holdouts join Dubya's little Arab-stomping party, then they may just point the finger at Iraq. That will be an easy way for everyone to come to an agreement, since those nation

Okay if RSE can come up with a better engine than Unreal, with its own look, then I'll be happy. But at the moment Unreal2 is king of the hill in first person shooters. Even if RSE goes ahead with its own engine it will be among the last of a dying breed. More and more games that involve fully 3d worlds and first person views are turning to licensed engines (Quake3, Unreal2, Lithtech and soon, Doom3). IMO there is still a lot of variety betrween say RTCW, MOH, Star Trek Elite Force and Quake3 Team Arena, even though all are built on the same building blocks. Better get used to it -

Generally men who've been in combat don't brag about it. Furthermore, lippy or bigmouth SF candidates rarely make it past the selection. SF units prefer their guys to be anonymous.