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

To: JohnM who wrote (68122)	1/23/2003 4:43:15 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 281500

How about just stopping Al Qaeda as a military venture. And simultaneously starting the far more serious, expensive, baffling, long term job of addressing the needs for economic development and democratic institutions in countries that need them. That is what we might have done under Gore. lindybill@thankgodforflorida.com

To: JohnM who wrote (68122)	1/23/2003 4:56:05 PM
From: unclewest	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

I wanted to reinforce your point that this is already a world war. That is what the Bushies wish us to believe. How about just stopping Al Qaeda as a military venture. US Special Forces are serving in harm's way in 84 foreign countries today to do just that. That is worldly by any measure.

To: JohnM who wrote (68122)	1/23/2003 4:59:30 PM
From: paul_philp	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

That is what the Bushies wish us to believe. It is also what I believe. How about just stopping Al Qaeda as a military venture. Even if I thought that this were achievable as a standalone objective, which I do not, I don't think it would end the war. Al Qaeda is not the same type of entity as 'America' or 'Germany'. It is an idea and an approach to war. While Islamists teach their children that attacking the Infidel is a path to glory, they will continue to organize and continue to attack. They have declared war and demonstrated their ability to wage it. We must defeat their ability to organize. We must also demonstrate that if you play at war there will be a price to pay. Saddam has refused to follow the terms of peace after he was defeated in the Gulf War. That is an act of war and needs to be treated as such. Ultimately, Saudi Arabia is the primary source of Islamist ideology. A friendly government in Iraq is a strategic interest in the long campaign against Saudi Arabia. And simultaneously starting the far more serious, expensive, baffling, long term job of addressing the needs for economic development and democratic institutions in countries that need them. It is difficult to reach out to help a country or region progress while they call you the enemy and kill your soldiers and civilians. Paul