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

To: SirRealist who wrote (41493)	9/2/2002 4:45:39 AM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi SirRealist; Re "The only developing rationale I see for an attack is that the White House may be worried that if they don't follow-through on the bluster, it'll be perceived as weakness in Islamist circles, a calculation OBL has made after Reagan pulled troops from Lebanon, Bush backed off the RG in Desert Storm, and Clinton backed off Sudan." This is probably true, though I also think there are domestic political concerns that prevent the administration from backing away from Iraq. The fact is that it is US cultural influence that is what Osama bin Laden and friends are truly afraid of. US military might is useless at winning hearts and minds. The whole thing with the attack on Iraq reminds me of the Monty Python skit with the dead parrot. But since Bush is the President (rather than a shopkeeper), we're forced to take it seriously. -- Carl P.S. The parrot skit: C: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now. montypython.net Also, the "camel spotting" skit comes to mind: Interviewer: Good. And how many camels have you spotted so far? Spotter: Oh, well so far Peter, up to the present moment, I've spotted nearly, ooh, nearly one. montypython.net

To: SirRealist who wrote (41493)	9/2/2002 11:42:15 AM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

The only developing rationale I see for an attack is that the White House may be worried that if they don't follow-through on the bluster, it'll be perceived as weakness in Islamist circles,. . . And to save face, whatever that means.