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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (18948)	2/16/2002 9:41:12 AM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

how many times have we tried subverting these regimes, encouraged uprisings, etc., only to pull the rug out at the last minute? Yep... People don't mind fighting for their freedom against a repressive dictator, so long as they know they won't be thrown to the lions because their primary patron loses its stomach for their cause (or makes a backroom deal with the dictator). The US has a history of doing just that, developing resistance movements and then leaving them hanging out to dry when the political pressure becomes too much, or in the interest of political expedience. Afghanistan was such an example after the Soviets were expelled. Vietnam was also a limited example of that as well (since the S. Vietnamese were guilty of taking US aid for granted and not applying themselves to the war until after the US had withdrawn). And that's why rebuilding Afghanistan's economy and political structure this time around is all important. It all comes down to will. The will to undertake a course of action and follow it through to success, no matter how long it takes. Btw, the American revolution would not have succeeded either, had France suddenly caved in to pressure not to fight Great Britain. The reason this country exists today is because the French provented the British from being able to reinforce or resupply their troops in the American colonies. Without their support, the US rebellion would likely have eventually collapsed under the greater might of the British. Hawk