Posted by Elizabeth on September 12, 2001, at 4:40:23
In reply to Re: why not grieve the deaths of the terrorists..., posted by Adam on September 11, 2001, at 18:01:07
> I just got back from the gym. From what I heard of the chit-chat in the locker room, the populist vote will go something like "bomb the motherf***ers straight to hell." That was more-or-less an exact quote.
That's what you get for taking actions like this. I can appreciate the hijackers' reasons, if it is the Palestinians -- they have a legitimate complaint, and they haven't been able to get anyone to hear them or take them seriously for the 50 years since they were displaced from their homeland -- but this sort of act just won't be effective in getting them what they want. (Maybe they could use some CBT? < g >)
> I can't see how Bush could possibly resist an attitude like that, if it is widespread.
And he's probably inclined that way anyhow. [visualising Bush Jr. calling daddy on the phone and asking him what to do] I can also see him using this as a way to rationalise more wasteful "defense" spending (not to mention even more harrassment of people in airports!).
> I do not doubt their resolve or their ability to maneuver Bush into using the War Powers Act to counter any action by Congress, if there is one, to rein-in the response.
Pardon my ignorance, but which one is the War Powers Act?
> Powell, no doubt, will not dream of cutting off the marionet strings at a moment like this.
I'm a little confused by this remark too.
> It's not good, this attitude. Look at Israel. What has a hard-liner (Sharon) gotten them so far?
Yeah, that's exactly what I mean, about the Palestinians' feeling that they have no other choice. (And while I was unsure earlier today, it seems more and more likely that OBL was involved.) Although I can hardly blame the US govt for siding with Israel (Israel is, after all, the only democracy in the region), but the Palestinians did have their country taken away from them. (A fact which, ironically, will make it very hard to use our nuclear might as a threat or deterrant.)
> More dead, an even greater resolve on the part of their enemies, with no end in sight. You fight religious fanatics with force, and they'll throw their dead babies at you before they'll give up fighting you back.
Yes, exactly. Yet the hatred keeps escalating.
> And they never forget.
Just as we will never forget this day. The only things in my lifetime that even come close are the Murrah Building bombing and the Challenger explosion.
> One is forced to either use one's head and deal with them diplomatically, or kill every last one of them.
The former seems unlikely..."we don't make deals with terrorists," and all. I think there is a third option, namely the one I mentioned before -- sending in covert forces and taking out the terrorists without harming those uninvolved. Once you eliminate the fanatics, there's a chance of negotiating peace with the sane majority.
What do you think?
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:11152
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010909/msgs/11231.html