I Have To Write A Persuasive Essay On How... The War Is Wrong!

[BamaLefty]

Or that's at least what I have chosen. Now I need some input from the great minds on DU. Sure, I know about the Iraq war and I am vehemently opposed to it. I'm just looking for some tidbits that I could use in my 1 page persuasive essay. You know... some good one liners or little known facts about this war. If there are any good quotes that you guys might know of and see as useful to my paper, then by all means post them. If there is anything NOT to say, post away. If you are able to come up with ideas for a body paragraph, or even volunteer to match some thoughts together for me, that'd be great as well.

Also, be truthful w/ your ideas and don't let the thought of my teacher's politics dampen your true feelings about this disaster. Why? She is a 35 year old, Catholic, single mother who was born and raised in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts in the same hospital that all of the Kennedys were born in. She is an open liberal and was one of the few people I knew that supported Kerry around this area. She will love to read my essay!

Thanks,
BamaLefty

[knowbody0]

1. frame it around our constitution

the geneva convention, membership in the UN. id love to send you my daughter's senior project on this subject. it created dialog, educated many would be enlistees, and those who had no idea the us was killing thousands of innocent civilians.
spread the truth Bama.

[MASSAFRA]

2. Alright

1. Bush stated that according to an IAEA report Iraq was three to six months away from developing a nuclear weapon. NO REPORT EXISTED.

2. Powell in front of the UN based part of the argument on a PLAGIARIZED 10 year old doctoral thesis.

3. Bush states that Iraq was trying to get yellow cake uranium from Niger. This argument was based on FORGED documents.

We went to war based on a non-existent report, a forged report and a plagiarized report.

This doesn't cover the lies about aluminum tubes and statements that Iraq was some how responsible for the events of 9-11.

Then there is the whole killing of innocent men, woman and children based on the above lies. The torture that is going on in the prisons.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. The eminently credible Richard Clarke...

quoted Bush as telling him , verbatim, "we're taking Saddam out" shortly after 9-11 ( when Clarke informed him that all available evidence indicated no connection between Saddam and Al Qaeda). The subsequent deliberate misrepresentations and manipulations of Bush and his cabal , designed to justify a policy that had already been decided upon, comprise.... in my view... an impeachable offense.

[candy]

4. St Elizabeth's Hospital is where many of the Kennedy's were born-

and that's not in Hyannisport.

[BamaLefty]

6. I'm Just Telling You What She Said

Now if she happens to be incorrect, well then...

All she said was that she was born in the same hospital as the Kennedy's and that her birthplace in Hyannisport.

[G_j]

5. aggressive war is illegal

for one thing..

Statement by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert L. Jackson
Chief U.S. Prosecutor
at the Nuremberg Tribunals
August 12, 1945
on War Trials Agreement; August 12, 1945

There are some things I would like to say, particularly to the American people, about the agreement we have just signed.
For the first time, four of the most powerful nations have agreed not only upon the principles of liability for war crimes of persecution, but also upon the principle of individual responsibility for the crime of attacking the international peace.

Repeatedly, nations have united in abstract declarations that the launching of aggressive war is illegal. They have condemned it by treaty. But now we have the concrete application of these abstractions in a way which ought to make clear to the world that those who lead their nations into aggressive war face individual accountability for such acts.
<snip>

"We must make clear to the Germans that the wrong for which
their fallen leaders are on trial is not that they lost the
war, but that they started it. And we must not allow
ourselves to be drawn into a trial of the causes of the war,
for our position is that no grievances or policies will
justify resort to aggressive war. It is utterly renounced
and condemned as an instrument of policy."
<snip>

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Robert L. Jackson
Chief U.S. Prosecutor
at the Nuremberg Tribunals
August 12, 1945

READ THE ENTIRE STATEMENT HERE:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/imt/jack02.htm

[AG78]

7. "Further, the process of

transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event --- like a new Pearl Harbor."

That would be my essay. 90-some pages from "Rebuilding America's Defenses" might be a tad too wordy. So I'd just go with that one line, although they have plenty more where that came from.

They wanted to go into Iraq at least 4 years before 9/11, and needed something big to happen to be able to play a "more major role in Persian Gulf regional security."

Screw the paragraph. If Bill Kristol and Donald Rumsfeld don't have to play by the rules, neither should you.

[gratuitous]

8. Recitation of the facts

What were the stated objectives of the Iraq invasion, and how have those objectives fared? Someone else mentioned the forged documents, the out-and-out lies, and the reports that never existed. But I would also mention how the declared objectives have turned, anh, not so good.

Saddam is out of power, but he hasn't been tried for any crimes against humanity. The Iraqis cast ballots on January 30, but no new government has been formed. In fact, Iraq is about half a step away from a civil war that will destabilize the country, and probably the entire region, as partisans from nearby countries will flood Iraq with fighters and weapons, contrary to the stated pre-war objectives.

There are others, but since you're limited to one page . . .

[BamaLefty]

9. Kick (For Night Owls)

Thread will continue to be kicked (just once or twice though) until tommorow night when I begin to write my paper.

You guys are already helping me formulate some key points that I plan to use in my paper. Thanks a million.

:kick:

[alcuno]

10. How about using Catholic just war theory.

We've got specific criteria.

[BamaLefty]

12. And What Would This Specific Theory Be?

Catholicism is dispised in my area. I say that... it isn't really "accepted". That's probably a better choice of words. People (not I) see the Roman Catholic church as too liberal.

So you can see that I know very little about the workings of your church. And if this can help in writing my paper, by all means post it.

Thanks!

[screembloodymurder]

21. Well if you have to appeal to the people of Alabama

try and drop the class.

[BamaLefty]

23. My Teacher Is Liberal and an Open Kerry Supporter

I put that in the original post.

And you can't drop 11th grade classes 10 days before summer. :P

[screembloodymurder]

24. It was a joke.

You have the weight of evidence on your side. You should be able to make a compelling case.

[BamaLefty]

25. Okay

My b. :think:

[alcuno]

27. Here you go - Catholic just war theory

JUST WAR DOCTRINE TODAY

The most authoritative and up-to-date expression of just war doctrine is found in paragraph 2309 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It says:

The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:

* the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
* all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
* there must be serious prospects of success;
* the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.

These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine. The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.


Here's a link to a page with lots of articles and statements. Otherwise, type in Catholic just war theory. (Ignore the website name - it has lots of stuff)

http://www.ratzingerfanclub.com/justwar/

[barackmyworld]

11. Make it utilitarian?

Show how what has happened has reversed everything we wanted to do--like increasing freedom, stopping terrorism, and saving lives

[Bluerthanblue]

13. Not specific to ...

... the 'war in Iraq' or even the 'war against terra'- but the simple plain truth is that when we use violence to try to avert, or END violence, all we are doing is perpetuating it-(fool that he is when * said "wipe out evil from the earth" i was astounded that so few people countered, or questioned that ridiculous notion)

Gandhi showed the world, as did MLKjr and many other lesser knowns, that the true way to fight darkness is with light- the way to fight hunger is not by 'starving', but feeding and nurturing- To fight the disire for revenge (from others) with acknowledging our wrongs, and seeking to make the future DIFFERENT. Humility, and sincere apology go a long way towards 'healing'- revenge, and grudges are like cancers, they feed upon themselves.

As my son's always saying 'fighting for peace is like f#ckin& for virginity'.

Will that mean that others won't hurt us? no, but if 'we' hurt them in fear that they will, then we have 'become' what we say we despise.

Our hands have been controling, and manipulating other contries clandestinly and to our own 'benefit' with little 'care' for the concequences for far too long- while 'we' as individuals may not be or have been aware of the 'evils' that have been done 'in our name'- we are getting sips of our own bad medicine, in many ways-

[BamaLefty]

14. Last Call for Advice

I'm about to begin my paper.

Last call.

[southlandshari]

15. Kick for an A+ paper

Because anything else, dear, and you are grounded!

Cybermom

:D

[Hosnon]

16. What I propose...is what I did in the run-up to the war...

Use the Constitution...article 6 I believe - all treaties entered by the U.S. are required to be upheld constitutionally. This would be the U.N. Charter. I don't know which article but it provides for military action under two conditions: 1) threat to nation and 2) approval by the sec. council.

For 1) discuss if there was a 'constructive' threat to the U.S.

For 2) look through the resolutions to see what was needed for military action against Iraq.

Seems Bushco used constructive threat in their argument.

It could be a great paper and would love to see what you come up with. Let me know...personal me for email.

[Sir Jeffrey]

17. I might be able to help...

I did a presentation on the legality of the invasion for a 500 level int. law class a year ago.

Probably the best thing I read about it was this legal brief:

http://cesr.org/low/node/view/523

download the full text and it will put it into perspective. Probably too much info for a one-pager, but there are some really good quotes in it among other things.

HTH

[Renew Deal]

18. There are several angles you can cover.

Morally
Legally
Militarily
Strategically
Geo-Politically

Each one is good for several pages.

[BeHereNow]

19. "Sweet is war to those who know it not."

Pindar- Greek Lyric Poet
522-443 BC

"So let us regard this as settled: what is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even
when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The
mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is
pernicious."
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)

Both of these quotes are possible starting places for your essay I think.
Especially the first, if you want to detail how the men who started
the war have never actually been in one.

You could go over their various now debunked
reasons for going to war, despite never "knowing"
war and end with the Cicero quote.

Another idea to ponder-
Good Luck!
Let us read it when you finish it!
BHN

[screembloodymurder]

20. Use the Church's "Just War Doctrine"

The war in Iraq meets none of the four crtiteria that the Church demands. And the Church says it must meet them ALL.


1) Is the damage threatened to be inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations lasting, grave, or certain? <YES!>
2) Are all other means of putting an end to the threat shown to be impractical or ineffective? <WHAT THREAT?>
3) Are there serious prospects of success? <NO!>
4) Does the action produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated? <ASK THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ. THEY'VE BEEN POLLED.>

[ultraist]

22. Wrong war, wrong time

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/03/iraq.poll/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A majority of Americans do not believe it was worth going to war in Iraq, a national poll reported Tuesday.

Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they did not believe it was worth going to war, versus 41 percent who said it was, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 1,006 adults.

That was a drop in support from February, when 48 percent said it was worth going to war and half said it was not.

It's also the highest percentage of respondents who have expressed those feelings and triple the percentage of Americans who said that it was not worth the cost shortly after the war began about two years ago.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/05/03/myers.report/index.html
Iraq, Afghan wars reportedly strain U.S. fighting ability
From Kathleen Koch
CNN Washington Bureau
Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Posted: 1:19 PM EDT (1719 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has issued a report to Congress that said the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan could hamstring the U.S. ability to fight other wars, a senior military official told CNN.

The chairman, Gen. Richard Myers, supplied the report, an annual document on the U.S. military's ability to carry out war plans, to the lawmakers.

[kentuck]

26. If your were to kill a child's parents but then took good care ...

for the rest of his life and even gave him a fortune and freedom, that would not make it alright to kill his parents.

[KC]

28. Well

Enough said.