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Pastimes : WORLD WAR III -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: BillCh who wrote (216)	3/10/1999 7:56:00 PM
From: nuke44	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 765

What's your point, outside of the fact that you're paranoid? Maybe, if we wish hard enough and click our heels together, the entire world will become a utopian society of peace and love where all weapons are magically turned into plowshares and game stations. Failing that, whether you like it or not, our only option is to remain the biggest, meanest sonofabitch in the valley. If that means arming the enemies of our enemies, then that's what has to happen. If those same allies of convenience turn into adversaries, then they're just following the time honored tradition of political alliances based on the necessity of the moment without the permanence of shared goals and values. There is no contradiction in us then turning against them (or for that matter, them turning against us) if we find that we have conflicting issues. One advantage of facing an adversary that you, yourself have armed is that you know the capabilities and limitations of those arms and how to defeat them. Having said that, I think you'll find that both Iraq and Afghanistan are Chinese client states and have been for some time. They were the ones that turned their backs on us, not us on them. (Ironically, under Clinton, it's hard to tell if we've become a Chinese client state or if they've become one of ours). As far as your allegations about the U.S. providing biological weapons to Iraq, I can say unequivocally that you are wrong. If any biological weapons in Iraq originated in the U.S., it was without the knowledge or permission (overt or covert) of the U.S. government. I'd be willing to bet that you cannot produce any credible and confirmable evidence to the contrary. The bottom line is that it's a cold, cruel, brutal world out there and there is no disgrace in doing whatever it takes to further our national interests and to ensure our security. If the day comes when world peace is achieved, I'll be the first one to start beating swords into plowshares. I'm not going to hold my breath, though.