To: Jorj X Mckie who wrote (12316 ) 4/11/2003 3:15:24 PM From: zonder Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 21614 Most of the reasons given for the war are basically propaganda I agree with you. It is pretty clear that the war on terrorism is in full swing I am not sure if one can talk about a "war on terrorism". Terrorism is a method, employed by the weak against the strong, and hence is not something you can fight. The US is currently fighting religious fundamentalists using terrorism as a method to fight Americans and American interests. I believe it is important to carefully and correctly define the enemy. And contrary to the beliefs of many, the US and Israel are not what causes the creation of terrorists I don't hold that belief, either, on a global scale, although in the case of Palestinian terrorists I would argue that there is a lot they have done that has fed into the terrorism they are facing. It is the oppressive governments who suck the will to live out of their people and then blame outsiders for their country's woes I see where you are coming from, but consider the fact that there are also terrorist organizations that fight their own state - IRA, ETA, PKK, etc. There, one can say that it is the politics of the state in question that in part causes the terrorism they are faced with. I believe there are also policies at fault in the terrorism that is faced by, say, Israeli state. If Iraq can become a successful self-governing secular state, it will be a serious threat to the terrorist breeding nations. Saudis, Kuwaitis, Palestinians, Syrians etc... who just want to live and provide for their families I agree. I hope to see that Iraq come true. However, I have my doubts and fears about the probabilities of that vision coming true, especially regarding the finesse with which the Bush administration has conducted its foreign policy in the past year that alienated pretty much all their allies. The Saudis who are in power should be counting the days before they are ousted. That is an interesting dilemma, considering that they owe their long rule to the physical support of the US, who has close (oil) ties with them. Now that may change given the hold US will have on Iraq's oil.