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

To: Sig who wrote (112420)	8/23/2003 8:48:50 AM
From: GST	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Unilateralism, as a major new cornerstone of US foreign policy, is the central issue as we struggle, and in my view lose, our place in the world. This issue came to the fore in the aftermath of 9/11 when Cheney did a tour of "allies" to test drive the new policy -- it was couched as our new approach to regime change and foreshadowed the Bush Doctrine and the "either you're with us or you're against us" posture towards allies. It was the pivotal issue in our half-hearted approach to gaining UN support before the war, and it is the pivotal issue in our frustrated attempts to force other countries to fall into line under our command, without the UN as the convening agency. This issue of unilateralism will make or break foreign policy -- and in my view the damage is extensive and rapidly undermining our leadership role in the world.

To: Sig who wrote (112420)	8/23/2003 5:52:20 PM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi Sig; Re: "The appearance of weakness in American forces in Iraq is a magnet for outside terrorists and their organizations. Press reports that Syria and Iran are encouraging terrorists to attack there can be used to advantage." Great. Bush has given the US an "appearance of weakness". I thought that this was what we went into Iraq in order to avoid, LOL. Re: "It will consume their funds ..." If terrorists required much in the way of funds, then how come the dirt-poor parts of the world are where the stuff goes on. The truth is that all these guys need is food and shelter. Grenades are what, 10 cents each? Re: "... cost them trained people ..." Israel has been attempting to eliminate terrorism by killing important terrorists. Their intelligence is better than ours will ever hope to be, and not only did they fail to eliminate terrorism, it grew on them. And how much training does it take to drive a truck into a building? Re: "... and divert their planning efforts from major attacks elsewhere." Since Bush declared the war over, 144 Americans have died in Iraq. The war is costing at least 5 billion dollars per week. Some savings. Not only that, but our homeland is still undefended from terrorists. When they want to, they'll hit us again. Re: "They will meet the finest and best prepared Military who are now familiar with the ground." Already those military who are familiar with the ground are being rotated out of the country. The ones who were unlucky enough to have to stay longer (presumably because they arrived later) are complaining bitterly. Re: "Far better and more politically acceptable than having to invade Syria or Iran to access terrorist bases." This is hilarious. There are no US troops left available to invade anything bigger than Liberia, but this pollyanna makes it into an advantage, LOL. Re: "The US is now 1/2 a world closer to the enemy camps-on their very doorstep. Now the enemy has the longer supply lines and communications problems." This is an indication that the author doesn't know what supply lines are. The terrorists are operating in a friendly country that is stuffed with ready military supplies. Their supply lines are zero miles long. And planting all those Americans in Iraq has not reduced our supply lines. They extended from the US to Kuwait and Afghanistan before the war, and now they extend to Afghanistan and Iraq. No net change. The fact that Iraq is now crawling with terrorists is proof that their supply lines have been shortened up. Under Saddam, the central part of Iraq was off limits to terrorists, now it's home base. Re: "And we have friendly Iraqis( there are some) who can identify strangers in their midst so they can be found and hunted down." Yeah, that's why Iraq is so peaceful now. What's this? Another 3 dead British soldiers in the quiet and calm town of Basra? How did that happen? Maybe the author was thinking "guerillas in the mist" instead of "strangers in their midst". I wonder how many Americans will have to die before he realizes that he's living in a fantasy land. -- Carl