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Merry Christmas to everyone and let's hope that the war never comes. We Europeans don't want war. Let keep it this way...I hope the rest off the world is also peacefull minded.

Alain

Alain,

I (retired military) and the majority of Americans do not want war either. But because of an evil minority in the world it sometimes becomes necessary, so that the majority can live in peace.

Fran in Florida

Fran: Your post was very short and well stated, happy holidays to all. ARJ

Like Fran, I am a US retired military person and agree that war is sometimes necessary to ensure a peaceful world in the long run. I am not convinced yet, that war with Iraq is justified. I was afraid initially, that President Bush would start shooting and ask questions later. However, he has bowed to the international community (and rightly so in my opinion) and is letting our community of nations (the UN) take the lead in deciding whether war is appropriate or not. It is my hope that if we go to war, we have a fully justified and legal basis for doing so and the mandate is given by the UN.

One thing is clear folks, if we don't solve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the Middle East will be a hotbed of hatred toward the United States forever. That does not bode well for the security of the United States and its people. I lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for eight years after retiring from the Air Force. I am very familiar with Islam, the Arab culture, and the feelings of the average Arab toward the United States. We (the United States)have had a wrong-headed policy in dealing with the Middle East from day one. We (again, the United States) rail against discrimination and enact law after law making discrimination a criminal offense, send people to jail when they break those discrimination laws, and then blatantly, in front of the whole world, discriminate against the Palestinian people in favor of the Israelis. We Americans need to get our house in order! We need to practice what we preach! The solution to the Middle East difficulties is to create a Palestinian state so those poor people can get on with their lives just like we in the West do. But simply creating a state is not enough. We need to support it wholeheartedly with financial backing, and political and technical assistance. In so doing we will enable the Palestinian people to pull themselves up out of the rubble and devastation which they live with every day on their tiny plot of land set aside for them. It is scandalous that the American people have allowed our government to be an active partner in the subjugation of a people for more than 50 years! We must turn things around and be a responsible, caring, honest, and fair partner in the Middle East. Discrimination against the Palestinian people has to go! Anything less is simply unacceptable to me as an American!

I was ready to end my little dissertation there but decided to make one more extremely important point. The United States has poured billions, yes billions, of dollars into Israel to support it politically, industrially, and militarily. How would you feel if you were a Palestinian living in the Middle East and your neighbor has the latest weapons of mass destruction, a huge military machine with all the latest technology - all given to your neighbor by the United States to ensure your subjugation? Want to know how I would feel? I would hate the United States! Where would we be today if we had poured billions into Gaza and the West Bank to build the all-important political, cultural, and commercial infrastructures needed in a sovereign Palestinian state? I can guarantee you we would be looked upon by the Palestinian people with love and affection, not hatred. Israel is self-sufficient now. We need to stop arming the Israelis so they can continue to destroy the Palestinian people. Let us resolve to raise the Palestinian people out of their rubble and poverty by giving them the means to create a happy and secure future for themselves.

I'm off my soap box now. Thanks for listening.

Chuck Piper

Chuck,

Well stated. I must assume you are also a Democrat.

Fran in Florida

If the Bush Empire decides to go to war with Iraq, it would be for one reason....
O I L !!!!

I hope this topic stops before we have our own war here on the Synthzone!

Marilyn

Thanks Marilyn, I was just pressing my uniform, polishing the buttons and cleaning my rifle!!! Walter.

Hi Fran,

No, I am not a Democrat. I am an independent because I believe both main political parties fail us in so many ways. It is becoming increasingly difficult to place any trust or confidence in our political leaders these days and I am not speaking of the United States exclusively because it is a universal problem. For example, in recent years, French, German, Japanese, Canadian, Italian, British, South Korean, Zimbabwian, and American political leaders have let us down morally and ethically just to name a few. The sleaze and corruption among politicians seems to have no end.

Marilyn and Walter. I hope we can have an intelligent, informed and serious debate on issues of huge importance once in a while without criticizing or poking fun at those who take these matters very seriously indeed. Like you, I would like our focus to be on music and keyboards on this, our KN forum. However, I think we should be accomodating enough to allow members the freedom to raise other topics for discussion if they have something on their mind they want to share with us.

All three of you take care.

Warm Regards, Chuck

CHUCK PIPER just don't sound like an Arab name to me, or is it?