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

To: GST who wrote (112441)	8/23/2003 12:03:26 PM
From: Sig	Read Replies (2) \| 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. >>>> Very well put and right on. We have to go back through a lot of "what ifs" to see if a different approach could have been taken. Our new position in foreign policy is a change , but I do not assume is incorrect. The results will not be known for some time yet. What if we had trusted Saddam when he said, while not showing any proof that he had ended his WMD programs and disposed of all the product? The UN Inspectors did not believe that, else why were they still in Iraq. Was he good at hiding things? He had an air force of 200 airplanes and we found practically none until the fighting was over, some so well comaflaged and hidden they could not be seen, some buried in the desert. That is going to extremes We have photos and voice recordings showing he was moving things from buildings just before the inspectors visited. What were they moving and why? What if OBL had not targeted Congress as part of the 911 event? That created fear which properly changed to anger and led to a go-get-em response and a vote to make absolutely certain Saddam could not provide deadly WMD's such as the Anthrax to Terrorists. . To find that the hijackers were mostly Saudis must have shook up our State department. What is the world were or so-called friends up to?. Funding OBL, thats what, and deserving of a bit of policy change Altogether, our foreign policy is not static and definable. It has to be adaptable, as old friends become enemies or no langer deserving of support. Since the terrorists came from foreign soil, we needed a more aggressive approach to get at them before they hit us again. The US will continue the present approach of unilateral action when indicated. Do you think we should wait for Africas approval to get at the terrorists who plan to make Toronto or Pearl Harbor into nuclear waste disposal sites.? Canada, do you want some help up there? Are you with us or against us? Do you have enough Military to target a ME country which is building a bomb to drop on your territory , or will you wait and find it while inspecting an incoming ship ? And be sure to report your latest findings to the UN so you can get approval. for your actions. Sig . .