Being the Webmaster I always try to take a more 'neutral' view, especially on topics that are controversial. The whole idea of forums is open topic speaking with little rules other than normal manners expected by everyday existence.<br /><br />Cathy - Firstly welcome to the forum. You certainly have strong views and that is of course your right as it is everyone’s right.<br /><br />Likewise to everyone else, your views are always your own opinions and I for one welcome all your valued comments and opinions.<br /><br />As we are aware there are always two sides to every story. Likewise there are always facts and opposite truths.<br /><br />These are my own personal views of the Iraq situation...<br /><br /><br />I am not pro Iraq, also I am also not pro U.S., I am pro 'The World' and the belief that humanity will be in some sort of balance.<br /><br />I do feel more effort could have been done before sending in the troops. For instance the total oil supply from Iraq could have been cut in a pure 100% food for oil only means. This would strangle Saddams money supply. The U.S. was aware of oil being sent up from Iraq north through Turkey - in fact it was on Sixty Minutes last year!<br /><br />Where the hell is the fire??? It’s not like Saddam has weapons ready and is shipping them, or there are rockets sitting in the opening being fuelled up for launch. Also there is no direct proof of links from Iraq to terrorist groups, in fact one tape from Osma Bin Larden called Saddam an infidel. Surely there was more time for hard core sanctions and efforts.<br /><br />What about places like North Korea and the growing hostilities between India and Pakistan, all these places HAVE nuclear weapons? Just on Thursday India test fired a missile with Pakistan countering with a retaliatory missile test within hours. I see a lot more smoke from here than Iraq!<br /><br />Nevertheless Saddam is a dictator and ruthless, he should go. If more were done before sending in the troops public opinion would be higher and a lot more support, both globally and within even the Coalition countries including the U.S.<br /><br />Somewhere between the pro U.S. biased televised coverage on CNN and Fox News, the neutral view of BBC World News Service and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the ABC) and the pure anti U.S. bias of Iraq television the truth can be seen.<br /><br />Even on Fox News channel today, they were questioning why George Bush will not relent US control of Iraq after the war (he opposes an interim U.N. government). Basically all the contracts for reconstruction will be awarded to US companies as these have 'security clearance'. All paid from the Iraq oil controlled by the ruling interim government <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/default/frown.gif" /> <br /><br />Syria is already starting to help Iraq and today the U.S. sent a warning stop as this is seen as 'hostile' action.<br /><br />What a mess the whole thing is <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/default/frown.gif" /> , and no one will win. The longer the war goes on the more the support for it continuing will dramatically fall. Baghdad will end up an urban conflict with fighting street by street <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="images/icons/default/frown.gif" /> .<br /><br />Today also 120,000 more US troops were sent and this is WAY ahead of schedule. Clearly the whole strategy was clearly based on the regime 'giving up'.<br /><br />Alternate - Step up the heat, more civilian casualties and watch it totally de-stabilise the Middle East and watch the countries come to help Iraq. If the U.S. maintains a long term presence in the Middle East it will also de-stabilise the region. It’s certainly a no win situation for everyone concerned. Let’s hope that it ends as quickly as possible and the U.N. can assist in getting a democratic government in place as fast as possible.<br /><br />I hope for an ending to this conflict as quickly as possible with the minimum loss of human life.