o/t Doug ie: Iran...
["...Do we only strike convenient sources of the fascist network? Or do also we go in where it's going to be very tough sledding?..."]
In a real world, we must act based on reality based options and not purely philosophic ideals.
I honestly do believe; that if we were not faced with a degree of Religious Extremism & Fanaticism that is found in some Islamic countries; that we would indeed fight them with freedom, capitalism and technology... but, that will not work.
We do not have to worry about homocide-bombers carrying out the extreme tennants of Mao-ism, or crashing Airliners into Skyscrapers for Buddah... but, sadly with Islam; we do.
That makes it different.
After weighing the costs, the risks to the rewards; you strike at who you can, when you can, because you can...you deal politically with who you must, when you must.
We don't have to deal with either Iraq, Iran, or the Saudi's on an entirely political plane.
Obviously China & Korea can be added to that initial list...of sponsors/financeer's of anti-US interests & terrorism...and we presently should deal with them on a political basis.
The risks of dealing with Cold War Russia militarially outweighed the rewards... so we spent billions & billions over decades to break them politically, socially & economically.
Working to build the desire from within the people of North Korea for a unified, democratic, capitalist and modern One Korea will ultimately work; as it will with China dangling the rewards of capitalism, modern technology and democracy to the masses.
Iran...had better be paying close attention and the Saudi Royal's had better get their duplicity of playing both sides cleaned up a bit as well. The threats of Fundamentalist Extremism in the area must be addressed immediately and the potential risks pale in the face of the potential rewards of a much less dangerous world. |
