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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jlallen who wrote (39514)	3/15/2004 1:44:40 PM
From: lurqer	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Sorry for my tardy response. Just as I was reading your post, my better half was beseeching me to go on a morning stroll. Let's take your post point-by-point. Who says funding for Al Quaeda is up...looks to be to the contrary.... I certainly admit that this is the most indirect of my arguments. If there was an easy internet link to Al Qaeda's funding sources, the Admin would pounce upon it. So in lieu of the obvious and understandable dearth of information on this topic, let us consider what we do know. The events of 9-11 catapulted OBL into the spotlight. It electrified the Muslim world as few other things have. OBL was no longer seen as just some obscure extremist living in an Afghani cave, but the only Muslim force able to strike back at the ally of Israel. Then the US invaded Iraq. This turned OBL into a prophet. He was right. America was not some benign force, but the invader and occupier. OBL's status has skyrocketed. Next, let's look at the strikes Al Qaeda has made. As my posting of Chalmers Johnson's C-SPAN talk shows, the incidence of Al Qaeda related attacks have increased - not decreased (Between 1993 and 2001, including 9-11, Al Qaeda carried out five major bombings world wide. Since that time in two years, down to and including the HSBC bank and against the British consulate, they have carried out 17 - from Message 19890129 ). Planning and implementing these attacks takes money. So if OBL's organization is far more popular, and is spending more money, I infer he's getting better funding. After all, he can't run deficits like Bush. US bases will now be located in Iraq...no gain for OBL... Saddam gone.....means another terror haven gone.... Quite the contrary. If you want to be taken seriously, you got to do more than just regurgitate Admin Kool-Aid. Before the Iraq war, the only locus of international terrorism in Iraq was in the northern no-fly zone - where Saddam had no control. Surely, he gave some support to anti-Israeli factions, but so does the entire Muslim world. It's part of the religion. You invade the ummah, like Israel, and every Muslim is under obligation to expel you. So what did we do? We invaded the ummah too. And now - not before - Iraq is a hotbed of terrorism. Bogged down? Yes, bogged down. Just look at the sever strains our military force is under. If a major crisis were to occur now, we wouldn't be able to respond. I call that bogged down. This is a long term project...we knew that going in Not to hear the Admin (neo-cons, DoD, and the vice-President) talk before the war. Remember the flowers. They seem to have ... wilted. deomcratic traditions have long been stifled in that country One could make the argument that there are no Iraqi democratic traditions. OTOH, it's interesting that Sistani is the one calling for elections, and is opposed by the CPA. Practice targets......?? The bulk of the post armed conflict casualities have come from roadside bombs and suicide attacks.....desparate measures by those eho understand that as the security situation improves they will become hunted by the locals as well.... Desparate? That's they're standard MO. And as for "as the security situation improves", I've been waiting and waiting and waiting. Sorta reminds me of the promises made in VietNam. It ain't getting better. JMO lurqer