To: Bilow who wrote (126273 ) 3/15/2004 11:22:20 PM From: NightOwl Read Replies (1) | Respond to Hibackatya CB!I see us as a very strong nation with extremely strong civil institutions, institutions that have, over the decades, become stronger. For example, I don't see us putting Moslems into "internment camps", like we did the Japanese-Americans. This is not true. Americans are well loved throughout the world, at least partly because we have immigrants from all over the world living here. What's not loved is our government, and in particular, the military actions of our government. Our tourists and individuals are not just tolerated, but welcomed all over the world, providing they keep with local customs (just like visitors from all over the world are welcomed here, provided they follow our customs). Your version of the Arab complaint against us is useful only for people who want to define the Arabs as our enemy no matter what our foreign policy is, and therefore our foreign policy must be one of coercion against them. There is an inherent contradiction in this foreign policy. It is treating the Arabs as if they are animals incapable of using reason to guide their actions, while simultaneously believing that one can use force to bring them to reason, LOL. Joey Buttafuoco Common Dogman Test anyway. ...Arab complaint indeed... And as far as your anti coercion, anti animal attitudes are concerned, I can only say that I am shocked and disheartened. Yes I expect Arabs to act like reasoning animals. What would you have me believe they'll act like ...reasoning rocks?? <Hoo><Hoo>YOUR "stuff" not mine because I just don't have much left. Anyway when you run out of "stuff" and decide it "reasonable" to resort to your only other foreign policy option - nasty coercion - please let me know who you intend to use it on Israel, Europe, China, Arabia? I would certainly not want to be Tourrorizing in the wrong place when you finally "Whig" out. <vbg>No one is targeting us because we're Americans. They're targeting us because we target them. THEY will be coming after you.The evidence that Iraq was not a threat, and that they would be impossible to occupy was so deep and pervasive that our long time allies, France and Germany, as well as every neighboring nation (who would be the ones to know best) refused to give us any support, other than Kuwait, who let us use their territory but didn't lift a finger to help with the occupation. Bush ignored the weight of the evidence and went with a version of reality that ignored everything other than what he wanted to believe. If you can't figure out that Bush was stupid, then you should consider voting for Kerry because Kerry might be "luckier". Pakistan has about 6x more people than Iraq, and would require an occupying force around 6x larger. Of course our occupation in Iraq has nowhere near enough troops, so Pakistan is far beyond our capability.
