Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

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

To: Sig who wrote (104925)	7/12/2003 2:58:36 PM
From: arun gera	Respond to of 281500

>HAVE OUR ENEMIES GOT THE PICTURE YET? Are we getting across to them that the US will not tolerate foreign threats or support of terrorism?> The picture has actually become fuzzier. Iraq was not threatening US and not really a major supporter of terrorism. And Iraq has been attacked and defeated. On the other hand, US and the US media is protecting Musharraf from criticism when Pakistan has openly supported terrorist organizations that have attacked US, supported the Taliban, and have been used in a proxy-war with India. -Arun

To: Sig who wrote (104925)	7/12/2003 8:24:33 PM
From: Sam	Respond to of 281500

Well, Sig, you make a strong case, except I'm not so sure that it actually will work the way you think. Short term, maybe it will. But it has made a great many people not only fear the US, but hate us. Fundamentalist Islamic parties have received quite a few more votes in Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait and other Islamic countries since March. The political environment in many countries all over the world have become more polarized, and not positively so for the US. Sure, people are queasy about defying the US. But my feeling is that more people want to do something to bring the US down than was the case on 9/12. When you say things like, "The voices of the opposition, of liberals and peace harpers and the peace marchers will also help others get the picture, that GWB and the Administration cannot be stopped from doing the job defined. . HAVE OUR ENEMIES GOT THE PICTURE YET? Are we getting across to them that the US will not tolerate foreign threats or support of terrorism?" I fear you are in the middle of a John Wayne movie, and that the world doesn't really work that way. I see your jaw jutting out with pride and determination--but our "enemies" will just sneak around the back and put a burr up our butt, if that is the way to get us. Our unilateralism was foolish and though the Bush admin may agree with you that "The cost of the war will help also, that we WILL spend whatever amount of money needed to do that job" the reality is that we don't really have "whatever amount of money" we need, it is a fantasy that will end badly, just as all bubbles of pride and fantasy end badly. The biggest misfortune is that the people who started this mess plausibly won't be around to see the real consequences of their actions, any more than the Brits who ended the Ottoman Empire against the judgment of their own commission in the 1920s in order to reward their friends with kingdoms of their own were around to see the consequences of their stupidity and venality.