WAR has been declared.

by kermit the frog Thu Mar 20, 2003 11:56

As if the mere formal act of declaring war was in any way significant ....

by saladin Thu Mar 20, 2003 12:00

Saddam appeared on television, wearing a military uniform, vowing that "Iraq will be victorious," about two hours after U.S. cruise missiles hit targets in and around Baghdad acting on information on the whereabouts of Iraqi leaders.

"We promise you that Iraq, its leadership and its people will stand up to the evil invaders, and we will take them to such limits that they will lose their patience in achieving their plans, which are pushed by criminal Zionism," he said.

"They will face a bitter defeat, God willing," he said. "You will be able to achieve glory and your despicable infidel enemies will be defeated."

"This is added to the series of their shameful crime against Iraq and humanity," Saddam said, describing the U.S. president as 'little, evil Bush."

"Draw your sword and be not afraid," he urged the Iraqi people, before ending the speech by chanting, "Allahu akbar" or God is great, and saying, "Long live jihad (holy war) and long live Palestine."

by iosaf Thu Mar 20, 2003 13:05

i had worked through the night on a translation which is a bit beyond my capabilities from Catalan to English which soon after yet others working on it will form part of the Catalan Government propaganda.
it is an acceptance speech by a writer for an award he spoke of Peace, the Mediterranean and hopes for the future.
he is a poet.
thus he is difficult to translate.
i am glad my name shall not go on the finished work.

war.
Last night I passed the Catalan Government buildings which are near my house. Someone had left candles and a photograph of the 23yr old American who died in Palestine the other day.

I stood a while and found myself in conversation with Israeli tourists.

one snarled that a thousand terrorists had been killed through the conflict.

the others said they could not see the end but felt ashamed nonetheless, they no longer live in Israel.

One snarling man probably a former soldier.
Two young women who have brought their potential for new life far from Israel.

So people in their thousands are dying.

Barcelona has roaming groups of students they seem thesame as last week. The government building has some candles lit before it, everyone has plans for eight a clock tonight.

I remember living in London next to Westminster many nights I walked home by the anti-Saddam protesters and stood often with them a while.

A small group who never totalled more than 40 people accross the road from Downing St.
out of sight hidden behind the buses and traffic.

The last war on Iraq lasted 100 hours.

I saw a friend attempt suicide.
her War.
She had been evicted for non payment of rent.
one week overdue.
that was her landlords war.
sure had not his great grandfathers not seen the roof ripped from their house?

it is strange to be one of the last to know there is war "officially". Death now has it's license.

when in forty years hence they bomb London or Madrid with bacteria chemicals or radioactive waste, whose war will that be?

And does anyone care to say how many times that has almost happened?

by quermit the phrogg Thu Mar 20, 2003 16:51

WAR has been declared ... while the muppets slept ....