As we draw closer and closer to war with Iraq, I think a few points need to be made. The result of the attacks on September 11, 2001 have forever altered the foreign policy position of the United States towards the Middle East. What at one time appeared to be U.S. cooperation with the Arab dictatorships in exchange for a smooth supply of oil has evolved into a policy of regime change whereby the U.S. will systematically convert these countries to thriving democracies. We are witnessing the next crusades. This time, however, the motive is not forced conversion to a religion but rather to a particular political-economic system. The U.S. has allowed dictators such as Saddam Hussein, King Fahd, Crown Prince Abdullah, Muammar Al-Qaddafi etc. to reign free so long as they kept their terrorist cells in check; 9-11 changed all that. With the obvious development, training and encouragement from the Middle Eastern countries, these terrorist cells have forced the U.S. to take the necessary steps to protect its own interests as well as its very survival. Diplomacy with these dictatorships is no longer a viable option. The Middle East is a very unstable region similiar to what Europe was like before World War 1 and the end of World War 2. Now there is the existence of the European Union. Unfortunately, it required two wars to accomplish this. As with Europe, dictators do not go easily. They must be vanquished. The first Gulf War did not go far enough, now we must fight another to insure the stability of the region by replacing dictatorships with democracies. Until we are victorious, the world is not safe for democracy, capitalism or the United States.

hurry sundown.

And they know it.

Same tactic; slaughter.

Truthfully, so what? What's so precious or worthwhile about the arab hordes that we should care enough to stop any slaughter of them. The arab would offers mankind exactly ONE thing. Their sole contribution to Earth. It's the threat of violence. That's it. That's all they've managed to develop. The world would sleep just fine during and after a fully sucessful crusade.

And, please, don't get all weepy on me and start with the racist crap. The Arab world is simply unevolved and therefore a liability. Let's just solve the problem decisively and move on.

Yep a raging racist.

As only you and your fellow uber mench

could enjoy the death of civilians.

What makes you better than anyone?

I don't count megalomania as an asset.

Or a superiority complex.

If you can't feel the pain of others and

care not about horror and grief maybe you

should stop pretending to be a human.

To date there is no credible proof that the 911 attacks were made by Arabs. There have only been allegations and unsubstantiated allegations:

Of the 19 "Arabs" the FBI claims took part in the attack 8 are now known to be alive. The FBI has yet to change their story on the identification.

Mohammed Atta was identified by a suitcase conveniently left in the airport parking lot with his Q'uran, a book on how to fly, and his Will. Easily planted - and it makes no sense that a devout Muslim would leave his Q'uran behind if he was a Religous Zealot on a Suicide Mission.

The "Immaculate Passport" is cited as proof - the only piece of paper to survive the Aircraft impact is conveniently a slightly singed Passport belonging to one of the alleged hijackers - found 3 blocks away by some "unknown" person.

There were NO muslim/Arab names on the passenger lists published by American Airlines and United Airlines and yet the FBI had all 19 names within 48 hours.

These are just a few examples there are many many other questions as to the identification of the "Terrorists".

Certainly there is not enough certainty to justify killing a few tens of thousands of people in a set-up War of Conquest. There is not even enough evidence to say for certain that they were Arabs.

To date the Bush Junta has fought every attempt to set up a thorough investigation into the events of 911.

From a desk command

"Yep a raging racist.

As only you and your fellow uber mench

could enjoy the death of civilians.

What makes you better than anyone?

I don't count megalomania as an asset.

Or a superiority complex.

If you can't feel the pain of others and

care not about horror and grief maybe you

should stop pretending to be a human."

Wake up Halber-Mensch.

This isn't a world seperated by vast frontiers acting as buffers from the hordes and barbarians. Everything is our backyard. And by "our" I mean the civilized world. Lot's of things make my society better then the arab world. You know it as well as I do. So spare me the fuzzy logic of "we're all special and equal". It's foolish. TThe arab world's system of society is brutish, and threatening . It needs to be overhauled. Accept it.

Yes, the Arab world is mired in a brutal semi feudalistic order. It is backward and rife with family tribal wars. However, the current organization was to some degree thrust on them following WWI when the Ottoman Empire desolved Britain set in place many of these little "OIL" Sheikdoms. It is a sticky problem. It is amenable to evolution and advancement. I think like many Americans you are too impatitient and are seeking instant solutions to a knotty problem. The problem did not develop overnight and a proper resolution will not come about overnight.

And though they are brutal would you propose solving brutality with brutality?

Such is not a solution - all it accomplishes is replacing one set of enmities for another. Using force of arms to change their countries about is not likely to engender any love for us. It is likely to result in an increase in terrorism - and that is not just my analysis but the one leaked from the C.I.A. as well.

Sometimes one must act to protect others and it might require force of arms, I am not a pacifist, but such is not yet, and has not yet been, shown convincingly to me to be the solution for the Problem of middle Eastern backwardness and barbarism. Raise the literacy, and average education level, and many of these problems desolve. Educated people generally, but not always I will admit, are more likely to seek a solution short of violence.

I agree to a point. Post WWII history is a must to yake into account. But only to a point. The culture of the arab world in general is still one of brutal tribal rule and vengence. Remember Hama? No one evr seems to repond when I mention that, but I suspect you know of it.

i don't necessarily think we should commit genocide, but a dismantling of the CULTURE is needed. However we do that.

And if the word recism has been overused and watered down to the point where even the mere acknowledgement of a certain groups culture (like the conservative Americans, for instance) faults is racist, then , yes, I am a racist. So be it.

Fresca, be encouraged by my statement: I don't think your a racist.

******************

To all other parties:

Fresca is not a racist.

Fresca es the arrogant right-wing which exerts its righteousness

by way of extreme assumptions. Very radical, but in no way fresh, and certainly not normal.

Correction: Fresca-type talk is not the entire right-wing, just an extreme section within the right-wing.