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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (37640)	11/20/2001 9:19:34 AM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

We have long had a policy of not sending troops to do work that can be done with smart bombs and cruise missiles. Many of those who have been on the receiving end of these particular forms of persuasion have had no defense against us and no way of fighting back. I am sure that many of them thought us cowardly, and wished that we would fight on their terms. I don't agree: we were simply being practical. When you are the biggest guy on the block, the people who don't like you are not going to challenge you to step outside and fight. They are going to gang up on you, ambush you, and try to sneak in a groin chop when you aren't looking. They are not being cowardly, they are being practical. War is nasty business; there is little point in expecting it to be otherwise.

To: Neocon who wrote (37640)	11/20/2001 12:25:04 PM
From: Solon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I think you do a disservice to equate a heartless killer with people having a weakness which is shared by people at your country club. Many decent upright people lack courage in certain situations. This does not make them contemptible people simply because they are not as psychically strong as some others. To focus on cowardice as a pertinent point in the character of OBL (even if it were true, which it clearly is not)is to overlook the moral depravity of his killing of innocents, and is also to equate him to millions of good decent human beings who sometimes lack courage, but have never committed vicious acts against their human brothers and sisters. Again, you seem to be equating cowardice with moral failings such as murder, torture, cruelty, etc. Cowardice is weakness. It does not equate to cruelty, viciousness, or any of the things which are truly despicable, and for which we ought to hate Mr. OBL. As far as bullys: some might be cowards; many probably are not. Cowardice is not the motive for cruelty. I have a girl friend who loses all her courage when it comes to riding a roller coaster. She avoids it because she is a coward in that instance. She is not, however, cruel, vicious, or mean. Furthermore, she adds a great deal of good to the world. The comparison with OBL of these decent people is fatuous and ridiculous.