That is because you keep on insisting the terrorist mind set is like a military mind set, which it isn't. Here is your statement to David. I am sure that the soony faction considers itself at war with the USA, and that this attack was simply a part of this war. The fact that civilians were killed I think means little to the military mindset although they sometimes profess concern.<<<<<<<
Harry, I think the mindset of the terrorists who plan crimes like the WTC attack or who instigate the suicide bombers's mission is very close to that of the typical military commander. You are welcome to see them as being different.
You linked the two together, as if our military would ever even think about taking over a civilian plane with civilians aboard and using the plane to bomb a civilian target.
If I remember correctly, we fired missiles on a Sudanese hospital a few years back. Granted the missile was a real missile and not a plane loaded with a lot of civilians.
Quit saying the terrorists have the same mindset as the military; as the military tries to conquer the opposing military and tries to avoid civilian casualties, and the terrorist use civilian casualties to defeat an enemy without defeating his military.
Please don't tell me how to think just because it disagrees with your viewpoint. I may be more cynical than you, or I may have read reports that you have not which causes me to form the conclusions that I do. I love this country but from what I have read and seen, we are not always saints.
Also a military is of vital national interest. Terrorists generally are fighting for a cause but against their nations military in most instances.
Harry, its my perception that their lifestyle is very different from their's. They barely have a nation let alone a strong military. And in the case of the soony faction, the Taliban gov't supports bin Laden....although we don't know if he directly committed the WTC attack or whether it was a related faction. In turn, the Taliban gov't is supported by the Pakastanis. Yes, the same Pakastani gov't demanding that the Taliban gov't turn over bin Laden to us. Politics and cultural differences are always difficult but in third world countries, alliances are vague, ever shifting, and intentionally deceptive to confuse people from the West.
So for you to put our view of the world into some kind of context that makes some kind of American sense as it relates to this particular group of Muslims is very difficult if not impossible to do. At least that is what I think.
You are concerned with perception and blame whereas I am more concerned with the level of destruction and death to come from such a conflict. <<<<
Because once again, you put both of them in the dame category, when they are opposites.
This makes no sense.
<That's why I am choosing to ignore the urgent beating of the war drums that are egging us on, and instead, more focused on finding the way that will best accomplish our objective with the least amount of casualties.<<<<
You should be very happy with GW as that seems to be their intent with Afghanistan, to send in a smaller surgical force; over my adamant advice that he should go in with overwhelming force.
Of course, nothing else would make sense. We have been beaten when we try to fight with some third world countries the kind of war we like. Remember, Afghanistan's terrain virtually defeated Russia.
We will make you into a GW fan yet.
When hell freezes over, Harry, when hell freezes over!
ted |
