I have to say that this is my third time in spain. I have never seen so much antiamerican sentiment. By the way I don't think that every country has to agree with the united states, But many europeans have no solutions to this conflict other than wait and see. I don't like Bush. When he got into office I pedicted that he would send our country to war. I returned from barcelona a week ago. I was there for a month. My friend approached four different girls that he liked in night clubs and they said flat out that they did not like americans. Some of the door men at the clubs would not let some of my friends into some clubs. We heard them say they are americans don't let them in. Everyone here thinks that all americans elected bush. They don't understand that not everyone in the U.S. is not for the war. For the most part no one will bother you. Get used to anti american graffiti though.

A good response for the current crisis would be: withdraw all the allied troops that are currently in the Middle East, stop the bombings (which never ceased since 1991) over Irak, and lift the blockade. And, if you really fear massive destruction weapons, then prompt a world conference on the issue, where dissarment can be reached all over the world in the same time...not in the country that the Pentagon chooses as a member of the Axis of evil.
I think it is regretable that any American individual can feel any kind of harassment due to the rogues that dwell the White house.

The war with IRAQ is a very difficult situation.
First of all, I have no doubt that Saddam Hussein is the Devil himself. He has killed his own people (Kurds), mistreated and killed people from his own cabinet and party whom he suspected were betraying him. Used biological weapons against IRAN during that war, invaded Kuwait and killed many people in that Government. Has launched Scud missles against Israel, and the list goes on and on. Again there is no doubt, that this dictador/criminal has to be revomed. No head of state who has killed innocent people should rule a nation.
Please understand that the majority of the citizens of Iraq, hate Saddam. They just do not have a say, because they get incarcerated or killed. They live under fear and torture.
The million dollar question is at WHAT COST ARE WE TO REMOVE SADDAM HUSSEIN FROM POWER??
Most people believe Bush is crazy for going to war again with IRAQ. I am not in favor of Bush, as a matter of fact I voted for AL GORE.
But what are we to do? Saddam is a menace to the world, specially that region of the middle east.
I personally believe that the US is in no danger of being attacked now or in the near future from Saddam. I think BUSH is out there to finish what his dad and other US presidents did not complete.
That is to remove once in for all Hussein.
Bush and his cabinet are paranoid that Saddam will attack US interests in one way or another.
Going to war with IRAQ is very, very dangerous. Why, because if we attack IRAQ and the world see's on CNN, Fox News that innocent people specially children are being killed by American bombs, not only will the world turn against us, but groups like Hammas, AL Queda and other terrorist groups can attack the US via suicidal terrorists. This war can back-fire, and that is my biggest fear.
- On the other hand we can remove Saddam and place a Democratic government, free elections and open up the embargo against IRAQ and it can florish.

- If we do not do anything, status quo, we take our chances, but the people of Iraq are the ones that will suffer for many years to come. We take the risk that in some way or other Saddam will use weapons of mass destruction against the US.

- So, we can unfortunetely lose some innocent lives now, so that a whole country can live in harmony or we can do nothing and let this ASSASSIN torture IRAQ and terrorize the world.

Spaniards have to understand that because we are the strongest country in the world, we have some obligation or duty to enforce the law of human rights among the nations and to remove dictadors from power like Saddam Hussein.
Think for a minute, what would you do if you were the President of the United States of America. The country that has the most powerful military in the history of human civilization.

TexMex
The following may sound strange to European ears, but the fact is, I think you are right: the US have earned the right to lead the world, just because they are the most powerful country. It is a fact, when Europe ruled the world, didn`t behave in a much fair way to the peoples of Africa and Asia controlled by our colonial empires.
The question is, what is the US doing with all the power that they have earned? Certainly not promoting peace. "Preentive strike" means nothing: in International law it has a much more specific name, that is "agression".
The inminent "war" can hardly be called that way: it is going to be a massacre.
If your computer can read pdf files, see http://www.internationalanswer.org/pdf/iraqfactsheet.pdf
By the way, I have just been sent an interesting link about the history of massive bombings:
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=40&ItemID=3003

One more thing
Saddam is an evil man, a dictator. That is all; devil does not exist. He is not much worse than all the other leaders of the area, Ariel Sharon to begin with. Hussein of Jordania (he died peacefully and now his son reigns), who was a good friend of Western countries, unfolded bloody massacres against Palestinian refugees. The Saudi royal family is NOW running one of the bloodiest dictatorships in the world, a state where Christians get whipped and imprisoned, and you get beheaded if you publicly deny that God exists. Egypt is not much better, nor Pakistan (in Pakistan they don`t imprison rapists, they imprison VICTIMS OF RAPE). And so on and on...if we really tried to quit all the evil dictators of the world, we would get involved in WWIII

Great opinions...please continue this discussion at War on Iraq is Pointless , as this has turned from the initial direction of the post.

Sincerely,
CaliBasco, Wannabe Administrator ;P