Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id DAA04557 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 27 Feb 2002 03:52:07 GMT X-Originating-IP: [209.240.222.132] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 22:46:41 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F287CT4aJ6pkNzPZrIk00001a88@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 27 Feb 2002 03:46:42.0105 (UTC) FILETIME=[5E6CC290:01C1BF41] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: Wade Smith <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence
>Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 14:40:07 -0500
>
>On Tuesday, February 26, 2002, at 01:39 , Lawrence DeBivort wrote:
>
>>what we are doing - Afghanistan, "war on terrorism" language,
>>Ashcroft legal actions, emphasis on hardening US targets rather than
>>defusing terrorist motivation -- all of this is stupid and ineffective.
>
>Can you point to an _unstupid_ national policy and actions,
>anywhere in the world? We all want enlightened leaders, but
>really, I personally don't know of any government anywhere that
>is a shining example of non-stupidity.
>
>And I'm _not_ trying to wave any flags.
>
>
I'd like to hear a viable alternative to US military action in Afghanistan,
especially given the historic circumstances of 9/11. Are the doves silent
when it comes down to this, once they've whined about the stupidity of going
after the terrorists in their backyard?
Afghanistan has been a smashing success so far, al-Quaeda and Taliban sent
scurrying into the darkness realizing they bit off way more than they could
chew. We've also gotten some decent intelligence on their networks from
surveying the abandoned complexes and from the detainees at Camp X-ray.
What remains is whether a decent gov't can be established in Afghanistan and
whether they can get over their ethnic discord and become a nation. We don't
have any control over their feelings for eachother.
It was realized that Afghanistan would not be the end-all of the war on
terrorism, so more action remains to be taken, wherever that may wind up
being. AFAICT bin Laden's plight is uncertain. His existence/non-existence
should not serve as a barometer of success. I might not like Bush's views on
taxes or social issues and I might have reservations about the Enron debacle
(esp. with the GAO going after Cheney), but at least Bush ain't one to play
ostrich when it comes to getting serious in the trenches and crushing the
terrorists.
Now how are we supposed to defuse the terrorist motivation? A peacefest with
bands and flowers? I'm not a fan of Sharon and would like to see
Palestinians get some degree of self-governance, statehood and respect, but
it seems that nothing short of eliminating the state of Israel would satisfy
the terrorists. I can't go for that.
I don't have any flags to wave.
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