[Grovenet] 9/11

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Walking away is a tactic.

We used that tactic in Vietnam. 

I wonder if we'd be allowed to use it now? That was my question.

The Vietnamese just wanted us to get out of their country. Once we left,
they were happy. 

The radical Islamic forces have said clearly that they something more than
for us than to leave their countries. They want America crippled so badly it
becomes a minor, impotent power or, best in their view, all non-Muslim
Americans dead.

That's what they've been saying. I'm inclined to believe them. 

I heard an interesting report today from England. It seems that every one of
the attempted terrorism attacks in recent months have been traced to one
country. It's clear to the British that country has become Al Qaeda's new
home state where they train and plan attacks without interference. That
country is our supposed ally Pakistan. I have to wonder what's really going
on in the Pakistani government to allow such widespread activity, not way up
in the rugged mountains, but in the cities and other urban areas as well
where the British have traced the terrorists. Recent investigations showed
that known wanted terrorists were photographed as they passed through
customs at major airports re-entering the country, identified positively,
and released into Pakistan without being detained. 

It's also worth remembering that Pakistan is a nuclear power: they are a
Muslim state that already has atomic bombs. 

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, September 13, 2006 12:33 PM
To: Forest Grove local interests list
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] 9/11




--- Ron D'Eau Claire <rondec at easystreet.com>
wrote:

> Well put, I think. Thank you Mike.
> 
> It makes me wonder. If we Americans do as we've
> done before and simply walk
> away, can we? Will the terrorists leave us
> alone then or will they follow us
> back to North America?
> 
> Ron D'Eau Claire

Walk away? Or change tactics.

The invasion of Afghanistan was right on the
mark. We were justified, and the rest of the
world saw it clearly.

What we did then, in the face of success, was to
invade Iraq. That was wrong, unlawful, and
utterly stupid. Had we not done that, but,
instead, used police action to finish the clean
up of Al Quita, the world would be a very
different place today. We would be stronger
economically and militarily. We would not have
the indelible stair of Iraq on our flag.

Police action is still the best means to combat
Bin Laden et al. Ed's post demonstrates that. The
army is the wrong tool for many reasons. 

The difficult part now is how to get "back
there", to the time before we invaded Iraq.
That's a very tough thing to do.

We bear a responsibility to the Iraqi people for
what we've done to their country and culture.
They are in virtual civil war right now. Much of
that is our fault.

I'm reminded, though, of a well meaning parent
who has a teen child who is acting out. Perhaps
the parent bears some responsibility for where
this child is, perhaps not. But, at that point,
when the child is being impossible, what are the
options for the parent to help that child? Not
many. 

You have heard of the term "tough love". The
quickest way to get a child "re-booted" is to
allow the consequences of bad behavior to act in
and of themselves to teach the child the
realities of his/her actions. It can be perilous,
but locking him/her in the attic, or buying
him/her off somehow will not work for long.
Somehow, the child has to figure things and the
parent is in no position to order or explain at
that point.

In Iraq right now there are no easy answers. For
example, I see that the NATO appeal for more
troops for Afghanistan has gone unanswered. I
have advocated that the world send troops to Iraq
to restore order and that we get out. But no one
would come at this point. Who would want to come
to Iraq to insure order? The only group I can
think of who would do that: Muslim
fundamentalists. Yuk!

Staying with the status quo because there is no
other option for order is hardly wise or
responsible. Why would anyone want to stay where
we are right now? We act as a catalyst to
violence as long as we are in Iraq. We are the
red flag waved in the face of the bull. It was a
stupid strategy when we went in, and it's even
more stupid now. This is where the policies of
George W Bush have led us. We need a new plan.

We need to leave. It's our best and perhaps our
only option right now. _______________________________________________
GroveNet mailing list
GroveNet at rdrop.com http://www.rdrop.com/mailman/listinfo/grovenet