[Grovenet] "It's time we win the war on terror"

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

I agree that we should not respond to Osama; that is let him "call the
shots". We did that with Saddam by literally drawing a line in the sand and
calling it a DMZ. Then Saddam would dump some old military junk out there
what was worthless to him and then sit back and laugh as we spent millions
of dollars to blow it up and prove he wasn't allowed to do that. Nothing was
more absurd than that. 

But I don't think we should discount Bin Ladin. What Bin Ladin has had to
say is entirely true. If you haven't read his original position speech made
on Al Jazeera a few years ago, it's worth the time. It is erudite and
accurate. I have a copy in an Acrobat file if you or anyone would like it.
Just drop me an e-mail. 

My only disagreement with Bin Ladin is in what he chose to do about it. But
then again, what he chose to do about it is what we Americans taught him to
do when America helped him set up Al Qaeda. We had intended he use Al Qaeda
against the Russians in Afghanistan, not against us. Bin Ladin asked the
obvious question, "If it is good to do that to Russians who oppress us, why
not Americans who oppress us?" 

I've not changed my belief since we invaded Iraq. The day we crossed the
borders we signed up for a decades-long effort. And it was one I doubted we
could afford or that the American public, with its historically short
attention span, would tolerate. 

Then, when we discovered that there were no WMD, nor any threat of WMD, I
said that we now needed to acknowledge our blunder and go to the UN, "hat in
hand" and ask for international help in building a government in Iraq that
would protect the people - hopefully something better than Saddam's
iron-fisted regime. The USA simply does not have the resources or the skills
to do that. Indeed, Saddam was our creation, like Bin Ladin. He was the best
we knew how to do. We propped him up in power so he could kill and subjugate
the Kurds and anyone else who might threaten our easy access to cheap oil. 

It's not a simple matter of America deciding to get a conscience or learning
humility. Its not a matter of Americans no longer tolerating the wholesale
slaughter of people in other countries so we can get more than our fair
share of the world's resources. If we tried to scale back our economy would
collapse. No one wants to face the poverty that would entail or expect their
loved ones to do so. 

There's an old Christian saying about reaping the whirlwind. I believe that
America is doing just that after a century of reaping the wind as an
arrogant "superpower". And 9/11 and Iraq are only beginning. 

To stop the downward spiral, all we have to do, as a nation, is say, "I'm
sorry" and back that sentiment with action. 

Don't hold your breath <G>. Shoot, half of the country is still trying to
pretend we did something decent in Vietnam. 

And please, anyone who reads this, do not take it out on the brave and
dedicated men and women of our military. Just because soldiers fight bravely
and valiantly does not mean the cause is just. 

The work of soldiers is to win battles. 

The work of politicians is to make the battles worthwhile. 

We must not connect the humanity and heroism of our soldiers with the
failures of the politicians. 

I agree, Eric. It is, at best, a bleak situation. But one thing God gives us
is the ability to make something good out of any situation, as individuals
or as a nation. You and I can only act as individuals. What our nation has
done, and what it will do is the combined act and mandate of millions.
Whether that is good or evil depends upon the combined conscience of those
millions. God only gives us the power to weep for those who do not see and
who do not hear. 

Ron D'Eau Claire 




 

-----Original Message-----
From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
Behalf Of Eric Canon
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 1:21 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: RE: [Grovenet] "It's time we win the war on terror"


I completely agree that we bear responsibility
for what happens next in Iraq, not because Osama
says otherwise and we need to disprove his
statement (and I do not suggest that is your
thinking either, Ron), but because we owe it to
the Iraqi people and to ourselves. However,
consistent with doing the right thing is the
reality, which we need to recognize, that we are
not in a position to bring peace or stability to
Iraq ourselves. Our very presence ignites a
reaction from the Muslim world. So, IMHO, it must
*not* be us.

But who? We are witnessing in Lebanon that the
rest of the world has little interest in sending
troops into a situation which is as inflamed as
the entire middle east. This is another result of
the failed Bush policy of going it alone (or
siding with Israel). Now we ARE alone!

The answer, still, is to bring in an outside
force, other than us, to restore order. The real
question, and the problem, is, who? 

It is a very bleak situation, to say the least.