Posted on 11/02/2004 3:07:05 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
Britain's most famous scientist, Stephen Hawking, condemned the U.S. led invasion of Iraq as a "war crime" and said Tuesday it was based on lies.
The physicist spoke at an anti-war demonstration in London's Trafalgar Square timed to coincide with the U.S. election. Protesters read out the names of thousands of Iraqis and coalition troops killed since the March 2003 invasion.
"The war was based on two lies," said Hawking. "The first was we were in danger of weapons of mass destruction and the second was that Iraq was somehow to blame for Sept. 11.
"It has been a tragedy for all the families that have lost members. As many as 100,000 people have died, half of them women and children. If that is not a war crime, what is?"
Hawking, the best-selling author of "A Brief History Of Time," was joined by other public figures. Similar events were being held in Spain, Italy, Australia, the United States and Iraq.
"Our message to the U.S. is that the war is illegal and unnecessary, and we want our troops to come home," said Andrew Burgin, a spokesman for demonstration organizer Stop the War Coalition. "We also want to highlight the enormous number of Iraqis killed in this conflict who are so often ignored."
In Trafalgar Square, hundreds of spectators holding candles or placards opposing President Bush listened as speakers read the names of the dead while their images were projected onto a large screen.
One group of students from London's Imperial College waved anti-Bush signs, hoping to send a message to U.S. voters.
"If enough people show up tonight at the demonstration, I think a few more voters might notice what we're saying," said Emma Thomson, a student from Scotland who said she was able to cast a vote in Pennsylvania because she was born there.
Excellent question....
Mr. Hawking,
With all due respect, you are on the wrong side of history, and on the wrong side of humanity.
All these scientist smarty pants types are ALWAYS left wingers...remember Carl Sagan? Enviro-wacko.
Stephen - go crawl back into your wormhole!
I sense a bitter mood moving over FR...
If Kerry wins you will be walking and talking in no time!
It's difficult to not be cast as the bully when one counters a technically brilliant man in a wheelchair. But, you are correct.
Mr. Hawking, for all of his knowledge and specialized intelligence is woefully incapable of making a call on this issue.
I recently checked out a copy of the SFWA Grand Masters Vol 2. and was reminded of how many of the writers I once enjoyed reading, were and are unrepentant lefty nutballs.
Asimov, Clarke, Bester, Aldiss, Dick, etc. are great creative minds but man...what idiots when it comes to right and wrong in the real world.
What does it matter if Iraq had or didn't have WMD? All of Islam is of a piece and is at war with Israel, the Jews, America, Americans and Western civilization. They want us dead and will do ANYTHING to kill us.
Shall we wait for the first Islamofascist nuke to go off in NYC and DC to be sure, or should we try to prevent it? If NY is nuked, the entire world economy will collapse overnight and for a very, very long time.
Take it easy. I don't really think he's stupid (just grossly ill-informed).
Great analysis! The parts can never be the whole and can only be respected as parts. The whole can never be understood by the parts.
Actually he's barely capable of speaking so he doesn't do it QUITE that often.
Just goes to show that being a Brit can detract from intellect.
condemned the U.S. led invasion of Iraq as a "war crime"
Hawking has as much bussiness commenting on foreign policy as I do on partical physics.
Keep your ignorance to yourself Steven - I'm weary of zotting people I have respect for.
Dear Stephen,
Stick to what you are good at - physics and cosmology. You are in over your head here.
B
He ought to just keep on making his stupid mistakes on his interpretation of the universe
Not really. He started typing this out on the day of the invasion back in 2003.
I've always said the intelligence and wisdom are 2 quite different things, and should never be confused with each other.
He's a physicist. If he were smart, he'd be a mathematician.
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