Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : America Under Siege: The End of Innocence -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: snerd who wrote (4171)	9/20/2001 10:26:34 AM
From: PJ Strifas	Respond to of 27666

Thanks for the the open-mindedness you've shown - now I can stand up and applaud. See, when we sit back and think for a moment, we can do GREAT things. Incidentally, I believe we CAN win this fight but as we've heard on TV - it will take time and it will require patience. I've been to "ground zero" and seen it first hand and I'm NOT a pacifist - I work in NYC and I'm afraid that if we strike with our military in a haphazard fashion we will be tossing a ton of gasoline onto an already high burning fire of hate. Now to me, that means more terrorists, more attacks and "new" weapons to be used. I can't tell you what it feels like to enter the subways in NYC and wonder if today will be the day they decide to use chemical/biological weapons....... So for all those who can't wait to spill the Muslim blood of innocents, I'll ask you - are you willing to sacrifice your family NOW for a possibilty in the future? Yeah - I know, they'll do it anyway so why wait -well that tells me that we've truly lost all hope. I can't beleive that we'll have to murder millions of people just to feel safe again. This isn't what being a loving caring human being is all about. I can't believe that's our ONLY choice.....nor can I believe its our best choice. So to answer your question: "But we digress............. or is that the intent?" Never - all I ask is that we widen the discussion and add some practicality to it. I'm all for striking the terrorists and their support networks. Bombing them is just one facet of this and likely NOT to produce the desired results we crave (namely our protection). So if bombing them "into the Stone Age" isn't going to do it for us - what else do you propose? Here's what can be done: 1) Use military force to prove our resolve This means a limited response aimed at their training camps in ALL the countries we know of. By limited response, I mean hitting them with air assets and special forces. A Desert Storm-type assault is out of the question at this point and would take more than 6-9 months to prepare. These strikes will bring focus on our committment and our resolve to the international community. It will allow us to work from a better position since we've already committed to using force if there's no other choice. This will make #2 work... 2) Work the diplomatic side of this The Taliban has stated that with "proof" they will hold terrorists responsible and even hand them over to a multi-national "committee" (Nato? UN?) for justice. Let's not forget that even in this country a grand jury convenes to investigate the evidence to determine if there's enough of it to continue to trial. This would be a wise track to work. Aside from that, it will motivate the moderate Arab nations to work with us and not against us. We can offer them a choice, more war or help us get them. I believe the Taliban (and others) will not be willing to fight other Arabs to protect terrorists. 3) Use our financial position as a bully pulpit We can literally shut down any economy of any country with a little effort on our part. We're talking about shutting down a country's ability to trade, access bank accounts and move money in any form. Money is what keeps these terrorists in business.... let's not overlook this "weapon". Also, cutting off all AID to any country not "on our side" can do 2 things - make then reassess their position or make them into our enemies. I'd like to think they'd go for the first item :) So let's get down to it, shall we?