restoring our honor, page-51

Flats

I never said the US did this for altruistic reasons. I've seen too many sunsets in my life. I discarded my rose coloured glasses decades ago and look at life as a realist rather than an idealist. The US is acting in its self interest, just as it did when it liberated France, attacked Japan and took any other international action you can name. We are also acting in our own self interest in bolstering the US alliance.

I take it then your view is that the Allies should have sat on their hands and let Saddam continue on his merry way? Because that is the only conclusion possible.

As for the assertion that there have only been 3 major terrorist incidents of late involving Islamic terrorists [I assume you mean the Twin Towers, Bali and Spain?] Well, depends on what you classify as "major". Ask the Russians who lost hundreds in the theatre siege to Chechyan terrorists several years ago, the bombing in Chechyna yesterday which killed the President, the almost continual attacks on Christians in Ambon, the same in East Timor until our intervention [or should we have sat on our hands there too?], the bombings in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, bombings over many years by Muslim extremists in Kashmir, persecution of Christians over many years in West Irian, the recent major bombing using trucks which was thwarted in the Middle East. Anyone else sense a common theme?

I'm sorry Flats, but the "Let's do nothing and hope it all goes away" argument doesn't wash with me, because they're not going to just go away. They need assistance.