Thoughts on retaliation

[system]

After seeing all the press coverage of the threatened retaliation I think that an opportunity is being missed here. It is clear that there is bipartisan support, and also that there is full support from the public for ground troops and soldiers dying.

There is support from the rest of the world. And congress has given 40 billion to use however is needed. Not to mention that assasination is obviously not going to bother anyone.

So why doesn’t the US use this opportunity to strike a little effective terror right back at them?

As we all know what is coming there is no point in the White House making all these threats is there. It just lessens the terror. Wouldn’t it be more frightening to not say anything? Don’t say another word. Use the money well. Mobilise covert operations. I’m sure that Israel would help.

How would it be if no-one said anything, then selected people keep getting offed in selected attacks. They could take their time and just keep this up. It has worked well for Israel when even the US was against it, imagine how much more effective it would be for the US with full support.

This is the sort of effective retaliation that would really terrorise the terrorists and also not waste money blowing up pointless buildings. Also innocent people would be more likely to be spared. And it would be very effective. It would cost less so that it could be kept up for longer.

When a palestinian suicide bomber kills some kids in Israel, the palestinians evacuate all their buildings that they know will be hit in retaliation. When the Israelis sent a missile through an office window into the lap of Abu Ali Mustafa you realise that is the way to go.

The entire retaliation should go underground, they wouldn’t even have to worry about being caught out, like what happened when mossad buggered up in Malmo.

Give them a taste of their own terrorism I say. Not this CNN soundbite rubbish. Bush is starting to sound like Saddam at his raving worst. Action not rhetoric.

Sorry, I just had to get this out, I feel better now.

[system]

I fear your right, we might have to get down and dirty. I just hope that by supporting underground operators we don’t create problems for ourselves in the future. I think possibly Bin Laden was indirectly supported by USA when the Russians where in Afghanistan. And there are countless others like Saddam Hussein etc.

[Digits]

You bring up some valid points and also the danger of a never ending cycle of tit for tat. I have no answers myself but I feel that after the intitial horror and anger passes and this situation can be looked at in a more objective way that a quick and effective response may be found and taken. What I am afraid of is a never ending cycle of horror and death the likes of which will make Vietnam sound like a picnic. If we get embroiled in a ground war in Afganistan are we going to fare any better than the Russians? How are we going to be effective against a enemy that can move, hide and infiltrate the terrain at will. How many Million dollar missles are going to be used against a couple of tents? If it becomes a war of special forces, how are they going to beat forces that are just as good on thier home turf? I wonder how many are to die, how many more innocents are going to be caught up in something they haven’t asked for? I have no idea but I do know we have a long and hard road ahead and I hope if we ever see the end of it that it will have been worth the cost.

[aurick]

Honestly, it’s a wonder that President Bush doesn’t go stark, raving mad. Regardless of what anyone’s personal beliefs regarding the man may be in the past or present, the fact is that he is in the single worst position that a leader can be faced with. He is in a situation where there are zero good choices. Only bad ones. So he must decide which is the best of the worst, so to speak. To make matters worse, he has very little time to make his decision, and on top of all of that he is faced with the fact that his decision will have implications on a global scale.

I remember a TV interview with Bill Clinton a few days ago, where someone asked him what he would do if he was still in the White House. His response was, “I’m glad I’m not.” I imagine that Al Gore is thanking his lucky stars that things in Florida played out the way that they did!

As for Bush, all that we really can do is rally behind him and trust that he will make the best decision for a bad situation. And bear in mind: he is being bombarded with far more information than we will ever hear about. It’s easy to second guess the man, but we also don’t have all of the facts. Neither will he, in the end. But he’ll have far more than we.

[Digits]

This is a different kind of war than the world has ever known. Against adversaries that can and will carry out indiscrimate attacks of mass destruction against civilian populations. We are all combatants me, you, your children. There is no geneva convention, no rules of engagement for our enemies. We are the ones most vunerable. One gram of botulism delivered in the water supply could wipe out the city of New York and more. Our only visible enemy right now is the countries that harbor these people, our real targets are out in mountains invunerable and able to hold out indefinetely until they are ready. For better or for worse we are stuck with President Bush, and though I wish it were someone else, (if I hear him say “Evil Doers” one more time I think I will scream!) I will stand by him, what else can we do?

It is also ironic that 2 or 3 weeks ago the Head of NSA was issueing a warning and a plea that they were being outstripped in technology by these very same terrorist organizations. I don’t think anyone was listening to him 3 weeks ago, I think they are listening to him now.

[system]

yeah it’s wacky isn’t it. All those acid in the water supply conspiracies of the sixties, all the lunatics with a nuclear weapon hype. Suddenly it’s all very real 'cept it’s something a little more sinister than acid. You don’t need botulism or anthrax. Look what a little foot and mouth did in the UK.

The fact is that is how the world is right now. People are essentially the same as always only the means to madness are different.

The best model to look at is the Israeli one. They have been able to deal with terrorists while at the same time living with no problem with Israeli arabs.

There are plenty of suicide bombers who hate Israel more than the US but they weren’t able to turn a plane into a missile.

The new world order requires the West to play tough undercover. This requires a lot of trust from the people. This sort of power corrupts. It is inevitable that there will be misuse, but that is human nature. Better to accept it an trust in the order. After all there really is no choice is there.

After this it will only get worse if nothing is done. Waging an open war against no-one in particular is not the way. This in not war at all. War implies a nation. This is something like war in its attrocities and inhumanity, but it is not war.

With the latest wild west images from Bush I do not feel real confident that the US govt has really grasped what is going on.

It is true the world is a different place but they don’t seem to have any idea exactly how. There is not easy fix or answer. The problem stems as usual from the fundamental problem of the human.

But the US had better get smart real quick. I think that israel is, if not exactly correct then definately on the right track. Look at the restraint they were able to muster when over 20 youngsters were blown up outside a disco. These sort of horrors will not end completely but for god sake can’t the US see how they are digging themselves into a hopeless hole with all this patriotic bluster.

Kevin Keegan tried all that patriotic rubbish and it didn’t help England football at all, It took the cool headed pragmatism of Erikson to beat the Germans at home.

I’ve got off the track here but I think you get my message.

Cheers,

Thanks for letting me get this of my (war) chest.