....LMB: "Return of the King"....

December 03, 2002

There's this little movie trilogy called the Lord of the Rings. Maybe you've heard of it.

Two of the movies' stars and its director were on America's dullest talk show, Charlie Rose this evening for a half-hour to talk about it.

The guy on the far right is actor Viggo Mortensen. In the Lord of the Rings movies, he plays Aragorn, a noble warrior who is reluctantly assuming his country's throne.

Check his t-shirt in the photo. It says "No More Blood for Oil".

Charlie Rose asked Viggo about his shirt, which then turned into about 5-6 minutes of debate about the war on Iraq on national television, a sad rarity.

Viggo said that he has heard many people compare the good vs. evil plot of LOTR to the U.S. vs. terrorism events running through real life. Viggo wanted to oppose this point of view, and proposed a counter-analogy in which the terror and loss of innocent life caused by the U.S. war on terrorism would make the country more like the movies' villains than like their heroes. Host Charlie Rose seemed to want to shut Mortensen up, and took some cheap shots in an apparent effort to beat him into submission, something like "well what action would you have taken after 9-11 that would have prevented the recent terrorist attacks in Kenya?"

Mortensen managed to weather Rose's inquisition, and the host seemed to realize that it was best just to let the man say his piece and then move on to talking about the movies. Mortensen's main point seemed to be that the U.S. response to the 9-11 attacks is dangerous, deadly, and nearly unquestioned. He came across as extremely intelligent and reasonable, and managed to hijack 5 minutes of movie promo time to express a politically unpopular point of view.

For all that, he's got my respect.

Posted by Jake at 11:37 PM
Comments

right on. it's about time someone in a high profile position take a stand and make a point that isn't necessarily "popular" or "good" for their career.

the general population in this country seems to follow the lead of celebrities like cows so it's encouraging when a celebrity sets an example of thinking for oneself and not backing down just because someone tries to intimidate you.

(plus i've always loved viggo since he used to be married to exene...)

Posted by: the evil queen at December 4, 2002 08:33 AM

Americans looks at celebrities the same way they do at sex: Can't get enough of them, but they're a corruptive influence on our society. We'll pay millions of dollars to see their movies, but when they take an unpopular stance, they're overpaid non-Americans. Welcome to the contradicton that is the United States of America.

By the way, wasn't LOTR author Tolkien a staunch conservative or am I thinking of someone else? Something doesn't add up.

Posted by: Eric at December 4, 2002 09:44 AM

I watched this whole thing, and I have to say it was pretty cool, though I could see that Peter Jackson was getting mighty uncomfortable when Viggo said that the US was closely analogous to Saruman. It was really good to see someone speaking out, but I'm not sure it was the best place to do it. I hope that this doesn't cause some stupid boycott of the movie or something.

Some posts I have seen around the net have portrayed Rose as being rather aggressive towards Mortenson, but that's not the impression I got at all. To me it seemed that he was very obviously opening up his show to Mortenson, and allowing him time to go off as he liked. He even gave good starting-off points for him to move forward from.

Posted by: jeremy at December 5, 2002 02:37 PM

Oh, the politics of promoting Hollywood motion pictures.

Posted by: Eric at December 5, 2002 03:57 PM

Aragorn kicks ass.

Posted by: jorge at December 6, 2002 12:32 PM

bless Mortensen's heart for reading the texts of the book and movie and the world stage correctly. He's a rarity--an actor with soul, a fine mind, and quiet courage. (Seems unfair somehow he got those good looks, too. ;-) )

Posted by: Dr L at December 8, 2002 02:59 PM

it's so sexy when babes like viggo are hip to political scene. as if i needed any more reasons to love him. sigh...

Posted by: anne at December 9, 2002 11:31 AM

Whoa. Yet another good reason to lust after Viggo. The man kicks arse.

Posted by: mary-jane at December 10, 2002 12:13 PM

Such celebrity adulation -- Come on! You sound like giggling schoolgirls!

Posted by: Eric at December 10, 2002 12:39 PM

Y'know ladies, I too oppose the war on Iraq...

Posted by: Jake at December 10, 2002 04:24 PM

By the way, I'm not knocking Viggo's antiwar views. Even someone cynical of rich celebrity posturing as myself should welcome any opposition to war. But it has nothing to do with Viggo's good looks or whatever. That's just my knee-jerk reaction. Sorry about that...

Posted by: Eric at December 11, 2002 09:46 AM

Viggo stated on the show that he was specifically addressing people who were trying to put The Two Towers into some kind of analagous relationship with the POTENTIAL war with Iraq. I applaud and agree with his sentiment that we (The USA) are the aggressors here and are most analogous to Sauron. He has cajones: Some of the blood of Numenor truly runs in his veins!

P.S. Many people seem unable to understand that our beef with Iraq has nothing to do with the War on Terrorism. It is truly about our addiction to that nasty black stuff using out of the ground...Morder had plenty of it!

Posted by: pol at December 11, 2002 11:04 AM

Thanks to everyone who has contributed.

I admire Mortensen for speaking out, and at least part of this is separate from my agreement with him. Far too few people are willing to make a peep, let alone speak at length to a national audience. Several have said that the Charlie Rose segment may not have been the best time, but I would ask when the best time to speak out against mass murder, by whatever nation or group, might be? "Truth has no special time of its own - its hour is now, always." as Schweitzer said.

I did want to add that the paperback edition of LotR I read back in 4th-5th grade had an extensive introduction, I believe written by Peter S. Beagle. One thing discussed was the critical view that LotR might be an allegoric work based on WW2, casting the Allies in the role of the dwarves, hobbits, elves, and humans, and the Axis as Sauron, Saruman, and their forces. Interestingly, the essay quoted Tolkien as saying (paraphrase, as best I can remember) that the the work was not allegoric, that he detested allegory in all its forms, and that further, had LotR been an allegory, the protagonists would certainly have used the ring and become corrupted by it! I am remembering this from 25y past and claim responsibility for any errors. Perhaps Mortensen's views would have been appreciated by Tokien.

Posted by: Jamie Pehling at December 12, 2002 12:07 PM

Viggo has a lot of courage to speak up because others who have dared to critisize war policy have had their careers destroyed. It will be interesting to see what happens to him in the future. I agree with all the points that Viggo raised and its about time that more prominent americans spoke up. People will brand him as a traitor and unamerican but in the eyes of many he is a true patriot.

Posted by: Fred Furlong at December 13, 2002 12:41 AM

VIGGO MORTENSEN IS A BRAYING JACKASS!

Posted by: Truthteller at December 13, 2002 08:58 AM

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Posted by: Brett at December 18, 2002 01:28 PM

It's great to see people like Viggo and Elijah questioning and seeing through the lies behind the warmongerings of George W. Bush, the evil cowboy from Mordor (read: United States).

On that note, check out this re-edit of TFotR, The Fellowship of the Ring of Free Trade:
http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/1553281.php

Synopsis:
"Now, for the first time ever, the hidden prophecies of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic epic, The Lord of the Rings, are decoded in this accurate re-edit of Peter Jackson's blockbuster motion picture. Unknownst to many readers, The Lord of the Rings - once thought to be merely a story of archetypal struggle between good and evil - has been found to contain astute prophetic messages about the impending crisis of capitalist modernity.

Numerous scholars and linguists have already deciphered the main theme of The Lord of the Rings as being the freedom of ordinary people to be left alone from the ruling elites. However, Tolkien's hidden messages about the disasters of capitalism and the insightful predictions about the current political climate have not been made public until now. The Fellowship of the Ring of Free Trade includes subtitles of the decoded dialogues in painstaking detail and the true identities that the story's characters represent within the prophecy.
Hado i philinn!"

"Mordor is in our midst." - J.R.R. Tolkien

Posted by: Lord Rings at January 9, 2003 11:54 PM

too bad so many liberals can't see reality. viggo's wrong on this one! president bush is not one to rush into war on the account of oil. no one wants war, but sometimes it can't be helped. saddam is a hitler with some pretty powerful weapons. definitely not someone who should be left on his own. talk to a few people who have immigrated from the area to america. talk to people from iraq. the man is a terror and a terrorist. how is it ok for a man to slaughter thousands of innocent people and wrong for the u.s. to do something about it?

Posted by: Brenda at January 27, 2003 09:06 PM

too bad so many liberals can't see reality. viggo's wrong on this one! president bush is not one to rush into war on the account of oil. no one wants war, but sometimes it can't be helped. saddam is a hitler with some pretty powerful weapons. definitely not someone who should be left on his own. talk to a few people who have immigrated from the area to america. talk to people from iraq. the man is a terror and a terrorist. how is it ok for a man to slaughter thousands of innocent people and wrong for the u.s. to do something about it?

Posted by: Brenda at January 27, 2003 09:06 PM

I completely agree with Viggo. It's not just liberals here that are against this war, as Viggo and many others have stated; most of the world is against this war. Saddam is not a Hitler and the proof of these new weapons of mass destruction is growing increasingly more far fetched. The U.S. involving themselves in this is just the U.S. involving themselves in another war they should not be in.

Posted by: Curveball at January 28, 2003 02:31 PM

It is a perfectly American behavior to question our government and its actions and that makes Viggo a true American.
I have no respect for the flag waiving but non-voting americans or the ones who must be spoonfed their news through Faux News.

Posted by: nan at February 2, 2003 10:48 PM

I also agree with Viggo and question the motives of going to war with Iraq. For some reason, we always seem to have problems with celebrities who make any type of political statement. I admire his courage and would like to thank him for stepping up and speaking his mind. He's an American like the rest of us who has every right to oppose this war and to speak about it if he wishes.

Posted by: at February 4, 2003 12:15 PM

I didn't get to see the charlie rose show with Viggo and others from LOTR on it, but i will have to agree with Viggo, there is no need for war at all and i can say the US are notorious for sticking their noses into other ppls problems thus making it one of there own.
And for Bush to drag other inocent ppl into this war that shouldn't be into it is just plain insanity!
Lastly, Viggo, congratulations on standing up and speaking what most ppl of the world have been thinking since this 'war' was announced, it is about time someone had the balls and courage to say what they feel without caring what others say to put him down.

Posted by: Nikki at February 5, 2003 01:28 PM

Thank the Universe someone with a brain is using his publicity to get people interested in someting they should already be pissed-off about- the looming war on iraq.
I find it hard to believe that anyone is in favor of war, what is wrong with you people (aka brenda)? Can't you see through the damned media hype? If your truly worried about innocent people dying (which is some kind of defense used by most whom don't know what the hell is going on) by the tens of thousands, then rethink your pro-war stance and do some research. Educate yourselves everybody- TV doesn't count.
Cheers to Viggo.

Posted by: ladyM at February 5, 2003 07:25 PM

While I respect peoples anti-war views; and Viggo is very brave to give his, with several good points beng raised, the simple fact is that Saddam is a mass murderour and a tyrant. We should be in a worldwide society where those who are guilty of such crimes should be punished, and countries such as France shouldn't try to stop war to look after their own economical interests.

Posted by: at February 10, 2003 05:36 AM

Living in the UK, I did not see the programme but share Viggo Mortensens view regarding war with Iraq; our PM of course is being labelled as Bush's foreign minister and the UK too are concerned about the motives for war. However, I also admit that his beliefs and willingess to share them only add to Viggo's appeal!! I'm with you Ann and Mary-Jane!

Posted by: heathcee at February 11, 2003 09:49 AM

Congratulations Viggo for taking a stand against George Bush's war. I wish my country, Australia, wasn't involved in this "Coalition of the Willing" (ugh! how pathetic!). For the record, a recent poll showed that 75% of the Australian population are against George's war. The fact that Australia's PM,John Howard, yesterday met with the US President to confirm "his committment" in supporting the invasion of Iraq, has nothing to do with how this country feels. If Tony Blair is Bush's Foreign Minister, then John Howard is his lapdog waiting for the "go sick em" command.

Posted by: Sue at February 11, 2003 03:50 PM

I totaly agree with Viggo.
I am from Greece and we see things here that you,American people,dont see.(Remember Iraq,Serbia,Afganistan).Because they are blinding you.The TV.The goverment.The newspapers!Dont buy everything.Listen carefully and think.THINK.
And I have a question to ask to all Americans.
If Sadam IS a hitler/slayer/murderer of Iraq people.Why U.S must do something about it?Who appointed U.S to be the judge and executioner on this planet?There are many countries with big interior problems.If the U.S bomb all these countries,will their problems be sold?
And a last thing.U.N observers are searching for these "powerfull weapons" that the U.S. goverment claims thet Sadam have.But they can't find them.
There are rumurs that U.S. knows there were weapons because they,themselves had sold these weapons.The U.S goverment sells weapons,uses weapons and we talk about a lot of money.
Weapons and oil.Thats the game.

Posted by: haris-PEACE! at February 11, 2003 04:51 PM

Viggo is FIT!

Posted by: me at February 13, 2003 06:14 AM

There once was a lefty named Vigga
Who hid his bald pate with a wigga
He said with a sigh as he zipped up his fly
If my brain was my dick it'd be bigga.

Posted by: dionysius at February 13, 2003 06:32 AM

Isn't it strange how one can always rely on someone resorting to penis jokes when an attractive and articulate man who is clearly more than an empty headed 'luvvie'is not afraid to share his views .....

Posted by: at February 13, 2003 07:24 AM

Viggo kiks ass! he already had all my respect but now he has my dignity to! He said what he ment and that took alot of courage so right on!

Posted by: lil bo at February 14, 2003 05:06 AM

GO VIGGO! He is so right! Its just like George Bush is just trying to gain power! He wants to be feared! the same as the columbia shuttle! Me and my very close friends are very sure hes behind it! He wants to be feared! he is a war criminal and we are all to blind to see it!

Posted by: Flaming fun at February 14, 2003 05:09 AM

Yesterday, I participated in a rally and street march against the war in Iraq. I've never done anything like that before in my life! One voice amongst 50 000 people - all combined made a very loud roar. It was a moving experience. Thanks Viggo for inspiring me to standup for what I believe in. It was worth it. :)

Posted by: at February 16, 2003 05:36 PM

Argh! I really hate this!

The reason George Bush plans to bomb Iraq is because Iraq is planning on Bombing ISRAEL!!!
THAT's GOOD!

There won't be a war. Just a nail-flick by the U.S and Iraq is going byebye.

Hey, George Bush is just trying to stop Iraq from Bombing Israel. Not for some stupid terrorist attack.

NO BLOOD FOR OIL? Oh, ok, then kiss your cars goodbye.

Posted by: The one who knows at February 25, 2003 10:44 AM


I agree we shouldn't have war for oil. Blood is a far more valuable substance than oil and I hate to think of our soldiers shedding any. However, I also value freedom of speech and freedom of expression. This is something the people of Iraq don't have and something we in the United States are blessed with and take for granted. I spent a month in Africa and saw what dictators do to a people. Poverty is a way of life and 1 in 8 women die in childbirth as a result of the horrible conditions in hospitals. I witnessed this and think it is our job to be ambassadors of freedom and try to give the rest of the world the chance that we have here. I don't have any answers of how to do this but my fondest wish is that the women in other countries can have the freedom to reach their potential without being told they are less than men. I invite anyone who thinks we live in a terrible society to go to Nairobi and watch the people dying of AIDS who have no means to be treated. I watched people with no insurance receive medications provided by the medical card in the United States. If the people of Iraq want freedom, then I am all for helping them reach this goal. I don't care about politics or propaganda. I care about people and am very conflicted about the state of the world. I don't know what motivates our government and am beyond caring anymore as most politicians have lost touch with reality anyhow. The driving force of our goals should be what is best for humanity and nature.

Posted by: at February 26, 2003 01:14 PM

Agree wih the majority of you - but has anyone ever thought about why countries with money should charge immense amounts of interest to poor countries so they are never going to get back into credit. why? So they can bribe them when they need to. When Yemen refused to agree before the gulf war - the USA diplomat shouted across the room thats the most expensive mistake you'll ever make and Yemen lost millions (?amount) in aid. Thats how we work. How many (oil)companies is Bush and his cohorst affiliated with??? No one makes this info available. I'd like to have a much much stronger reason to take such action and lose my men over his reasons.
If he were so bothered about the way Saddam treated his people why ddn't they do something sooner (and not war). Maybe its to detract our attention away from a certain chap responsible for a certain atrocity????

Posted by: Yaz at February 28, 2003 06:05 PM

URGH... yeah, right:

***"Saddam, let's talk" BANG BANG! "Crap, he shot me!"***

see what most likely would happen? War is bad, but , what can you do? You must get oil, or no cars, and stuff!

I say, Go America! Israel too!

Well, saddam is gonna Bomb Israel! It's no good!

Posted by: the one who knows at March 2, 2003 05:13 AM

I want a T-shirt like his.

Posted by: andrea at March 8, 2003 07:08 PM

I think that Viggo Mortensen was very right to make an anti-war stance on national television. Not only does it show he is not a complete air-head like so many Hollywood celebrities, but it also shows great knowledge and understanding and bravery. I comend his actions and if i had a chance to do the same thing i would.

Posted by: Katy at March 11, 2003 01:32 AM

That may be true, but it's false...

SADDAM IS A MANIAC! WHY THE HECK CANT U SEE THIS?

He killed a HUGE amount of ppl!!!!

And for him to still be let loose to kill more, and now so he can bomb Israel?!

So what if the entire world is against the US to attack iraq!?

The evil president must FALL! CANT YOU DUNDERHEADS SEE THIS?! All you guys are just lookin at america on how they are trying to bomb Iraq. LOOK AT IRAQ FOR ONCE YA MORONS! CANT YOU SEE THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE ENTIRE WORLD MUSLIM, AND COMMUNIST!?!?!?!
The US needs to remove Iraqs sick ruler so the entire world will be safe.

It's even foretold in the Book of Books!!!

And if Europe gets an attack from Iraq then they will plead for help to America, huh?

YOU CAN'T JUST GO TALK TO HUSSEIN! HE'LL KILL YOU!

WAR IS NOT AN OPTION!

Posted by: the one who knows at March 20, 2003 02:54 AM

WE NEED OIL! DONT YOU UNDERSAND?

Posted by: the one who knows at March 20, 2003 02:56 AM

What a interesting Website. I clicked on search and found this Website and it attracted my attention very much. All of your opionions are interesting. I beleive Viggo is smart, and grand, but there is so much craziness going on right now here in the US I wonder if we are really being smart. If anyone, for any reason at all, wants to talk about this, please feel free to e-mail me with the truth. It must be out there, any europeans, any people outside of the US who know the truth and feel right about talking, then TALK! I want to know what you guys think of the US..

PS. Another thing..I live in California and we do need oil!! It's bad! very!

Posted by: Marie at March 20, 2003 01:58 PM

Yes, saddam is a tyrant! but we hate the U.S MORE. The U.S bombed the crap out of us in 91 and imposed sanctions on us and killed 3 million Iraqi's through their "humanitarian effort". First they used depleted uranium in their bombs and gave a huge number of the population cancer. Then they didn't allow any radiation treatment for anyone. (they could make weapons of mass destruction with it........pffft) The population are just sitting ducks. Families with no history of cancer are giving birth to babies with cancer! Now more bombs are falling, Oh goody! It's as if the U.S didn't do enough by bombing Iraq before and basically putting sanctions on food and medicine and that DISASTROUS oil for food programme. Oil hungry wankers. They want oil! Why didn't they help all the arabs who are living under far worse tyrants?....no oil maybe? Why didn't they help the rwandans during the genocide in their country? not enough oil in Rwanda? Why didn't they help the east timorese? because they were too busy arming the Indonesians. I can give you a thousand more examples of countries they've completely neglected and ignored or simply amred to get their share of the oil. see noam chomsky "manufacturing consent" etc. Why don't they disarm Israel? Israel has violated over
a trillion U.N resolutions and continues to illegally occupy the Palestinians and bomb their homes. The U.S has vetoed every U.N resolution since the beginning of time. No, instead america gives Israel over 4 billion dollars a year in "aid" and they recently gave Israel an extra one billion as "emergency money". That's where all your tax money is going...to the Israeli army. The poorest countries in the world don't get anything like this amount from the U.S! No, screw them. Just like the bombing of Afghanistan they killed over 20,000 INNOCENT civilians, now doesn't that make george wanker bush a worse tyrant than saddam? Well, he's killed more in his act of revenge, what was the result? no ossama but ONE taliban leader. The others have escaped. Oh wow, what a success. 20 thousand innocent civilians for one leader. Great ratio.
Ofcourse the media is not telling the whole truth (look at their afghanistan coverage)CNN defended itself by saying, "showing innocent civilians dying Afghanistan may upset viewers". Great excuse. This is censorship at its worst. The U.S has media control which is sad and some reporters have implied that the pentagon will be running the media wars. If you want to know the truth about this war; see robert fisk of the independent of London who is BRAVE enough to report from baghdad instead of a 5-star hotel in Kuwait like all the other "reporters".

Posted by: Iraqi chick at March 22, 2003 03:47 PM

This is to the Iraqi chick. Who exactly do you hate? All Americans? or just the leaders of the US? Do you think the people of the United States hate the Iraqis? Of course not, even when they vent their spleens with vitriolic hate like you did in your message. No one in the US wants to see innocent Iraqi people die. Oceans of tears aren't enough to express sorrow for the loss of one child--and so many have died in Iraq. Don't forget we love our children too--and now we have to fear more than ever that some madmen will try to murder our children as a political statement because Americans have been more fortunate than some.
(Speaking of being fortunate...are you writing from Iraq, or from America? If you are in the US, isn't it wonderful that you can say anything you want against anyone you want without fear of imprisonment and political reprisal? Isn't it great that you can slam the country that is sheltering you, without fear?)

What are we supposed to do--wait until Saddam uses a nuclear or biological weapon on one of our cities, or sells one to someone else to do the dirty work?

If the Iraqis wanted to be let alone, maybe that is what we should have done. But we're damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't. When we step in to rectify a problem, the world complains that we are putting ourselves forward as the world's police. When we leave countries to their own horrific leaders and people die, the world complains "Why didn't the US do anything about THAT!" You can't have it both ways, cookie. Either we help others or we don't. All we can do is the best that we can with the information we have and hope that all will turn out well in the end. But if that isn't good enough for you, maybe we should just leave foreign countries to their lunatic leaders. Maybe the Iraqis and Saddam deserve each other.
Just don't call us in the future if you need help.

Posted by: American girl at March 24, 2003 10:13 PM

Amen! Well said!

The Iraqi soldiers are much more sensible than viggo. They want Saddam to go down!

HEy, what did Bush do? Terrorism? Hmm he didn't do anything yet.

Protests won't help anything. I'm sorry.

Too bad Viggo thinks Bush is a maniac.

But, he'll see what kind of monster Saddam really is.

WHY TELL THE US TO GIVE UP? WHY NOT SADDAM? The USA WON'T BOMB IRAQ IF THEY HAND SADDAM TO THE US.

Man, why aren't people logicall?

Posted by: The one who knows at March 26, 2003 01:30 PM

To the person who said that Iraq will make the whole world muslim and communist: First of all; Saddam NOT a communist. There is actually a Worker Communist Party of Iraq working against Saddam - to make a nation ran by the people. True communism is not anti-democratic. It is about sharing the goods and that all people should have the same rights.
Second; unlike the christians, muslims don`t travel around the world to force their religion on other people, and Saddam is not even a religious person - he just uses the religion to gain support. (Unlike a christian fundametalist president we all know...)

Yesterday I attended a peace demonstration, and I think my favorite posters where these: "Drop Bush - not boms" and "make tea - not war" ;-)

Posted by: Norwegian boy... at March 27, 2003 12:12 PM

DOES ANYONE HAVE PROOF THAT BUSH PLANS TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD? no.

If all you people would be "logical" EVER HEARD OF IT?! then could you see that you should
"Drop Saddam to make The US stop Bombing!"
And that Christianity is NOT a religion! It's reality!

Posted by: The one who knows at March 31, 2003 04:48 AM

OO! The Russians where Communist! Look how they ended up! Norweigan kid, you like Communism?!

You want serail killers to share your house, and get your stuff when it's yours, and do whatever they please? It's chaos.

Posted by: The one who knows at March 31, 2003 04:51 AM

And, so where are you at the one who knows? Are you a proud a american? I wonder if Bush has even a choice and amercian girl, I agree with you immensely on what you said. Nor boy, if you lived where we are at then you would understand..or maybe not.

Posted by: Marie at April 3, 2003 02:30 PM

BOY, VIGGO HAD BIG BALLS TO SAY WHAT HE DID, AND HE HAS MY OUTMOST RESPECT FOR THAT (PLUS HE'S A REALLY GOOD MAN AND A GREAT ARTIST). WHAT HE SAID WAS VERY RIGHT. I'M NOT SAYING SADAM IS AN ANGEL. GOD KNOWS HE HAS DONE MORE THAT HIS FAIR SHARE OF BAD THINGS TO HIS PEOPLE.
BUT BUSH ISN'T SOLVING ANYTHING BY DOING THIS WAR. HE'S JUST CREATING MORE PROBLEMS. AND I REALLY DON'T THINK HE'S TRYING TO HELP ANYONE WITH THIS WAR, BUT HIMSELF, TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY IN HIS BANK ACCOUNTS. HE IS THE WORST OF TERRORISTS AND AMERICANS WOULD REALISE THAT, IF THEY COULD SEE WHAT'S THIS WAR DOING TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE. I'M NOT FROM THE U.S. AND THE T.V. IN MY COUNTRY IS SHOWING THE RESULTS OF THIS WAR. 2 YEAR OLDS WITH BURNED BODIES, NO ARMS AND NO LEGS, CHILDREN WITH NO PARENTS AND PARENTS WITH DEAD KIDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOST THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY. ONE 12 YEAR OLD LOST ALL 17 MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY AND IS LEFT WITH NO ARMS AND WITH BURNS IN OVER 80% OF HIS BODY. AND A LOT MORE PEOPLE. I'VE SEEN AWEFULL PICTURES FROM THIS WAR TO LAST ME A LIFETIME. COALITION FORCES HAVE BOMBED A HOSPITAL FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, AND INNOCENT KIDS, AND PEOPLE GOING TO THE MARKET, NOT SOLDIERS, NOT SADAM. SADAM WILL BE LIVE AND WELL AFTER THIS WAR, BUT THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE WILL BE 6 FEET UNDER.
I DON'T BLAME AMERICANS CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE REAL TRUTH. BUT I DO BLAME BUSH AND HIS BUDDIES, WHO CAN REALLY STAND IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, KEEPING A STRAIGHT FACE, AND LYING LIKE A S.O.B. I THINK HE SHOULD GET AN OSCAR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE.
HE'S NOT TRYING TO FREE ANYONE PEOPLE. DON'T KID YOURSELVES. HE'S JUST USING AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO KILL MORE INNOCENT PEOPLE, AND TO MAKE HIMSELF RICHER. STOP THIS WAR!!!!!

Posted by: xilagouro at April 4, 2003 06:03 AM

Uhh, I don't think there's proof for that.

Saddam must be stopped, and war is not an option. If you hand Saddam to the U.S. then they will stop bombing. Logicall, eh?

Why would you say Bush is worse than hitler?
He didn't do anything yet! Don't Judge a man before you get proof.

If you have proof, I would most dearly like to hear it.

Posted by: The one who knows at April 5, 2003 03:10 AM

I did not see any U.S. soldiers killing innocents...

But when you drop bombs, you can't help that.

Posted by: The one who knows at April 5, 2003 03:12 AM

THEY SHOULD CHECK THEIR COORDINATES TWICE BEFORE THEY DROP THEIR BOMBS ON HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS AND INNOCENT PEOPLE'S HOMES.

Posted by: xilagouro at April 5, 2003 07:26 AM

TO LET THE BAD GUYS ESCAPE(they might just be in there somewhere)? ARE YOU NUTS!?

Besides, they DO check their coordinates! Have you heard anyone saying that they dropped a bomb on a School? Huh?!

I think Saddam is the reincarnation of Sauron indeed. Don't Judge Bush too soon. He didn't do anything yet! Whait and see!

Posted by: The one who knows at April 6, 2003 09:17 AM

TO LET THE BAD GUYS ESCAPE(they might just be in there somewhere)? ARE YOU NUTS!?

Besides, they DO check their coordinates! Have you heard anyone saying that they dropped a bomb on a School? Huh?!

I think Saddam is the reincarnation of Sauron indeed. Don't Judge Bush too soon. He didn't do anything yet! What and see!

Posted by: The one who knows at April 6, 2003 09:17 AM

JESUS CHRIST MAN!! ARE YOU TOTALLY OUT OF YOUR MIND? YOU 'RE TELLING ME THEY SHOULD BOMB AREAS OF NO MILITARY IMPORTANCE, AND KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN AND PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE IS THE REMOTE POSSIBILITY THAT SOLDIERS ARE HIDDING THER??!!!??? YOU NEED HELP, BUDDY. YOU ARE THE ONE TOTTALY NUTS.
AND ACTUALLY I HAVE SEEN PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF A BOMBED HOSPITAL, YOU JERK, BUT I GUESS IN YOUR "FREE" COUNTRY, THEY DON'T ALLOW THOSE PICTURES AND VIDEOS TO BE SHOWN, BECAUSE AMERICANS DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY SEE, THEY DON'T LIKE TO SEE THE CHAOS THEY HAVE SPREAD OVER THE WORLD, THEY DON'T LIKE HEARING THE TRUTH, WHICH IS THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MILLIONS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE'S DEATHS.
YOU HATE THE TRUTH, DON'T YOU?? YOU LIKE LIVING IN THE DARKNESS. I PITY YOU AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE YOU.
WITH NO ABSOLUTE PROOF THAT SADDAM HAS CHEMICAL WEAPONS, YOU ARE WILLING TO KILL ALL THOSE PEOPLE.
BUSH IS GOING TO BURN IN HELL FOR ETERNITY.
AND BESIDES, EVEN IF SADDAM HAD CHEMICALS, WHO DO YOU THINK GAVE IT TO HIM, HUH???

Posted by: xilagouro at April 7, 2003 06:46 AM

Bush is not the enemy, unless you believe arab state-controlled television. Hussein is hated by many, even if some of those people don't agree with the war. European nations like France and Germany should be refused any future bidding chances in the USA when it comes to business dealings. I hope europeans boycott american products wholesale, because this hurts their local economies more than it does ours. Norwegian boy does not know his own country's histroy very well. Maybe his grandpa was a Quislng bastard.

Posted by: dave at April 7, 2003 11:42 AM

Bush is not the enemy, unless you believe arab state-controlled television. Hussein is hated by many, even if some of those people don't agree with the war. European nations like France and Germany should be refused any future bidding chances in the USA when it comes to business dealings. I hope europeans boycott american products wholesale, because this hurts their local economies more than it does ours. Norwegian boy does not know his own country's history very well. Maybe his grandpa was a Quislng bastard.

Posted by: dave at April 7, 2003 11:43 AM

Hmm, Xilagouro, the USA killed millions of innocents is that what you're saying?

No proof of Saddam havin' Chemical weapons? What did he do to his own people? Today in the news I saw many Iraqi guys saying "thank you mr. Bush!" Because the US is going to get Saddam! You want Saddam to attaack Israel? some peace your talking about. You can't just walk up to Saddam and talk it over! He's not that kind of guy! He'll kill you!

About the videos, and other stuff... War is that way! Don't blame Bush for killing innocents BY ACCIDENT! WAR is that way!!! What do you think Saddam was doing all this time? Having a cup of coffie?! War is bad but It can't be helped!!! Saddam has gone too far! We must disarm him! And The US gave him that chance many times, but he refused! War is not an option!

No one gets this now do they? Stubborn Blockheads...

Posted by: The one who knows at April 9, 2003 11:31 AM

The US did NOT give him Chemical Weapons, kid!

Saddam is going to burn in hell, man.

What evil did Bush do? Tell me.

Posted by: The one who knows at April 9, 2003 11:35 AM

WOW!! YOU AMERICANS ARE IDIOTS, JUST LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD IS TALKING ABOUT. NOT ALL OF YOU, BUT AT LEAST 9 OUT OF 10. AND YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE NINE.
FIRST OF ALL I'M NOT SUPPORTING SADDAM, HE IS A JERK JUST LIKE BUSH AND BLAIR. AND I KNOW HE HAS DONE A LOT OF BAD THINGS, BUT I DIDN'T SEE HIM DEAD OR AMPUTATED, I SAW LITTLE CHILDREN.
WHAT DID BUSH DO?? OH NOTHING, IF YOU DON'T COUNT ALMOST WIPING OUT THE WHOLE FUCKING PLANET. HE IS WORST THAN HITLER INDEED. HE STARTED WITH AFGHANISTAN, CONTINUED WITH IRAQ. WHAT'S NEXT?? AND DON'T GIVE THE USUAL "EXCUSE" ABOUT FIGHTING TERRORISM, THAT'S B.S. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS IT. HE JUST WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE WHOLE FREAKING WORLD.
I'M SURE YOUR TV ONLY SHOWED YOU THE PEOPLE WHO WERE CHEERING FOR BUSH, JUST LIKE I'M SURE THEY DIDN'T SHOW YOU THE ONES CURSING BUSH AND ALL OF HIS BUDDIES FOR KILLING MANY MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES.
AND MAN YOU SHOULD REALLY CHECK SOME RECENT HISTORY BOOKS, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE IF U.S. GAVE SADDAM HIS CHEMICALS OR NOT.
I DIDN'T SAY I WANTED SADDAM TO ATTACK ISRAEL, BUT I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN I SEE ISRAEL KILLING PALESTINIANS.
I DON'T LIKE ANYONE BEING KILLED, UNLIKE AMERICANS WHO ONLY CARE ABOUT AMERICANS AND NOBODY ELSE. A FEW PEOPLE DIED IN THE TWIN TOWERS AND YOU MADE SUCH A FUSS. WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE AMERICANS KILL?? DON'T THEY COUNT AS HUMAN BEINGS, ONLY AMERICANS HAVE SOULS?? AND YOU HAVE KILLED A LOT!!!!
AND I'M NOT A KID ASSHOLE!!!

Posted by: xilagouro at April 10, 2003 07:56 AM

I did not make a fuss about 9/11! I don't know why everyone is making such a fuss about it anyways!

What did Bush do to Afghanistan? You think he is in league with Bin Laden or something? If Bin Laden has the right to attack the Twin Towers, than the US has the right to defend Itself!!!!


Wiped out half of the world? With only two little Countries? I don't get you. There is no proff whatsoever that Bush has wiped out half of the world!

Do you think that the US attacked a country for no reason?! Which one? Tell me.

What should America do then in a war? Stop in the middle of the battlefield, and guess which one is innocent? America started war because Saddam wanted to blot out Israel! If the US wasn't at war then Iraq and it's buddys where going to attack israel! Some peace you want.

Now that Saddam has been (probably) vanquished you'll see that if no ohter country attacks america (or with terrorists) that AMerica will not attack them without a reason!

OK, your'e not a kid then.

Posted by: The one who knows at April 11, 2003 03:57 AM

OH BUSH HAS A REASON FOR ATTACKING IRAQ ALLRIGHT!!! I'LL GIVE YOU A HINT SINCE YOU DON'T SEEM TO REALISE IT. IT STARTS WITH O AND IT ENDS WITH IL. O...IL. GET IT? OIL. AND THAT'S THE END OF IT.
SO YOU THINK ITS HARD FOR AMERICAN ARMY TO REALISE WHO IS INNOCENT AND WHO ISN'T. I HEARD ABOUT TWO SMALL CHILDREN KILLED TODAY BY AMERICANS. DON'T TELL ME THEY WERE AFRAID OF TWO SMALL CHILDREN BEING KAMIKAZES. THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE. JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH THE ATTACK ON THE "PALESTINE" HOTEL AND KILLED 2 JOURNALISTS. ALTOGETHER OF COURSE, YOUR BRILLIANT SOLDIERS KILLED 12 JOURNALISTS, PEOPLE WHO WERE JUST DOING THEIR JOB, INFORMING PEOPLE, JUST LIKE ALL JOURNALISTS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. OF COURSE JOURNALISTS LIKE THAT DON'T EXIST IN AMERICA AND I WOULDN'T EXPECT FROM YOU TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AMERICAN JOURNALISTS TELL THE FACTS THE WAY THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WANTS THEM TOLD.
AND DON'T TELL ME THE ATTACK ON THE HOTEL WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THAT THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN IN WAR,AND SOME B.S. LIKE THAT, CAUSE A VIDEO TAKEN FRON FRENCH TV, I THINK, SHOWED THE TANKS THE EXACT MOMENT IT HIT THE HOTEL, AND IT WASN'T FAR ENOUGH FOR THE SOLDIERS TO MISTAKE IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE OR SOMETHING. THAT WAS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE JOURNALISTS SAYING "EITHER YOU GET THE HELL OUT AND YOU LET US DO OUR KILLINGS, OR THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET". EVERYBODY IS SAYING THAT, THAT WAS A HIT ON PURPOSE, EVERYONE IN THE CIVILIZED WORLD ANYWAY.
YOU'LL SEE IN THE FUTURE THAT AMERICA WILL HIT OTHER COUNTRIES, I JUST WISH THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN AMERICA WHO REALISED WHAT THEIR GOVERNMENT WAS DOING. I TRULY DO. AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I THINK THAT IF YOU PEOPLE HAD ALL THE FACTS.....AND I MEAN THE REAL FACTS, THEN YOU WOULD BE AGHAINST BUSH TOO.
I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST YOU MAN HONESTLY, OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN FOR THAT FACT. EXCEPT THE ONES IN YOUR GOVERNMENT OF COURSE.
PEACE!!

Posted by: xilagouro at April 11, 2003 07:38 AM

Hitler killed more than 12 people. My friend.

It's not for oil. Arabia also has oil. It's about ISRAEL, and FREEDOM to the poor Iraqis!!!

Wow! America killed only 2 Iraqi Journalists.
That means that Hitler killed 1 only. And didn't kill any children. Same with Saddam.

Can you please tell me where you heard about the US Military killing little children? If it's on the web give me a link.

A hit on purpose perhaps. You think Saddam doesen't do those things? YOu think Hitler didn't do that either? What's your solution for Peace?

America only 12 so far...

Saddam only more than 30,000 so far...

Hitler likewise...

At the moment I would stay with America unless other proof comes up.

You think the UN doesen't do those things?
Or Europe also?

Posted by: The one who knows at April 13, 2003 11:38 AM

LOOK MAN, YOU CAN GO ON BELEIVING A LIE IF YOU WANT TO, I DON'T GIVE A F**K. "FREEDOM", YEAH RIGHT. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU AMERICANS ARE SO NAIVE AS TO BELIEVE THAT MONKEY YOU HAVE FOR A PRESIDENT. HE DOESN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE IS SAYING, BUT HE IS A VERY GOOD ACTOR. I THINK HE SHOULD GET THE "BEST MALE OR FEMALE PERFORMANCE" OSCAR NEXT YEAR. AND OF COURSE THE "BEST WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)" OSCAR FOR THE EXCUSES HE CAME UP WITH FOR THIS WAR. I AM GLAD I KNOW THE REAL TRUTH BEHIND ALL THIS.
I DON'T HAVE A LINK FOR WHAT I TOLD YOU, CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE IT ON THE WEB, I HEARD IN THE TV. IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S FINE, BUT IT'S TRUE. AMERICANS HAVE KILLED MANY UNARMED PEOPLE AND THEY WON'T EVEN ADMIT IT.

Posted by: xilagouro at April 14, 2003 05:52 AM

American killing children? Oh yes, that they did. They mistook 7 women and their children for people who served the military and bang bang... bye bye ladies and bye bye babies. Sorry about that. Can't see it you had a beard under all those clothes. If you put in a little effort, you might JUST find it. I'm sure you can.

The notion of ousting Saddam was a just one. He's a tyrant and he cravesw power. Have you seen the decadent luxury he lived in? When all the people in Iraq were starving?

All the same. It is a pity that with all the advanced technology that the US and the Brits have, they have to fuck up and not only have they somehow shot down their own side, but they have amazingly managed to shoot down thousands of civilians AND civilain buildings also. How lovely.

And the US said that the state of anarchy in Iraw is a "natural" reaction to years of oppression? Wow. Like i said. Lovely. After all, it's easier to destroy buildings as compared to restoring order in a chaotic world. So i can totally understand that.

And xila... Bush is NOT a good actor. He's just completely clueless about things. Tony Blair had to elaborate on the points he had to say. Hmmm.. i guess a little education goes a long way. Go figure.

Posted by: The One at April 16, 2003 12:48 PM

WELL I'M GLAD WE FINALLY AGREE ON SOMETHING. YOU'RE RIGHT, SADDAM WAS A TYRANT AND HE SHOULD GO, AND I'M HAPPY YOU SEE THAT BUSH IS CLUELESS.

Posted by: xilagouro at April 18, 2003 06:06 AM

I knew some kind of friggin impostor would write my name up! He's not me!!!!

Bush is rebuilding Iraq! There's your Tyrant! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! U.S will attack Korea(i think) because they are communists there! Want to be a communist, huh?

Posted by: The one who knows at April 28, 2003 03:58 PM

Songs on accompanying

Drums and horns rouse the river town;
Army banners advance in the falling rain.
Alas, fragrant grasses turning green
Barely survive the horses' trampling hooves

On the battlefield, the spring wind is harsh;
In deserted villages, ruined houses lean askew.
Once again swallows return, two by two,
But whose house will provide them shelter?


SHIH JUN-CHANG 1619-1683
from Waiting for the unicorn

I would like to thank Viggo for getting this started. It's good for both Americans and non-Americans to talk about what we think this war is about, and what sould or could have been done to stop it. The thing that needs to be done know is we need to start open talks with the poeple and goverments of both countrys. This is what must happen if we as a generation don't want this to come back to bit us or our childeren in the butt years from now. I pray for the people on both sides who have lost there lives, the childeren and the ones who were someones childed.

I would love to hear from people how think the same and any who don't.

Posted by: Viggospanther30@aol.com at May 3, 2003 08:23 AM

No worries 'the infidel was pleasing and usefull to our cause, hence we shall stone him quickly and mercifully' and dont you dare forget that in those parts of the world , peace-is what you rest in.
Aside from that 'I recognize that the critics of the war and the verbal defenders of our enemies fulfill a vital function in our democracy: giving a name to hate that we can actually pronounce.'
With all do respect to MR Mortesen, and his heartbreaking speech about the "nameless people" we bomb in the "thousands" comparing to our meager casualties, there is an untold truth to be told: a lot more die when the Stalinists/Sadamists/ regimes are in place and the casualties of inaction unfortunately are innumerable,(measured by no known liberal sensus)However history does hint that 60 million died in Soviet Union alone @ Stalins time. The rediculous UN sanctions all the while took their toll and the HOLY European countries (comprising of just FRANCE mind you) were gladly supporting the sanctions while dealing with iraqi regime in oil, telecommunications, and weapons->(russia + china), while in the meantime sadam was starving his own nameles, faceles, people and distabilizing the whole mid eastern region. Nobody is taking away anyones civil freedoms, nor trampling on any constitutional rights, criticism isnt against the law, how else would we differentiate between the 'shiny pearls of wisdom and black velevet of stupidity', if it isnt by comaprison.
But i believe care must be taken in a democracy to balance the freedoms with responsibility, and comapring LOTR to any particular unilateral political view is bilaterally tragic. VM however felt freely inclined to contribute to the the malarkey however sincerely and fullheartedly with all the best intentions.

Posted by: natasha at May 10, 2003 10:15 AM

Read up on Marxist Leninist litearature you ll find striking similarities between communist thinking and todays leftist absurd criticism. Its a sad day when some of us see history repeating itself especially from the other side of the Atlantic. The absurd ideology is similar to the allegory that VM presents with LOTR, however poorly, the so called "working classes of the free people of middle earth" vs the "capitalistic powerfull all encompassing pressing Saurons". All so fanatically clear and simple, but for the facts.
I ll post a quote here and if you find it at least bit ironic that a person who has grown up in a free country would actually consider this anything more than inflammatory trigger of idealistic anarachists or imbecils and maniacs the likes of Noam Chomskys.
""The building of railways seems to be a simple, natural, democratic, cultural and civilizing enterprise; that is what it is in the opinion of bourgeois professors, who are paid to depict capitalist slavery in bright colors, and in the opinion of petty-bourgeois Philistines. But as a matter of fact the capitalist threads, which in thousands of different intercrossings bind these enterprises with private property in means of production in general, have converted this railway construction into an instrument for oppressing a thousand million people (in the colonies and semicolonies), that is, more than half the population of the globe inhabiting the dependent countries, as well as the wage slaves of capital in the "civilized" countries. ""

"Private property based on the labor of the small proprietor, free competition, democracy, all the catchwords with which the capitalists and their press deceive the workers and the peasants--are things of the distant past. Capitalism has grown into a world system of colonial oppression and of the financial strangulation of the overwhelming majority of the population of the world by a handful of "advanced" countries. And this "booty" is shared between two or three powerful world marauders armed to the teeth (America, Great Britain, Japan), who involve the whole world in their war over the sharing of their booty."

Admit it, this is all your liberal thinking, and now guess who wrote those quotes and when!
I can appreciate USA and what Bush did and is doing since i have lived in Sauron like countries, most of you here dont yet know or feel the difference being brought up in the land of milk and honey.

Posted by: natasha at May 10, 2003 10:21 AM

high emotion in a mental vacuum makes Viggo a dull boy, same goes for most of the actors and mental gametes with bodyguards.

Posted by: goodpoint at May 11, 2003 08:06 AM

""The war and repression that has been loosed on the world by the Bush administration. It is unjust, immoral, and illegitimate"""

Yeah and RAMSEY CLARKE - a publicly known defender of countries who murder, torture, repress, brainwash and imprison their own citizens - such as NORTH KOREA. AND of France the "new moral hypocrits of the 21 century" were it not for their UN indorsed sanctions that millions did die, while they traded with Husein. LETS see, contributions of UN the past few decades: NONE, except to ignore humanitarian crisis in former Yugoslavia,Iraq, and most of africa. YOU FUCKING ACTORS ARE A FUCKING JOKE! NOT ONLY that you arent all that good at acting, and now we know what you idiots really are like!

Posted by: ELROND at May 11, 2003 11:51 AM

http://www.marchonhollywood.com/

lets watch how they crawl back to their sences as soon their paycheck looses a zero,
BOYCOT the MORALLY degenerate IMBECILS!

Posted by: ELROND at May 11, 2003 11:56 AM

The Peacenik Top 10

(1) Rush to war. This is a favorite of congressional Democrats. But the rush is more like a baby crawl. Iraq has been in material breach of United Nations resolutions since a few weeks after the Gulf War ended in 1991. New resolutions have been approved, inspectors ousted, and the United Nations made to look impotent. President Bush has taken all the steps asked of him before going to war: getting the approval of Congress, getting another U.N. resolution (with perhaps yet another on the way), and building a coalition of supporters. He's hardly rushing.

(2) It's a war for oil. The United States could buy all the oil it wants from Iraq by lifting the sanctions and helping to reconstruct the Iraqi oilfields. It's the French and Russians who have oil deals with Saddam and thus are fixated on that issue. They don't want a war that would upset those deals.

(3) War with Iraq will bring more terrorism. This is a hardy perennial. It was claimed before the Gulf war and the Afghanistan campaign--and when bombs fell on al Qaeda and the Taliban during Ramadan. Rather than more terrorism, removing Saddam will bring more respect for the United States. Terrorists will be increasingly fearful.

(4) The Arab street will erupt. Another perennial. This is often predicted but rarely happens. A swift, decisive victory over Saddam will quiet the Arab street. So far, only the American street has erupted--against the French and Germans.

(5) Bush is doing it for his dad. President Bush the elder stopped short of deposing Saddam in the Gulf war and to this day believes he did the right thing. So do his top aides, such as national security adviser Brent Scowcroft. Instead, they agreed to a truce with Saddam conditioned on Iraq's full disarmament. Also, consider the source of this charge: Martin Sheen.

(6) Attacking Iraq would be unprovoked aggression. No, it wouldn't. Andrew Sullivan has pointed out a significant fact: There was no peace treaty, only the truce, so the state of war resumes when the conditions are violated. By attacking now, the United States would be ending the war, not starting it.

(7) Containment is working. The problem is the right threat is not being contained: the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Sure, with U.S. troops and U.N. inspectors in the area, Saddam won't attack Jordan or Syria or other neighbors. But he could slip chemical or biological agents to terrorists without anyone knowing. And that's the threat.

(8) America doesn't have enough allies. What? Forty or so isn't enough? Is the case for war weakened in the slightest by the absence of the French or the Angolans? No. And despite what Democrats like Howard Dean say, a war with Iraq would not be "unilateral," which would mean the United States would be acting alone.

(9) Win without war. That's a nice goal. Unfortunately, it's Saddam's goal. With no war, he wins and emerges as the new strongman in the Middle East, forcing people to come to terms with him.

(10) Bush is seeking a new American empire. This is a favorite accusation of Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, the man who once recited the Gettysburg Address in Donald Duck's voice. I'll let Secretary of State Colin Powell answer this one. When hectored by a former archbishop of Canterbury on this subject recently, he said: "We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last 100 years . . . and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in." Well said.

No doubt opponents are capable of coming up with new arguments against war with Iraq. They'd better do so soon because so far they haven't convinced anyone outside the reflexively anti-Bush crowd.

Posted by: elrond at May 11, 2003 12:16 PM

Viggo Rules god bless the peace veiw fuck all you pro war fucks the day you go and shoot will be the day you are anti war. It's just to easy for you to say lets fight when you just watch it unfoled on TV or better yet when and if you have kids imagine a bomb blowing today at your house taking off limbs of your childern and killing some. We all have to easy and I love this life style and you should at leaste respect the horror that takes place in war because you have never seen it. OPEN YOUR FUCKIN MIND COMPASSION OVER ALL

Posted by: at May 21, 2003 09:09 AM

An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind

Posted by: at May 21, 2003 09:11 AM

If this invasion NOT WAR! is about removing an evil leader (which he is) and giving freedom to the iraq people then why does the US not look at the 120 or so oppressed and Poverty run countries in the world to help them. OH! Because they have nothing to offer the US ie OIL!!! you dumb fucks they only went itno Afghanistan because one man plotted a terrorist attack on the US trust me I hate Binladan as much as you but if 9/11 never happened the Talaban would still be there killing and oppressing people the US only helps if the is some hidden GAIN! its real easy to see. What weapons of mass distruction? there is none but hey there is some oil we could have.

Posted by: at May 21, 2003 09:21 AM

heheh

you got to love the irony of the last 3 posts ... their IQ is symmetrical to their vocabulary and inversely proportional to - "open mindedness"

in your case mindlessness is a lot more appropriate

try not to tarnish on posts with content with your thick malarkey, a little knowledge in your case is a very dangerous thing. Stick to weed Viggo, and drink heartily to make up for that intellectual vacuum.

Posted by: elrond at May 23, 2003 10:10 AM

why do you dumb americans make everything a big deal? you better leave saddam alone, cauz... did he threaten u? no! he can have chemical weapons if he wants, its his country! you better leave saddam alone, and i know that he is still alive, so take you and american asses back to america where they belong and get the hell out of iraq!!!

-canadian saffy8913

Posted by: saffy8913 at May 24, 2003 04:51 AM

saffy, america is protecting the other counries.

He(saddam) WAS planning on threatening Israel! That's BAD!

Israel did'nt do ANYTHING!!!!!!!

I'm glad he will die. or is dead.

Posted by: The one who knows at May 24, 2003 08:09 PM

if the US did not attack Iraq, and there still would be an evil fool running around (a.k.a saddam), would that be peace? NO!

Saddam was going to drop a "sickness" gasbomb on the US! and that u think is peace?

you fools only want to destroy the god blessed country of america! Screw Euroe and the UN!!!!!

Why is it if the US is the top-power it has the best economy, and lifestyle?

look at Russia! they are poor because they where communist! Democrats ARE communists!!!

Posted by: The one who knows at May 24, 2003 08:15 PM

I like the pretty flowers.

[racist drivel removed and editted- LMB]

Posted by: tired of arab shit at May 26, 2003 11:19 AM

[racist drivel removed and editted- LMB]

____________ROFL______you politically Castrated and Brainwashed idiot, wont allow freedom of expression when it comes to telling the truth about the DUMB ARSE FUCKING ARABS!

Posted by: TIRED OF ARABS at June 1, 2003 06:30 PM

me?

Posted by: The one who knows at June 1, 2003 11:32 PM

depends,
if you are the asshole who erased my most honest post calling it racist drivel!

Posted by: TIRED OF ARABS at June 2, 2003 08:31 PM

BUSH IS A MAJOR DICKHEAD JUST LIKE "ELROND" AND ALL THE OTHERS WHO SUPPORT ANY KIND OF WAR. OF COURSE THEY ARE NOT THE ONES FIGHTING, DYING, BEING LEFT WITHOUT ARMS AND LEGS SO ITS NOT THAT IMPORTANT TO THEM WHAT HAPPENS. WELL JUST ASK THE KIDS WHO LOSE MOMS, DADS, NOT TO MENTION LIMBS AND MOST IMPORTANTELY LIVES. IDIOTS.

Posted by: xilagouro at June 6, 2003 08:07 AM

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. YOU SHOULD LEARN TO RESPECT LIFE, AND THE ONE WHO GIVES LIFE. YOU SHOULD LEARN TO RESPECT PEOPLE AND ANIMALS, CULTURES AND NATIONS. LEARN TO CREATE AND NOT TO DESTROY. FIGHT FOR PEACE AND NOT FOR WAR.

Posted by: xilagouro at June 6, 2003 08:10 AM

take another puff of the weed swallow some ecstacy and go play with your dolls XILAGOURO, avoid big sentences with capital letters, sentences that ring high in your empty void above your neckline, you have absoluetely no fucking clue what the hell you are talking about, most people who are PRO war are PRO LIFE and ARE THE ONES FIGHTING IT YOU DICKLESS BRAINLESS CRETIN!

Posted by: liberals are mrons at June 7, 2003 11:22 AM

I DON'T NEED ANY ECSTACY TO GET THROUGH LIFE, BUT FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, YOU DO. YOU ARE SO BORED YOU NEED SOMETHING ECXITING TO GET YOU GOING AND WAR IS THE SOLUTION TO YOUR BOREDOM. YOU ARE SO FUNNY YOU ARE KILLING ME WITH YOUR JOKES. "MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE PRO WAR ARE PRO LIFE", DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW SILLY THAT SOUNDS?? WAR EQUALS DEATH, DESTRUCTION, PAIN, HUMILIATION, DESPAIR. IT MEANS A LOT OF THINGS BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN LIFE. I'M SURE YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT ANY OF THOSE WORDS MEAN, SITTING THERE IN YOUR COSY, PERFECT HOUSE, BEING BORED OUT OF YOUR MIND, IF YOU HAVE ANY. AND YES I AM DICKLESS, BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN, AND US WOMEN PREFER GIVING LIFE THAN TAKING IT. GO SUCK ON YOUR MOMMAS TITTY, ASSHOLE, PLAY WITH YOUR NINTENDO AND LEAVE THE REST OF THE WORLD ALONE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT ASSHOLES LIKE YOURSELF SEE WAR AS A VIDEOGAME, SEE LIFE AS A VIDEOGAME, SEE EVERYTHING AS A VIDEOGAME, CAUSE YOU HAVENT SEEN WHAT REAL LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.

Posted by: xilagouro at June 9, 2003 07:06 AM

but sometimes when there's trouble you must fight for freedom. Like the US freeing Iraq!

Posted by: The one who knows at June 9, 2003 01:49 PM

and why in the heck do we have to respect animals when they have no clue what's going on? because they cant reason like humans. So, why bother worshiping them?!

Posted by: The one who knows at June 9, 2003 01:52 PM

listen you brainless twat, most people who posted here were not from USA you dumb stupid american whore, you would know that if you read the posts, but you and your 3 rd grade american special education and your limpy english along with your sub human idealism is making just about everyone sickj on this forum, why dont you stick a tampon in that mouth of yours and stop posting crap, you loggharea ridden rectum faced brainless american bitch

Posted by: XILAGOURO NEEDS TO GET THE FUCK OFF WELFARE at June 9, 2003 05:03 PM

IM NOT AMERICAN YOU DUMP ASS SON OF A BITCH. I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE HERE AND NO FARTFACE, BUTTFACE, DICKWAD LIKE YOURSELF WILL MAKE ME STOP POSTING. WHY DONT YOU STICK THE TAMPON YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UP YOUR ASS, YOU FAGGOT.

Posted by: xilagouro at June 10, 2003 06:09 AM

EISTE OLOI EDW MESA TREIS LALOUN KAI 2 XOREYOYN. ANTE KAI GAMH8EITE OLOI PALIOMALAKES, MOU 'XETE SPASEI T'ARXIDIA. PALIOADERFES, GAMIESTE OLOI SAS. KAI OPOIOS KATALAVE, KATALAVE. GAMIWNTAI OI HPA KAI H AGGLIA. PARTE MOU MIA PIPA. DEN 8A MOU SPASETE EMENA TA NEYPA.

Posted by: xilagouro at June 10, 2003 07:14 AM
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Lying Media Bastards is both a radio show and website. The show airs Mondays 2-4pm PST on KillRadio.org, and couples excellent music with angry news commentary. And the website, well, you're looking at it.

Both projects focus on our media-marinated world, political lies, corporate tyranny, and the folks fighting the good fight against these monsters.

All brought to you by Jake Sexton, The Most Beloved Man in America ®.


contact: jake+at+lyingmediabastards.com

Media News

November 16, 2004

Tales of Media Woe

Senate May Ram Copyright Bill- one of the most depressing stories of the day that didn't involve death or bombs. It's the music and movie industries' wet dream. It criminalizes peer-to-peer software makers, allows the government to file civil lawsuits on behalf of these media industries, and eliminates fair use. Fair use is the idea that I can use a snippet of a copyrighted work for educational, political, or satirical purposes, without getting permission from the copyright-holder first.

And most tellingly, the bill legalizes technology that would automatically skip over "obejctionable content" (i.e. sex and violence) in a DVD, but bans devices that would automatically skip over commericals. This is a blatant, blatant, blatant gift to the movie industry. Fuck the movie industry, fuck the music industry, fuck the Senate.

Music industry aims to send in radio cops- the recording industry says that you're not allowed to record songs off the radio, be it real radio or internet radio. And now they're working on preventing you from recording songs off internet radio through a mixture of law and technological repression (although I imagine their techno-fixes will get hacked pretty quickly).

The shocking truth about the FCC: Censorship by the tyranny of the few- blogger Jeff Jarvis discovers that the recent $1.2 million FCC fine against a sex scene in Fox's "Married By America" TV show was not levied because hundreds of people wrote the FCC and complained. It was not because 159 people wrote in and complained (which is the FCC's current rationale). No, thanks to Jarvis' FOIA request, we find that only 23 people (of the show's several million viewers) wrote in and complained. On top of that, he finds that 21 of those letters were just copy-and-paste email jobs that some people attached their names to. Jarvis then spins this a bit by saying that "only 3" people actually wrote letters to the FCC, which is misleading but technically true. So somewhere between 3 and 23 angry people can determine what you can't see on television. Good to know.

Reuters Union Considers Striking Over Layoffs- will a strike by such a major newswire service impact the rest of the world's media?

Pentagon Starts Work On War Internet- the US military is talking about the creation of a global, wireless, satellite-aided computer network for use in battle. I think I saw a movie about this once...

Conservative host returns to the air after week suspension for using racial slur- Houston radio talk show host (and somtime Rush Limbaugh substitute) Mark Belling referred to Mexican-Americans as "wetbacks" on his show. He was suspended for a couple of weeks, and then submitted a written apology for the racial slur to a local newspaper. But he seems to be using the slur and its surrounding controversy to boost his conservative cred with his listeners.

Stay Tuned for Nudes- Cleveland TV news anchor Sharon Reed aired a story about artist Spencer Tunick, who uses large numbers of naked volunteers in his installations and photographs. The news report will be unique in that it will not blur or black-out the usual naughty bits. The story will air late at night, when it's allegedly okay with the FCC if you broadcast "indecent" material. The author of this article doesn't seem to notice that Reed first claims that this report is a publicity stunt, but then claims it's a protest against FCC repression. I'd like to think it's the latter, but I'm not that much of a sucker.

Posted by Jake at 04:02 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
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