[lendaddy]

Originally posted by Superman


1) Are we hoping to exterminate the terrorists, or just kill a portion of them while the rest become too scared to attack us?

I would say the initial attacks on Afganistan for instance were an attempt to nip in the bud any legitimate terrorist states. To show the world that it won't be allowed. The other attacks on mountain holdouts, meeting places, etc... are simple to break their organizational abilities and spirit. In effect making it more difficult to organize a large scale attack. I really cannot imagine somone feeling that we shouldn't do these things, knowing what we know now about how they work.

2) Does "freedom" apply to American citizens in terms of personal freedoms and liberties......or is "freedom" an economic term used to describe the absence of regulations that apply to business units (non-citizens).

Both ofcourse. What are you getting at?

3) Is Dubya's prideful disdain for the views and hopes and preferences of American citizens (polls) consistent with "democracy?" How is this consistent?

Putting aside the snide opening of which I don't agree with. The answer is no, it's consistant with the Representaive Republic in which we live. Our system is setup to allow leaders to lead, even in the face of public weakness or ignorance. Ala, the Revolutionary War. The ability of this to run amock has many checks and balances in our system, but our leaders are expected to lead not follow.

4) Some would suggest there is a connection between the invasion of Iraq, the ownership of oil interests by Dubya and his family, the rising price of oil, the record oil company profits, and the many windfall no-bid contracts awarded to Haliburton. Others imagine these interrelationships to be purely coincidental. Discuss.

I suggest that those people are fools and/or they give others too much credit. I also suggest that they lack a solid understanding of the commodities market(in regards to oil). In general I view these people as conspiracy theory nutballs.
If bilking the public were their goal, there are much easier/bloodless ways.

There are more, but these are some of my favorites.