So, bridgman, who are you rooting for in the Iraq conflict? The guys who are just "defending their country from an occupying force" or the guys who are attempting to help the Iraqi people establish a representative gov't in Iraq?

The more I think about the war in Iraq the more it becomes clear that the long-term success of the new Iraqi gov't is pivotal in the war on terror. Why? Because we cannot kill all current AND future terrorists by waging war (without killing all the innocents as well, that is).

The only acceptable way to "win" completely is to get them to accept us, tolerate differences among themselves, and likely adopt some modern ways. A successful, secular western-style gov't with a thriving economy that creates great social benefits for the masses of its people - to have that in Iraq would be a great motivator to neighboring countries to shake off the regimes which oppress them, to disavow terrorist tactics and organizations, and to halt recruitment into those organizations. It's been said before, but the Arab world has got to change or we'll be faced with the same kind of irresolvable, protracted war the Israelis have. Their neighbors want them dead - that is why there is no Palestinian state. Any agreements the Arabs make with Israel will only be temporary, strategic lulls in the conflict.

2x6, thanks for the info - that made for some fun reading. Sounds like it could be Michael Moore's next movie: "Global Jewish/American Conspiracy to Rule the World." Not very catchy, I guess.

How ridiculous are those editors and bureaucrats to apparently believe that the Mossad has the ear of every Jew on the planet - and that 4000 Jews would stay home from work on 9-11, but let their friends and coworkers go off to die? Absurd bunch of people over there.

I'm getting ready to embrace the "gay gene" idea - the "moron gene" seems to be flourishing in the Middle East.

Last edited by BigWill; 09/09/04 11:40 PM.