How Do We Deal With Terrorists

[Lief Erikson]

We lost tens of thousands of soldiers in Vietnam. Al'Qaeda- it is on the run. It truly would have to be "God-willing" for Al'Qaeda to be able to kill tens of thousands of our people now.

I expect that in time, this terrorism in the name of Islam problem will get worse rather than better, simply because the terrorists will keep multiplying. At a future time, perhaps such threats will carry dark and terrible weight (though I might add that Pres. Bush and the other country leaders that are taking a stand against terror are doing a very, very good job in postponing that time). Al'Qaeda, however, at this time, is not even remotely close to capable of delivering on such threats as Al-Zawahri has just made.

I am very proud of how President Bush is leading our country in confronting terror. The operations in Iraq and Afghanistan were highly successful, and I am frustrated by the Americans throughout the United States who continue to demand instant results, and who look at the problems that remain in these countries while refusing to acknowledge the massive achievements that reconstruction have brought to the country. Many of the problems that still exist existed before the U.S. arrived, also.

When watching the presidential debates between Pres. Bush and Senator John Kerry, it seemed to me that Mr. Kerry didn't have much to add either, to what President Bush has been doing in fighting terror. He seemed to be saying that he'd do exactly what Bush was doing, only "better".


Perhaps now you have an idea on where I stand . I'm a Republican Conservative Christian, to use labels . "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is one that I would willingly fight in, if called.

[brownjenkins]

i'm not sure whether it will grow to vietnam proportions either... i hope not... here is an interesting article from almost one year ago on that very subject

of course, even one death is pretty meaningful if it happens to you or someone you care for... the question is what do we do to decrease terrorism? in my mind the course we have taken will increase deaths to terrorism, or at the very least, keep them stable... there is history on this... the ira, israel, etc... violence leads to violence... kill fathers and you face their sons, kill sons and you face their brothers

i'm not saying walk around tossing out roses and loaves of bread... but i think we could be approaching the situtation much less violently than we have... put all those resources being wasted on massive troop movements in to more of the reconstruction... and give the native people as much control as possible over that construction, as opposed to viewing it as a opportunity for corporate profitability... give the people of the region something to live for and i'll bet you'll see a lot less of them willing to sacrifice their lives for "the cause"

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

i'm not saying walk around tossing out roses and loaves of bread... but i think we could be approaching the situtation much less violently than we have... put all those resources being wasted on massive troop movements in to more of the reconstruction...

When you're trying to protect a country, massive troop movements are often necessary. Having soldiers protecting the place does limit the violence Al'Zarqawi can get away with.

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

and give the native people as much control as possible over that construction, as opposed to viewing it as a opportunity for corporate profitability...

They are working very, very hard in Iraq to get the government functioning. There have been some successes too, and thank goodness the Sunnis are involved again.

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

give the people of the region something to live for and i'll bet you'll see a lot less of them willing to sacrifice their lives for "the cause"

I think most of the insurgents are terrorists who have crossed the border from nearby countries. The prime targets of terrorism are the people of Iraq, rather than US troops.

Fortunately, there have been a lot of Iraqis showing up, ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of bringing security to their state. There have been many people showing up to join the police force, in spite of repeated insurgent attacks on lined up recruits.

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

When you're trying to protect a country, massive troop movements are often necessary. Having soldiers protecting the place does limit the violence Al'Zarqawi can get away with.

but on the flipside, it gives him something to fire up the populace against... no one likes to be occupied by armed foreigners, not matter how many "good works" they are doing

They are working very, very hard in Iraq to get the government functioning. There have been some successes too, and thank goodness the Sunnis are involved again.

i didn't say they were not... i said i would prioritize the resources in a vastly different way

I think most of the insurgents are terrorists who have crossed the border from nearby countries. The prime targets of terrorism are the people of Iraq, rather than US troops.

which begs the question... would they be there at all if we were not?

we are stuck now and the things i've suggested above are the best way to deal with the situation as it stands today, but it didn't have to be this way... we made our bed in iraq, not the terrorists

Fortunately, there have been a lot of Iraqis showing up, ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of bringing security to their state. There have been many people showing up to join the police force, in spite of repeated insurgent attacks on lined up recruits.

i hope i am wrong and the deaths decrease over time... but i'm far from sure that will occur

[Spock]

Anti-War Hostages Air-Dropped Back into Iraq


The British military announced today that they had air-dropped former
hostages Norman Kembler, James Loony and Harmeet Singh Sooden into the

Iraqi desert, just a week after their rescue from a house west of
Baghdad. The men had been held by insurgents for four months.

Since their release, the three men, all from a Christian Peacemaker
team, have spoken with deep admiration and respect for their captors,
while not offering any degree of gratitiude to the British commandos
who risked their lives to save them.

"We realize now that we made a huge mistake," said Captain Ian Coates
of the British Army, "and it was time to return these men to the
people they love and respect."

Coates wistfully related the story of how the former hostages were
told of the decision to reunite them with their brethren in Iraq.

"To keep it a surprise, we used our commandos to gather the men in the
middle of the night," he said. "They were so surprised and excited
hat we needed to duct tape their mouths and tie them up. But there
was no doubt that they were overjoyed to be returning to Iraq. Their
eyes were as big as saucers, and Kembler even wet his jammies in
excitement!"

The men were whisked by military jet back to a British Military base
in Kuwait, and flown by helicopter into Iraq at dawn. Captain Coates
struggled to keep his composure as he described the reunion.

"The air drop was a remarkable moment, something I was honored to
see," he said. "The men were writhing around, screaming and crying
with joy. There wasn't a dry eye in the helicopter as we rolled them
out."
The British Military was concerned that the men would not be picked up

quickly, leaving them to wander in the desert. So each man was given a

bright red parachute emblazoned with one of the famed Danish Mohammed
cartoons.

"The cartoons really did the trick," said Captain Coates. "As they
drifted downward, you could see the insurgents gathering to welcome
them. Some had even set fires to help guide them as they landed. We
could hear the chants of welcome even over the whir of the rotors. Did
you ever see Born Free?
It was like that, but better."

[Spock]

US Navy Releases Terrorist

The US Navy today announced that it released a senior Al Qaeda
terrorist after questioning him extensively for 27 days while being held prisoner aboard a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.

In a humanitarian gesture, the terrorist was given $50 US and a white 1962 Ford Fairlane automobile upon being released from custody.

The attached photo shows the terrorist on his way home just after being released by the Navy.

[Earniel]

Hm, I can't say I find either terribly funny, though.

[Spock]

No, I didn't think YOU would. However, some here, me included, DO

[Lief Erikson]

I found the second one very funny . Didn't really understand the first . *Looks really, really dumb.*

It's probably just a difference of personalities, Eärniel .

[sun-star]

edited

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

It's probably just a difference of personalities, Eärniel .

Without differences in sense of humour, the world would be a dull place, I gather.

Or as the French say: "Les gouts et les couleurs, on ne les dispute pas."

[inked]

Very, very well...

billions for tribute...

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0506/glick052206.php3

I found it interesting, anyway.

[Lief Erikson]

I found it absurd.

Originally Posted by The article

You have to give them credit. The Palestinians outdid themselves this week. In the framework of the maelstrom over the presumed financial crisis of the Hamas-led PA,

Presumed? Thousands of government employees haven't been paid for months!

Originally Posted by The article

the supposedly "moderate" Fatah organization, led by supposedly "moderate" PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, decided to threaten America and Europe.

In a leaflet published by Fatah's Aksa Martyrs Brigades in Gaza,

The author pays no attention to the fact that the Palestinians are broken into many factions, and the Martyr's Brigade doesn't speak for all Fatah.

Originally Posted by The article

In a speech before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Abbas warned that if the EU did not renew its underwriting of the PA's budget "there will be an explosion of anger, and this would lead to a chaotic situation of which we cannot foresee the results." Translated into regular English, Abbas told his European audience: "Your money or your life."

Predicting anger is not a threat. The Iraq war caused anger in the Muslim world. Should we say that anyone who predicted that was making threats? If the Palestinian government cannot pay its people, they may abandon their positions and the government may collapse. That would lead to "a chaotic situation of which we cannot foresee the results." Saying an explosion of anger will result doesn't mean he will cause an explosion of anger. Warning does not always equal threat.

Originally Posted by The article

Since 1994, the PA has always been supposedly on the brink of a financial and humanitarian catastrophe.

The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories has been appalling for years. I find it highly ignorant suggest otherwise. The withdrawal of tens of millions of donations to the government can only worsen the situation, and the fact that multitudes of government employees are no longer being paid is a clear sign of this.

Originally Posted by The article

Since its establishment in 1994, the PA has received more aid per capita than any other group of people in the world has ever received — more than the victims of genocide in Sudan or Rwanda, more that the victims of the tsunami in Asia, more than the Iraqis or the Afghans — more than anyone.

No evidence is provided to support this assertion, for starters. But also they have needed a good deal of donations, as they have so few opportunities and have had so little economy. Israeli actions such as Operation Rainbow, which smashed Palestinian infrastructure in recent years, certainly haven't helped.

I'm afraid I don't know enough about Kushner to evaluate her data. I don't believe a word of it, for it sounds heavily biased. However, I don't know enough about her record to make any argument on it.

The Amnesty International issue may perhaps be a more valid complaint. Again, I'm not knowledgeable enough to discuss this.

The trouble with the article's comments about the new Palestinian military force is that the article is presenting only one perspective on it. The article presents it as a force created solely for the goal of destroying Israel, but by getting the factions under Hamas' control rather than making war on them, much of the security mess in Gaza is resolved without striking a blow. That is a very positive development in the chaotic Gaza environment.

Another problem with the article is that its language is heavily biased and shows callous disregard for people who suffer: "Abbas, who bemoans the poor Palestinian doctors and teachers that have not received their March salaries."

Also, the article's language is not even remotely professional: "The thing of it is that for all of their shrieks and whines, there has never been a group of more self-sufficient people on the verge of a humanitarian disaster than the Palestinians."

That article is not a source from which you could reasonably form any views about Middle East affairs.

[Insidious Rex]

Originally Posted by Spock

Since their release, the three men, all from a Christian Peacemaker
team, have spoken with deep admiration and respect for their captors

And because of this they should be mocked? What of the possibility that they are actually telling the truth and were treated well? Should they do their patriotic duty and lie and call the Iraqis subhuman monsters? Odd... seems to me this is what peacemakers do... try to promote PEACE not disparage others because it tickles conservative’s fancy.

[Lief Erikson]

News Flash:
Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi is dead!
His death in a US air raid along with other militants and at least one civilian is the result of weeks of planning and information collecting. Hours after his death, the US launched seventeen Baghdad raids that they say brought them a "treasure trove" of information.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5059494.stm

[Insidious Rex]

Huge double blow for the terrorists in Iraq today (that and the naming of ministers to key positions). Now we'll see how much this effects the strictly sectarian killings that have more and more dominated things lately.

[Lief Erikson]

Well, a Pentagon report released recently said that 90% of those killed in Iraq have been killed by Al'Qaeda terrorists, not sectarian violence. I don't know how true that is, but if the number is close to true, it's a positive sign. As you say, we'll see.