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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Fred Levine who wrote (67221)	12/24/2002 11:51:25 AM
From: zonder	Respond to of 70976

Given the US economic and military power, he should be especially careful not to be perceived as a bully-- or a cowboy. Hm. It might be little late for worrying about perceptions by now. I think that impression is well established by now in most of the world, and I am not talking about the Middle East here. I was moved by the Clinton post you brought here. That is precisely the tone that would increase effectiveness. I agree. We must reach out to moderate Muslims all over the world. I can't imagine disagreement with this. Definitely. My only problem with the Bush rhetoric is that his strange outbursts (like the "axis of evil" stuff) just does not help. He needs to stop this reactionary cowboy attitude and plan ahead. Even our involvement is Bosnia in preventing ethnic cleansing of Muslims was misinterpreted. Really? I have not heard of that one. The only interpretation I am aware of regards the timing - doing nothing for two years and then saving Bosnians with military intervention just when the newspaper reporters were having a field day with the more gory details of "Monica on a cigar" story felt like a desperate attempt to change the headlines than humanitarian intervention. Still, it is the act that matters and I think the act was a good one. The crux of the disagreement we have is whether force has a role. Of course it has a role - as a deterrent. However, the way its use is being advocated now (unilateral & trigger-happy, with no need for proof) is what I have a problem with. "What would the US do if we bombed them?" "They would sue!" I never heard of that one. The skill is to be strong without threatening our allies or potential allies. Exactly. I don't know what it is that Bush does not understand about this.

To: Fred Levine who wrote (67221)	12/24/2002 12:28:52 PM
From: BWAC	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

<absolutely the wrong tone when addressing the world. Given the US economic and military power, he should be especially careful not to be perceived as a bully-- or a cowboy.> You mean threatening war on somebody or group of nations every day, every hour, on Christmas eve even, just isn't an acceptable tone? Imagine that? You'd think the drunk on power psychotic fool and his 1980's reject criminally convicted cronies would fully understand this. Instead its FOOL SPEED AHEAD!!!!! He isn't being perceived as a bully, nor a cowboy. Just a politically and power hungry psychotic fool who will stop at nothing for political gain.