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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: abstract who wrote (76376)	10/10/2004 11:32:20 PM
From: aladin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793728

Abstract, Back in the late '80's, before anyone else, Oliver North said Osama bin Laden was the person who scared him more than any other person on earth. Someone should have found out why. Urban legend. North was actually discussing Abu Nidal - the terrorist we captured in Baghdad after the invasion. John

To: abstract who wrote (76376)	10/11/2004 10:33:48 AM
From: Mary Cluney	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793728

Our military, our country, was ill-prepared for what was on the horizon and in an ideal world it could have been anticipated. Scaleability is the answer. Just as we can't be all things to all people, we can't have a standing military that is designed to meet the worst case scenario imagineable. There is not enough money and resources in the world to build a military that zealots would be satisfied with. Everybody has to make choices. Everything has to be balanced. Anybody who has ever managed an organization (I am not talking about non profit organizations - where you spend OPM) understand that you have to manage your resources. Its as if George W. Bush were managing the Texas Rangers and he spent all his money on getting all the offensive weapons he could (like getting A-Rod) and not have enough money for defense (people who can pitch and catch the ball). Everything in life is about balance. Balancing the budget. Balancing offense with defence. Managing scarce resources. Our military has to be designed to be flexible enough to be able to meet challenges as they arise. But, ultimately - the military is not the answer. War is only an extension of diplomacy. It is not the other way around. The basic principles of managing a family, a small community, a neighborhood, a city, a state, a country, a region, a planet, a universe - are all the same. You don't beat your kid or spouse senseless to make them understand. I agree - there are certainly times you think that that is the only solution <gggg>.