Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

simonjames · Mar 30, 2003, 01:22 AM

By the amount of :-

1. flag waving
2. ignoring the real facts posted here by many reliable sources including the American posting of American firms to take control of key Iraqi infrastructure (and not seeing that the approach is *totally* wrong)
3. the vicious attacking of anyone 'not with us'
4. head in the sand comments about the devastation war is having on the Iraqi population "but they'll thank us for it"
5. topics (and the biased comments contained) such as the reason why US forces are headed to Bagdad; the attacking of Hans Blix and; anything to do with the French

the US media must have whipped the majority of the population into a blind frenzy - sounds like another 'key' country now sitting on the sidelines but as they were 60 or 70 years ago.

I know this doesn't apply to a great number of Americans here (that I respect and enjoy reading their educational posts) but it seems these people are in the minority.

Whats it like in America? I get cable but I don't often watch CNN etc as I prefer the BBC - most American news reports that I have seen tend to only push the positives and always state that it's a "War on Saddam"

Oh yeah - "heat shields to maximum"

Mastrap · Mar 30, 2003, 01:31 AM

What's interesting to see is that there are first reactions from the international community directed against the economic bullying the current US government has engaged in.

It's really a two edged sword. By threatening to stop or disrupt trade with another nation you're also hitting your own people. I also noticed that nobody in the US administration has found any hash words towards China. Probably because the government realizes that they are dependent on Chinese manufacturing.

clod · Mar 30, 2003, 01:34 AM

It's all a big conspiracy engineered by those evil war mongering conservatives. *puts tin foil hat on*

eVil_kEybOarD · Mar 30, 2003, 02:01 AM

Originally posted by simonjames:
By the amount of :-

1. flag waving
2. ignoring the real facts posted here by many reliable sources including the American posting of American firms to take control of key Iraqi infrastructure (and not seeing that the approach is *totally* wrong)
3. the vicious attacking of anyone 'not with us'
4. head in the sand comments about the devastation war is having on the Iraqi population "but they'll thank us for it"
5. topics (and the biased comments contained) such as the reason why US forces are headed to Bagdad; the attacking of Hans Blix and; anything to do with the French

the US media must have whipped the majority of the population into a blind frenzy - sounds like another 'key' country now sitting on the sidelines but as they were 60 or 70 years ago.

I know this doesn't apply to a great number of Americans here (that I respect and enjoy reading their educational posts) but it seems these people are in the minority.

Whats it like in America? I get cable but I don't often watch CNN etc as I prefer the BBC - most American news reports that I have seen tend to only push the positives and always state that it's a "War on Saddam"

Oh yeah - "heat shields to maximum"

Apparently not as whipped up as some Europeans are on the flip side of this argument.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...ws/5486973.htm

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/...in528797.shtml

Aside from FOXNews, our television news coverage of this war isn't all that different from what you get across the pond. It's the same slanted coverage just repackage for an American audience.

simonjames · Mar 30, 2003, 02:15 AM

We had a similar protest to Brussels here in Sydney last week - thousands of school kids broke school again to protest in the city. This was the second time they did it.

Unfortunately a bunch of Lebanese Australians decided to do what they do best - they attacked anything with feet, fists and knives. And it was all shown on prime time tv - it put their community back 50 years. Lots of Aussies are saying they should deport the lot. I am not in that boat but something has to be done to 'fix' these kids before it is too late. Their parents don't seem to care - it is time for the government to do something.

I see protests are continuing around the world - hoping that a Vietnam type withdrawl might happen.

NosniboR80 · Mar 30, 2003, 02:24 AM

It does seem that the anti-war protestors are more "whipped up" than the 'pro-war' people, but that's mostly cause the 'pro-war' are getting what they think should happen.

As for the media, I think they are a bit biased, but I don't think they are trying to whip us up. Part of it is that Americans hear what they want to hear, but part of it is also that the press thinks Americans only want that. I recognize this, but it doesn't mean the press is lying to us. Reports from the field are bound to be messed up here and there.

Another part of the problem is that many of our reporters are unable, in comparison to Iraqi TV and legit Arab networks, to cover the mayhem and death of the war, as opposed to the fireworks and the danger to our soldiers. When they can cover it more thoroughly, I believe they will.

As for getting whipped up in general, I think that you are really only hearing from those that are whipped up, on either side. When I'm here at school, I hear the crazy students and even faculty that are damaging property in protest (shameful), but at home I get to see normal everyday people - well, at least middle class people. Most of them understand the dangers and the potential benefits from fighting in Iraq, but recognize that they don't know enough to weigh the two forces.

They aren't whipped up at all. They counted on their representatives to make the informed decisions and now they are praying or just worrying for their friends and family - hoping for safety for them and the Iraqis - despising the tactics of the 'fedayeen' for making it all worse - and generally not understanding the Arab point of view.

America will never understand the negatives of colonization, because we were colonized here but it turned out well (of course, that's because we killed and ostracized our natives and just outpopulated them. As opposed to most of the rest of the colonized world, where descendants of the natives represent the main portions of the populations.

pooka · Mar 30, 2003, 02:27 AM

Originally posted by simonjames:
Lots of Aussies are saying they should deport the lot. I am not in that boat but something has to be done to 'fix' these kids before it is too late. Their parents don't seem to care - it is time for the government to do something.

Yeah, lots of folks in the south say the same about blacks. Whatcha goin do?

Zimphire · Mar 30, 2003, 04:55 AM

Originally triped by simonjames:

Oh frettled gruntbuggly thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.
Groop I implore thee my foonting turlingdromes,
And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,
Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglechruncheon, see if I don't!

Mastrap · 02:13 PM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
---image snipped---

And you get another one of these. Why? For being the first to derail a thread that was, until you arrived, free af flaming and personal attack.

Are you collecting these things?

simonjames · Mar 30, 2003, 07:35 AM

+1 Zimp - you keep going boy - don't let no body tell you how daft you sound

SimeyTheLimey · Mar 30, 2003, 09:17 AM

I think you anti-war people need to calm down. There is a level of hysteria and impatience for an American defeat on these boards that is approaching self-parody.

boots · Mar 30, 2003, 09:21 AM

Well, I have always thought that the American culture is one of extremes. It seems like the only Americans who do things in half measure are the politicians. I know there are some exceptions, but they don't get much press. So I am not suprised by the zeal I see in a lot of people...both for and against this war.

Sometimes it's pretty damned hard to be an intravert here.

Face Ache · Mar 30, 2003, 09:40 AM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I think you anti-war people need to calm down. There is a level of hysteria and impatience for an American defeat on these boards that is approaching self-parody.

Funny that, as I'm imagining the pro-war people here foaming at the mouth as they post. Some of them seem quite rabid.

Has anyone here been baying for a US defeat? I thought people were just pointing out how FUBAR the whole situation is. Although I am anti-war, now it has begun I certainly want the "coalition" to win.

Actually, now the war has begun I want our forces to hit Iraq with everything we've got and get this ****ing war over with.

I still think it should never have begun.

villalobos · Mar 30, 2003, 10:10 AM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I think you anti-war people need to calm down. There is a level of hysteria and impatience for an American defeat on these boards that is approaching self-parody.

A c'mon, even your fierce ennemy the French have declared that they hope the coalition is going to win, and quickly. Who could possibly be against your victory then?

villa

SimeyTheLimey · Mar 30, 2003, 10:43 AM

Originally posted by villalobos:
A c'mon, even your fierce ennemy the French have declared that they hope the coalition is going to win, and quickly. Who could possibly be against your victory then?

villa

I said "on these boards."

It's just an impression:

finboy · Mar 30, 2003, 11:49 AM

Originally posted by simonjames:
By the amount of :-

1. flag waving
2. ignoring the real facts posted here by many reliable sources including the American posting of American firms to take control of key Iraqi infrastructure (and not seeing that the approach is *totally* wrong)
3. the vicious attacking of anyone 'not with us'
4. head in the sand comments about the devastation war is having on the Iraqi population "but they'll thank us for it"
5. topics (and the biased comments contained) such as the reason why US forces are headed to Bagdad; the attacking of Hans Blix and; anything to do with the French

the US media must have whipped the majority of the population into a blind frenzy - sounds like another 'key' country now sitting on the sidelines but as they were 60 or 70 years ago.

No, if anything the American population remains, on the whole, extremely focused on the purpose and outcome of the war DESPITE the FUD coming from the major media all day long. The average person out there doesn't have his head in the sand (or he'd be protesting the war).

finboy · Mar 30, 2003, 11:50 AM

Originally posted by SimeyTheLimey:
I think you anti-war people need to calm down. There is a level of hysteria and impatience for an American defeat on these boards that is approaching self-parody.

What he said.

Zimphire · Mar 30, 2003, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by Mastrap:
And you get another one of these. Why? For being the first to derail a thread that was, until you arrived, free af flaming and personal attack.

Are you collecting these things?

Mastrap, it was a joke.... I honestly never thought anyone would take it as a personal attack. BTW I would hit the reload button on that trollaward.png, to see what picture you have actually been posting the past few days.

nickdman · Mar 31, 2003, 08:21 PM

simonjames = unamerican = Communist French Whore