Times: Who will be Person of the Year 2009?

Times: Who will be Person of the Year 2009?
Dec 3, 2009 00:31
CHERRY07 Points: Join Date: Mar 23, 2008 Status: offline	Times gives Top Ten candidate for Person of the Year 2009. To our surprise, Iran Protesters and Somali Pirates appear on the list. Let’s see why they are on the list. The following are excerpts from Times Magazine. Iran Protesters Pro: For several weeks over the summer, the hordes of Iranians clogging the streets to oppose an apparently rigged presidential election gripped much of the world. Their courage and determination in the face of a brutal government crackdown demonstrated the depth of their willingness to fight for what they believed in. The death of protester Neda Agha-Soltan became a tragic symbol for the movement, showing just how far the ruling regime of Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad would go to keep its grip on power. Con: In the end, any hopes that the protests would usher in a flowering of Iranian democracy were shattered by the violent reprisals. And as time went on, it became clear that opposition movement leaders like Mir-Hossein Mousavi were not seeking a clean break with the Islamic Republic, as many Western observers had hoped. Somali Pirates Pro: In a sudden new threat to the security of world shipping, pirates conducted more than 300 attacks on ships off the coast of Somalia this year, including the Maersk Alabama, a U.S. cargo ship, in April. Con: Three of the pirates who hijacked the Maersk Alabama were killed by U.S. Navy snipers, who rescued the ship's captain. Who do you think will be Person of the Year 2009?

Dec 3, 2009 00:31

CHERRY07
Points:
Join Date: Mar 23, 2008
Status: offline

Times gives Top Ten candidate for Person of the Year 2009. To our surprise, Iran Protesters and Somali Pirates appear on the list. Let’s see why they are on the list.

The following are excerpts from Times Magazine.

Iran Protesters

Pro: For several weeks over the summer, the hordes of Iranians clogging the streets to oppose an apparently rigged presidential election gripped much of the world. Their courage and determination in the face of a brutal government crackdown demonstrated the depth of their willingness to fight for what they believed in. The death of protester Neda Agha-Soltan became a tragic symbol for the movement, showing just how far the ruling regime of Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad would go to keep its grip on power.

Con: In the end, any hopes that the protests would usher in a flowering of Iranian democracy were shattered by the violent reprisals. And as time went on, it became clear that opposition movement leaders like Mir-Hossein Mousavi were not seeking a clean break with the Islamic Republic, as many Western observers had hoped.

Somali Pirates

Pro: In a sudden new threat to the security of world shipping, pirates conducted more than 300 attacks on ships off the coast of Somalia this year, including the Maersk Alabama, a U.S. cargo ship, in April.

Con: Three of the pirates who hijacked the Maersk Alabama were killed by U.S. Navy snipers, who rescued the ship's captain.

Who do you think will be Person of the Year 2009?

Dec 3, 2009 21:36	#1
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	These nominations are no worse than awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a US president who is increasing the troops in Afghanistan.

Dec 4, 2009 00:36

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOBERT

These nominations are no worse than awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to a US president who is increasing the troops in Afghanistan.

Exactly, Bobert. I can't understand why the Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama. Maybe the US president thought that he was using his power to "liberate" Afghanistan just like what Gorge Bush has done to Iraqi people.

Dec 4, 2009 02:26	#3
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	I'm sure the Iraq people don't feel liberated. I'm equally sure the Afghanistan people wont feel liberated either. Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to an invader like Obama is just a sick joke. The world is in the hands of fools!

Dec 4, 2009 05:00

DODGER
Points:
Join Date: Jul 15, 2007
Status: Offline

“I'm sure the Iraq people don't feel liberated. I'm equally sure the Afghanistan people wont feel liberated either.“
I’m sure that the Kurdish people, who were bombed with mustard gas and nerve gas by their own regime are now feeling a little safer.
I’m equally sure that half of the population of Afghanistan; the women, will feel liberated once the Taliban have been removed once and for all. They can then safely resume their education and careers and even listen to the their favorite music without the threat of physical violence.
Dodger.

Dec 4, 2009 13:30

BOBERT
Points:
Join Date: Jan 1, 2009
Status: Offline

These were both civil wars. They still are. They will continue to be for the forseeable future regardless of how many foreign troops lives are wasted. No foreign country has a right to invade or occupy sovereign countries unless threatened by those countries.

Iraqi was invaded not to stop persecution of the Kurds. It was invaded to destroy Iraqs weapons of mass destruction which threatened the world. Of which of course it had none. Afghanistan was not invaded to allow the liberation of women. It was invaded to stop international terrorist attacks by the Taliban. Of which of course at that time there had been none.

If you think the Taliban will be destroyed, you are dreaming. If you believe Iraqi will have a representative government, you are equally deluded. If you believe either of these invasions have achieved their objectives, you are living in Noddyland. If anyone believes either of these wars can be won by the foreign invaders, see a psychiatrist. If you believe the shortlived unintended benefits achieved in either of these wars have been worth the countless lives lost on all sides, you have vastly different values to me.

Dec 4, 2009 20:09	#6
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by BOBERT No foreign country has a right to invade or occupy sovereign countries unless threatened by those countries. Bob, can't agree with you any more. Don't find any excuses to invade other countries.

Dec 4, 2009 21:52	#7
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	JIMMYB. If Japan threatened to attack China would you feel justified to invade them first?

Dec 5, 2009 05:08	#8
HERBEAT Points: Join Date: Mar 17, 2009 Status: Offline	Guess not...

Dec 5, 2009 13:33

MARRIE
Points:
Join Date: Jan 7, 2008
Status: Offline

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOBERT

JIMMYB. If Japan threatened to attack China would you feel justified to invade them first?

It's hard to say. There has been conflicts between over fighting for Diao Yu (Fishing) islands. I heard that 80 years ago, before Japanese planned to invade mainland, they taught their children in school that mailand own much better things that Japanese didn't have.

Bob, the assumption is not realistic considering today's situations. However, I can tell you that the hatred of Japanese among us are rooted in our blood due to history education as a child. If Jp threatens, general public will react before gov. takes action for sure.

Dec 5, 2009 17:25	#10
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by JIMMYB Bob, can't agree with you any more. Don't find any excuses to invade other countries. My hypothetical threat by Japan to invade China was purley an illustration and not to be taken seriously. My point is that there is a valid reason for invading a country. That reason is self preservation. If threated, a government has a right, perhaps even a responsibility to attack. It is often said that "attack is the best form of defence". If New Zealand threatened to invade Australia we would undoubtably attack first, after we stopped laughing that is.
BOBERT Points: Join Date: Jan 1, 2009 Status: Offline	Last edited by BOBERT: Dec 5, 2009 17:25

Page 1 of 4 < Previous Next > Page:

Post a Reply to: Times: Who will be Person of the Year 2009?