LixyChick,

They never were - at least as some might want.

Personally I enjoy talking about it even with people of opposing views, you learn more that way than if you talk to all people who have the exact same view, but I realize most people get way to caught up in the debate and the conflict becomes personal. So yes I steer away from politics and religion.

The last war the military-industrial complex didn't profit from was fought with sticks and stones.

And I'd be willing to bet "Og's Sticks & Stones Inc." soon figured out how to clean up supplying both sides even then...

Didn't someone once say that all wars are fought over commerce?

Changed that.. but yes I think for the majority of them.

Carl von Clausewitz, in On War said "war is a means to a political end". He also said "War is merely the continuation of policy by other means". Basically the same thing.

On War is one of those books most people should read, and I kick myself for having never gotten around to it.

You can read On War here http://www.clausewitz.com/CWZHOME/V.../ONWARTOC2.HTML

if it so intrests you.

Jude30, yes, I highly recommend Clausewitz. And, if you have the time, Sun Tzu, "The Art of War".

But as a follow-on to Clausewitz, read Gen Rupert Smith's, "The Utility of Force", Alfred A Knopf publishers, 2005.

I understand that but Cheney is making SO much money in Iraq. It's sickening, IMHO.

Steph,

Do you have any evidence to support that claim?

Do you have any evidence that doesn't?

Does he still own stock in Halliburton? If so it would seem to be pretty obvious that he has earned a crap load of money off of dividends from that stock which would have greatly benefited from the no bid contracts Halliburton was awarded.

The unspoken (till now) question was whether these plutocrats failed to stop this war in order to line their pockets.

It will take a congressional enquiry to absolutely establish whether this happened, so until that day, all is cynical speculation.

Sad, innit?

Jude30,

For anyone who might be interested in facts on some of these issues ...

^^^that stuff reads drier and more remote than a vcr programming guide. :D

wyndhy,

Quite true! That stuff is also the federal law addressing some of the rather amusing speculations I have read here.