I can understand that it might make you feel more righteous to add personal tripe and untruth to my position on a topic where we fundamentally disagree but it doesn't forward the discussion any.
"Look around you, look at history and look at our experience in Iraq and the facts are right in front of your face."
"Look around you..."
I have and I know Iraqis, do you?
"...look at history "
I have. Prior to Saddam's brutal rise to power there was a very strong likelyhood of democratic in Iraq. Saddam brutalized Iraqis into submission during his tyranical rulership. When he fell there was overwhelming support from millions of voters risking their lives to gain an elected government.
"look at our experience in Iraq..."
Although there has never been a guarantee, we have made sacrifices to support those who choose a free and secure Iraq.
" these things change gradually over time. And during that time they'll try lots of other things that the strong dogs over there think they want. That's how cultures learn."
Right and up to now you have always advocated abandonment of the people so that the strong dogs can get what they want. I remember you laughing your head off when I told you about Moktada Al-Sadr a few years ago. It seems you are a little more informed now but your mocking approach to discussion seems just as partisan and ignorant to me.
"So why is it that most of the entire world, and a huge majority of the people you want to "help" are telling you to get your ass out of their country and let them be? "
You are uninformed.
"They've got lots to say but like all missionary personalities, you think you know better, you're ignoring what they're telling you with words and actions and you're cheer leading the effort to save them from themselves.
Wrong again I am listening and watching and I am fairly well informed on what 'they're' telling me and showing me.
We are living in a very volatile and dangerous time that should be taken serious by all reasonable and decent people.
Iran representing Shia Islam has oil wealth and is building nuclear power wealth none of which will go unmarketed to Asia or where ever they choose to wield influence. They don't need to launch nuclear bombs, they can grow enriched uranium and sell it to entities who build nuclear bombs (Syria possibly) or use their wealth to encourage others to have nuke fights and sit quietly by growing their economic power and influence over satellite armies like Hesbollah, the badr brigade, and the Mahdi Army.
Iran's ruling radical regime knows the culture and people of Iran will not condone further global isolation. With respect to this circumstance it can and is continuing to draw attention to its nuclear head fake while waging a real proxy war against the West in Southern Iraq. It supports the al-Qud special forces of the Revolutionary Guard who are in Iraq, militia trained by Hesbollah and fierce anti-American military militia movements like the Mahdi Army, last estimated at 60K+ and expected to grow exponentially over time. At the rate of current growth, it will soon eclipse the Iraqi military. I see nothing that would stop it from becoming an international Shi'ite military force as the founders intended. Tehran also uses its influence quite effectively to promote anti-western leadership into Iraqi political office.
They have realized that by cooperating with the US now to quell insurgencies in Southern Iraq while continuing to destabilize the National govt of Iraq, and by biding their time, they will achieve a long term goal of removing Western influence from Iraq and will be replacing that with their brand of extremism from Iran through Iraq-Syria-Lebanon.
The frontier regions of Pakistan are vast pristine mountain areas that have never been under the control of the proper Pakistan government. If or when Musharaf is taken out or neutralized the military and government of Pakistan will be up for grabs and could easily go to revolutionaries. Money is no object since the funding for a revolution would come from various outside sources. India is already growing a superpower and once a fundamentalist regime is in power in Pakistan the likelihood of matching India's military development is very high. A fundamentalist Pakistan regime will emerge, coup style, then the wealth of radical Sunni groups will flow to Pakistan. Al-Quaida has already begun to morph into something different in Pakistan than it was in Afghanistan. It will resurface offering a more benevolent appearance. The history and legacy of Pakistan is unlike any country in the world. It was founded specifically to advance Islam and Islamic prophesy. Pakistan representing Sunni Islam will acquire superpower military status eventually. It is not compromised by entanglements with outside political regions like other Sunni nations are. It is ideally located to unite the regions of Sunni Islam on the Eastern Hemisphere under one agenda. Extremist Sunnis will not lose their foot hold in Iraq and if the Shias attempt their power sweep to Lebanon we can expect Sunni Nations to enter the fray.
China and India are forming alliances to acquire economic superpower status to challenge western dominance. Well on their way already, they are including Russia who has a superpower military and especially because Russia has nukes. Russia is also on the rise as a dominating force on the Eastern Hemisphere. Russia is attempting a new type of United grouping of nations under it’s wing for military and economic strength, but is being careful not to topple other nations in the process USSR style; while both Russia and China are courting Iran for trade in commerce, power, and weaponry. European countries that were once allied with the USA will cooperate for many reasons, one of them being that they are becoming more and more dependant on Russia for natural gas fuel. Russia has built a natural gas pipeline across western Europe and is able to get political cooperation from regions they were unable to manage militarily under the USSR.
The United States is a country founded on freedom. Our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights all discuss and ensure these freedoms. Yet despite this, America has never entirely become the reality for which we strive. The history of this nation is a story of moving towards freedom, coming ever closer and closer, without actually reaching the ultimate goal. This story of the striving for freedom will continue as long as this country stands.
Our current struggle is against fear. But it doesn't have to be decided by fear. It can be dealt with through courage, hope and by supporting those who need us.
That’s the problem and you can either be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. There is one solution and one only, unite in principle and in purpose to conquer the fear and power of fear and terror. Then and only then are the petty tyranists stripped of their artificial authority and exposed for what they are.
America is great because it is founded upon principles of decency where liberty and justice for all is the rule, where peace on earth and good will toward all is an intention, where tolerance and respect for the differences among us has been codified.
It is not great because brutes can scream about their patriotism from the middle of a schizzed out mob while hijacking our principles of decency, to advance their own version of heinous persecution and bigotry; that is simply an unfortunate and ironic side effect.
We have free will. We can by our will power to be part of the solution on the Eastern Hemisphere and at home, we are all one under the sun?
"But you won't see it because you have too much pride in your "white knight" image of yourself as a gallant crusader for freedom.
Nice sermon Ed but but lacking in substance and full of wrongheaded goofy snipes as usual.
Best regards,
gem
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