Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
Not under attack in the past 200 years? America hasnt even EXISTED for the full 200 years. Our primary attack that started us was back in WWII when the Japs invaded Pear Harbor. Thats an attack. It may not be in the mainland, but its an attack nonetheless. Second, we have 9/11. We are talking extemely populated cities having planes flown into the World[/I] Trade Center. Thats an attack. Its a terrorist attack, but its still an attack.
So, we decided we've had enough. We go out, and make a checklist of things to be done. Lets see, kill Al Quida in Afghanistan, check. Eliminate terrorists in Iraq? In progress. They dont necessarily have to be Al Quida to be targets. Hint the name, "war on terror" and not "War on Al Quida" or "War on Weapons of Mass Destruction". No, its "War on Terror" (terror being short for Terrorist, in case the children forgot)
But we have seen real war. We have seen the year-long Gulf War (Im speaking of when I was alive) and the headlines it brought to news:
"Sadaam invades Kuwait"
We went it, took them out, and forced them back to their country in March 3, 1991. After that we got Clinton chucking missles at Iraq. (not really a war, but an attack)
So, when I say get over it, I mean people are GOING to die. There isnt a way to stop that, especially since its war. If you expect no one to get hurt during war time, you are ignorant. **** happens, and there is nothing we can do to stop the bullets from flying by sitting at our computer debating about it. The end.
The US has not endured an invasion of its territory in, ever (did Mexico invade in the 19th C?). Or a continued threat from a hostile force - the Japanese knew that an attack on Pearl Harbour could only buy them a years grace at most, they never threatened the US mainland. There has never been a prolonged beseiging of a US population centre, ala Stalingrad, the Blitz, Sarajevo, Fallujah, etc. So you've not seen real war, you've seen the semi-skimmed, diluted TV version. Very few of use here will have, if any.
We've not cowered in bunkers listening to bullets whiz overhead. We've not been scared to cross the street lest we be shot. We've not been shelled, or been bombed, or been run over by a tank. We've not seen streets and battlefields strewn with decomposing bodies, torn literally to pieces by high-calibre bullets. We've not seen our best friend, or children, or colleague, have their limbs blown off by an errant RPG or bomb.
You - we - have seen
nothing of war.
So...al Queda in Afghanistan. Sod all found. No hidden bunkers, no Osama bin Ladin, very few actual identified Al-Queda fighters captured (many were foreign fighters fighting for the Islamic revolution, not international terrorism; and some were basically scooped up and passed over by the Northern Alliance in exchange for US cash rewards without any real evidence). Bomber Tora Bora (in particular) on NA intel, found nothing but old arms dumps and a few 'alleged' terrorists (handed over by the NA - again they got a nice payoff for this)
Iraq... no terrorists. Well-offhand- one group that was fighing Saddam (who were, IIRC, attacked), and another who were fighting Iran . the US signed a non-aggression treaty with the latter, so they basiclaly gave terrorists a safe haven in Iraq.
And, of course, the US attracted them to it. Firstly, they might as well have painted a bullseye on the army sent in. And they removed the government and replaced it with an unpopular but weaker one (security wise) - perfect conditions if you wanted to have an Islamic revolution. So the war on / with Iraq has actually brought the terrorists, not removed them.
So we end up with Fallujah, and the al-Sadr uprisings. Attacks on mosques, during Ramadan. The breeding of martyrs. The upholding of the terrorist call to end the "American crusade against Islam". And the Us, the coalition, just hands the terrorists a great big piece of propaganda for their cause.
Anyone with an iota of sense can realise you can't fight a 'war on terror'. Terrorists
don't fight wars - they hide in our cities, amongst us, and target military targets. Think about it - it's
terrorism. It isn't exactly terrifying to see a man with an AK47 stand up to a M1A1, is it? Assuming this horrible great Al-Queda network even
exists in the quasi-military way we're told, that it's anything less than a loose affiliation of independent groups with shared aims and financiers.
Because, after all, the first time 'Al-queda''s operational structure was defined was when it was required to convict Bin Ladin (of the Nairobi bombings, in a March 2001 trial) under anti-mob laws - and where a criminal 'organisation' was required.
And, yeah, people die in war. That's exactly why it is the very, very, very last resort; and the worst option. But, hey, this isn't a war, anyways. It's an occupation.
