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

To: michael97123 who wrote (149960)	10/30/2004 2:14:16 PM
From: Jacob Snyder	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

mike, I said: <Bin Laden is saying: you leave us alone, we'll leave you alone; you come to our homelands and kill us, we'll reciprocate> Both Kerry and Bush responded by saying, "no, we won't leave you alone. We'll continue with Forward Defense (the polite modern phrase that means "ignoring the sovereignty of all other nations"). It isn't working. We end up making so many new enemies, with our aggression and near-random targetting, Bin Laden is strengthened. You said, "Sounds like Hitler in Czechoslavakia..." False analogy. Bin Laden is not in charge of a large industrialized nation. He can only carry out his threats, he can only recruit and raise funds, if he has wide support among the populations of muslim nations. And everything we've done, since 9/11, has increased support for Bin Laden (while weakening our own alliances). Bin Laden said, "your security does not depend on Bush or Kerry." Whoever wins the election, will be constrained by an American people who won't tolerate a draft, who are getting tired of the endless killing without results (we're getting ready to conquer Falluja......for the third time). Crusaders and Jihadists, American and Muslim militants, are not enemies. Instead, the true situation is this: both sides are addicted to violence, and they are in a co-dependant relationship. Bush can only do what he does (trash the Constitution and treaties, wage wars of aggression, construct an American Gulag), because of what Bin Laden has done. Likewise, Bin Laden can only get recruits, safe havens, funding, carry out attacks, because of Bush's (and previous American President's) arrogant, violent methods for solving all problems in the Muslim world. The militants on each side are empowered by the militants on the other side. It's a self-reinforcing cycle of hatred and death. The only way to break this cycle, the only way to defeat Bin Laden is: 38 " You have heard that it was said, 'an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 " Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. 43 " You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, This is the only practical, realistic method, for winning the hearts and minds campaign in Muslim nations, for decreasing support for the Jihadists, and for our own security. Instead, what we have done, since 9/11, is exactly the opposite. And as long as we keep on ignoring that 2000-year-old advice, we'll continue losing the war.