Ive found it very interesting and enlightening to read ppl's thoughts on this so I thought id just share my feelings on what has been said so far...comments welcome...

First of all, I think u will find that the majority of ppl are in favour of the war. Ok u r talking about substantial numbers of ppl demonstrating, but in the whole scheme of things....its not "most ppl"...You are never going to see pro-war protests...

Mike I can understand why u r fed up of the US being "babysitters" as u put it - it is sad because alot of the time it is thrown back in ur face...Im not saying that US foriegn policy is always right and just, but there has always seemed to be uncalled for anti-us sentiment. It stems more often than not from jealousy (IMHO)

As far as the war itself goes, what should be foremost in our minds now is support for our troops out there...Whether u argue for or against this action we should remember what our countrymen are going through at this very moment. There can be nothing like the experience and fear of being in the front line...

My own opinion is that Saddam Hussein needs to be ousted one way or the other. Irrespective of the weapons of mass destruction debate, Iraq's human rights record is appalling. What I find hard to accept, are particular arguments put forward by the anti-war movement. The claim that the war would cause its own humanitarian crisis and suggestions that, as there is no concrete evidence of a presence of weapons of mass destruction, there is no justification for engaging in conflict. Surely the whole point of this conflict is to free the Iraqi people of such a barbaric and inhumane regime? This suggestion the the US is after Iraqi oil is old and tired. While the accusation could be levelled against the first Gulf war it cant be done so here. I think the genuine reason in this case is national and global security. There is a deadly and serious threat here, something that the world has not encountered before. In any case, we know that Saddam's regime have used chemical weapons against his own ppl in kurdish northern iraq in the late 80's and against Iran during the Iran/Iraq war. Surely even past misdemeanours like this should be enough to bring this regime to book? Quite frankly, Saddam should have been removed after the Gulf war.

And as far as war in general is concerned, nobody likes war. Would anyone in their right mind seriously risk their own lives and the lives of others without there being a good reason for it? I dont think so. Unfortunately there are occasions when there is no alternative. And to have a war without innocent lives being lost is an impossibility. But now, surely the end justifies the means. It has been 12 years since the end of the Gulf war and yet Saddam's regime still stands. The lives of Iraqi nationals has deteriorated beyond acceptablility. Ok many argue that this is as a result of the heavy UN sanctions imposed after the Gulf war, but the reality is that Saddam has recieved enough money to cater for the health of his people, yet has neglected them and opted to bolster his illegal weapons program. For sure he has been working on manufacturing weapons of mass destruction. The weapons inspectors have never disputed this fact. He has been given 12 years so far to disclose all his illegal armaments yet has failed to do so. How long should he get to comply? It stinks of delaying tactics...It is not right...

The problem we have in our society is that we tend to take our freedom for granted. How many times throughout history have we had to stand up for what is right to keep our way of life? Surely everyone deserves to have an opinion and a choice. These are basic human rights...

Also i dont look at it in terms of US/UK aggression. It is the result of human nature that there's something being done. Were we supposed to stand idly by? As citizens of the most prosperous nations on Earth, it is our duty to help make everyone lives as fair and decent as we can. Saddam Hussein has proven his regime has no morality time and time again. Even today as I've followed the breaking news for hours on end, the mindset of this regime is quite clear. The parading of the US pow's is abhorrent enough but to show off the bodies of dead soldiers in the way that they did was absolutely disgusting. A total disregard for not only the Geneva Convention but also human decency...

Sadly we do not live in a world where everyone abides by the codes of international law. Everyone should be united against those that perpetrate the morals that decent ppl live by. To me the only regret is that this war has taken place without UN support. It does undermine the whole meaning of such an organisation, yet it cannot be a reason why this action shouldnt take place. Ultimately I think this war will prove to be just. Many doubters will have their questions answered. I just hope it's not a prolonged war and upmost, I hope that it doesnt end up escalating into something too big to control. I get the feeling that this war will be the defining moment of our future...