nigel99

I would say being in Europe it is not jealousy. I also don't think that "most" westerners hate the US. I would say you are generally perceived as ignorant of world affairs & arrogant. (not sure if you've seen the maps circulated around showing american geography - large grey areas with details showing "we bombed here"...) I don't know what's up with the Arab world and their view of the US though... Africa - they tend to see the US as trying to "colonise" them at least that is what I have heard... and no they are not jealous they just want to be left alone to run their dictatorships in peace Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

just picking you up on the statement about "silly rules" - I believe that most of those rules make very good sense when taken in context - i.e. no refrigiration, and the dangers of food poisoning etc. That said diets in general get to me Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

It's the international criminal court and the US is generally perceived badly for not signing up as many people question the motive - if you are whiter than white then what are you scared of? What shocked me was on a trip to the states a few weeks ago someone was on Fox news and she pretty much used the words "international court thingie..." - she did not know the name - fair for the average person but on a NEWS broadcast Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=525308 Not sure if he came with strings though Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

some of his facts are questionable to say the least... on a daily basis implies that a minimum of 200 million Iraqi's a year were executed - accounting for them not working 7 days a week that is... People tend to keep their mouths shut (Iraqi's) when it results in being killed - it DOES NOT excuse the rest of the Arab world for not crying out - but it does the Iraqi's in my book. As to double standards - 4 US civilians were killed and there was a major outcry from the US - how many Iraqi civilians have been killed (limited to the coalition troops doing the killing - it still is a pretty large number) and there is virtually no outcry from the west so double standards are upheld by all parties... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Good idea in principle except for because then Gordon Brown becomes PM and labour stays in power for another term = my tax's will kill me off Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

yes he does seem confused. But then the Falluja aproach of hand the control over to the Baath party general's in old style uniforms - seemed to work quite well. Heck if they put Saddam back in they don't even need elections and we can get all our troops out before it obscures all the upcomming elections. I mean Saddam's been through a prison rehab program right? Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

France has asked for clarification on who the coalition has to answer to, and what the plans are if they are asked to leave. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3745611.stm well I hope this time around my government (UK) listens to the French. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

It was posed as a question and not an accusation/assumption. The UK government has a habit of blaming our high fuel prices on everyone and their dog - forgetting the circa 80% fuel tax's that they impose. I don't think it is unreasonable to question the impact of american demand on world fuel prices - the fact that they are 1 of the largest consummers must have some influence. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

too true - now that the US/UK are in they have got to see it through to some sort of stable solution. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Agreed - the leadership has to go. Military might is going to get the US into deep shit. There is noway that a country can behave like a bully forever and be safe. Not least the US military suppress/kill all dissenters option makes them sound like a repressive regime /rogue state with WMD's - imagine that Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

I don't here you crying out for CNN etc to give equal airtime to the deaths of Iraqi civilians at the hands of the coalition as they do to coalition deaths... a bit lopsided to me... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://www.occupationwatch.org/article.php?id=3841 Seems to me like "sleep deprivation" is another nice term like collatoral damage - hiding what really goes on. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Ultimately Rumsfeld, Bush & Blair bear the responsibility. It is a total mess and as an ex CIA director said the Bush administration has been dodging legal obligations since 9/11 it is logical that the troops will do as well. I don't believe it was a "few bad apples" - people don't publish photo's & videos if they are a couple of renegades - it takes a culture of acceptability for people to blatantly admit to things... The whole lot of them should go (Bush, Blair etc). They got us all into this mess - I am not saying we should pull out - its too late, the US/UK should have stayed within the UN framework. Then with credible leaders who the world can deal with on a more respectable footing maybe some sort of resolution can be found. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

It's 1am on Sunday morning and I am still working - this seriously sucks. Been here since 10am Saturday trying to get a new design working... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Do your research - the chemical weapons that he did that with were supplied by the UK government and the distribution systems supplied by the US government. In addition to this I believe there is solid evidence to support the fact that the US including Rumsfeld himself continued to support Saddam after the kurdish attrocities. Additionally about 4 years ago Powell made a statement with the Egyption's to the effect that "our policy on Iraq means that they are unable to continue their WMD programs". Finally Robin Cooks autobiography lists the fact that it was well known that the unaccounted chemical & anthrax stocks were something like 10 years past their effective use by date and that Iraq did not have the capabilities to regenerate the Anthrax the USA has the capabilities - the original supplier... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

Hold done the "shift" key while opening the file - you'll be back in design mode... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

I hope I am not missing the point here and not knowing the situation in the US. Here in the UK they have recently or are going to repeal the law protecting schools from "promoting" the gay lifestyle as normal and healthy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/613023.stm In this manner their lifestyle which I disagree with will be "shoved" down my childrens throats - so yes it does directly infringe on my beliefs. Out of interest - the bible always quotes male homosexuality - does that mean that lesbians are ok? Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4146756343 Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

The "smartcard" specification already has the capability of storing your photo/fingerprint on your standard credit card btw - its just not utilised, it was around about 5 years ago when I did some development work using smartcards. I think the fully integrated system will be some time off - due to system integration issues and the data protection act. Unfortunately this government has taken a very dismissive attitude towards the data protection act (every time I fly to the states my "Rights" under UK law are violated by the UK/US governments So I wouldn't trust any government to not abuse the information and look at bypassing the data protection act - but hopefully parliament will slow Blunkett down abit... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

I don't see how they will solve most of the problems we have in the UK - illegal workers - there's already a mechanism in place (NI numbers) but employers who want to circumvent the system already do. Many countries already have ID cards and it doesn't stop limit terrorism. ID cards do form a good means for the authorities to abuse people though, look at Zimbabwe - food aid is restricted to people who have ID cards - ID cards are only issued to people who are members of the main political party... So I would prefer not to have them. To be effective it also means that it must be law to carry ID at all times - which is a pain... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

The problem with this mess is that the US & UK ignored the diplomatic solution when it was a real option (prior to the war) - I think a case of a stitch in time saves nine - it is alot harder now. Secondly the US specifically does not seem to understand that people could hate Saddam - but still prefer him to the US. I come from a backwoods African country with an evil dictator and I know for a fact that the population hate him - but do NOT want the UK to interfere they prefer Bob. The final issue is that now that the coalition have interefered they are impossing a western democracy on the nation - and bitterly opposing a theocracy - regardless of what the nation wants - that does not create peace easily. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

The Express is a tabloid that would tend to sensationalise the news (the link now points to a different story). There were 2 cases decided by the appeals commission last week - where the home office decision to hold these 2 people was overturned. In the first case M the home office got it wrong - in the case of G - they got it right but the laws wrongly protected him it seems. Although I would imagine once somebody has been arrested for terrorism and becomes known to the authorities he is pretty effectively neutralised as he is probably monitored etc. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3651743.stm Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

yeah - but putting down living in wales changes the species Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

OK - so I have a new hobby and am lurking on a biking forum and read this article about crashing bikes. I think that the idea's and logic apply to skydiving to some extent and so it may be of interest... http://www.ukbikeforum.com/html/crashing.shtml Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.