To: Rock_nj who wrote (7927 ) 8/23/2004 6:24:45 PM From: Lazarus_Long Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 20039 a lot less blockheads who just accept whatever propaganda the government feeds them. Know something? We could use a few less conspiracist nutcases too. Hence my suggestion.I've traveled the world, Gee, rocky, you think you're the ONLY American who has been ouside the US. Lots of us have. Including me. and you know what I've discovered? Other countries might not have all the wealth America has, but they make up for it with some of the niceities of life like manners and well rounded experiences. Grinding poverty. You forgot to include the grinding poverty of lots of it.1.) Use our influence, $4 Billion worth, with Israel, to force them to settle with the Palestinians. The 9/11 attacks were first conceived by arabs angry at our support for Israel. Discounting the fact that that is crap (OBL himself said it was because we had infidel soldiers on sacred Islamic soil, remember), not a bad idea. I've suggested it myself. Let's add teeth, though. How about an international coalition to guarantee borders and impose a settlement? 2.) Do whatever we can to wean ourselves off Mid East oil. Sure, it was a pipe dream a decade ago. But, it's not any longer. The technologies are real and are being improved every year that could really alter our economy and end our oil dependence. Links?You know why we won't take these sensible approaches? Because there's too much money in the oil and arms trades to abandon them for more enlightened policies and there are too many idiots who always support our government's ass-backward policies like the ones we're currently implementing in Iraq. Yeah, we know, and if it did happen it would mean the world wasn't conspiring against you and that's not allowed.Arresting Bin Laden would be a good thing too, but we've committed so many resources to Iraq that we've kind of lost our momentum in finding Osama. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he appears in U.S. custody just a few days before the election, and Bush benefits from such a lucky find. Wouldn't that be great? And it would fit SO WELL into your conspiracy theory. $500 says it won't happen. You on? Oh, for the purposes of the bet, we'll allow " a few" to mean up tp 14 days before 11/2/2004.