Chuck's piece provides an interesting (for me) test of the approach I often take when reading information that calls itself news or fact.  Take the protagonists used in his statements, then change them for other ones, and see if the piece still reads the same.  Replace the words Muslim for Catholic, Arabs for Irish, Islam for Catholicism, and put the posting in the context of the terrorism we in the UK experienced or many years from Northern Irish republicans.

If you find the statement still reads true, then fine. But consider how Irish Republican terrorism has been dealt with by the British Govt (engagement, communication, agreement, negotiation) and the one adopted to external "terrorists" (bombing, invasion, toppling of governments, supply and support of dictators).

If you don't think the statement reads the same, then something is amiss and perhaps a more rational strategy would be to address ourselves to the root causes and driving forces of criminal and terrorist acts.  Doing so might mean some unpalatable truths about how we conduct ourselves round the world would come out.  But a bit of embarrassment and shame seems a small price to pay for security and saving lives.

Chuck writes:
>Of course, tossing the UN diplomats on a garbage scow and towing it out
to international waters then bulldozing the UN headquarters building
would be a great suggestion also. :>

I think that was tried a few weeks ago in Baghdad, and a few years ago in New York.  Was it okay then or does it depend on who dishes out the violence?



Richard

―----------------------------

Richard Ali
Smith & Williamson Corporate Services Limited



>>> Chuck Ryan <[log in to unmask]> 22/12/03 21:20:53 >>>
> During these last two and one quarter years our government=20
> spent billions of dollars and hundreds of lives (thousands if=20
> you include
> non-American) in a global effort to make the USA (and the=20
> world) more secure. If one believes Ashcroft's announcement,=20
> it appears that our efforts have met with less success than=20
> all of us were hoping for. At least, relative to the cost.
>=20

Actually, President Bush said the war on terrorism would be a long one
so perhaps expecting victory in 2 years time is more than a bit
optimistic on your part.

> Perhaps our strategy is lacking one or more elements.
>=20
> I suggest that our strategy include a serious effort to find=20
> out WHY terrorists resort to such violent acts.
>=20

Because their religious leaders and schools teach them that it is their
duty to kill all non-Muslims and that they will be rewarded for suicide
and murder.

> What is the nature of their grievances?  Is there some way we=20
> can alleviate them?
>=20

Grievances:

1) We are not Muslims
2) We are wealthy
3) We are not Muslims
4) We are not Arab's
5) We are not Muslims
6) We are someone they can blame for their own failures
7) We are not Muslims

Ways to alleviate them:

1) Mass suicide
2) Convert to Islam

> There may be other missing elements.
>=20

The only missing elements seem to be the courage and integrity needed to
defeat the threat instead of attempting to appease it.

> Suggestions?  Comments?
>=20

We are not to blame for the current state of the Arab world. But as the
Arab governments have been using the West as a scapegoat, for their own
failure to provide for their people, the monster they created is now
grown out of control. It has even begun to bite the hand that feeds it
and, as predicted, attack the very governments that created it.

Attempts to appease the terrorists have only served to convince them we
are weak. In this they have found themselves mistaken, socialism and
liberalism have damaged but not yet destroyed us, the sleeping giant has
awakened and finally begun to move against them.

We cannot reasonably hunt down every individual terrorist so we must go
after those governments that feed the beast, in the hope that theirs
will be the last hand bitten, and cut off their funding. This approach
has already begun to bear fruit, see the recent announcements from Libya
and Pakistan, and will continue to do so as long as the press, some
politicians and anti-US organizations/governments in the US and Europe
are prevented from giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Of course, tossing the UN diplomats on a garbage scow and towing it out
to international waters then bulldozing the UN headquarters building
would be a great suggestion also. :>


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