domtimothy46176
Posts: 670
Joined: 12/25/2004
From: Dayton, Ohio area
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Lordandmaster
Well, the first problem with "obliterating" countries is that it's not going to do a thing to end terrorism. If anything, it's only going to breed more terrorists. Terrorists know that, and they giggle every time they read opinions like this. We have all this advanced weaponry, all these nuclear warheads, and the terrorists know very well that they don't serve us very well in this conflict. Americans are frustrated because they're used to having potential enemies back down because we can threaten them with nuclear weapons, and that strategy doesn't work now. Policework stops terrorists--not nuclear bombs.
The second problem with "obliterating" countries is that it turns us into exactly what we are condemning.
You and I are in direct disagreement. My personal observations of group dynamics leads me to believe that a group threatened with joint consequences for the actions of an individual will seek to become self-policing. I can site examples all day long but I'm certain every single poster has seen this in action for himself.
If the threat of annihilation doesn't persuade the citizens of a nation to police themselves, I promise that the obliteration of the populace will forstall any further aggression. Dead people don't fight back, they don't teach others to hate and they don't have children seeking vengeance.
You're entitled to your opinion, but I think if we turned a few countries into glowing glass plains, the rest of them might decide that caution is, afterall, the better part of valor and increase their efforts at ensuring they don't give us a reason to look their way next. Religious fanatics have a lot of leeway in islamic societies, in general, because the cost of crossing them can be very high. If we make the cost of crossing us even higher, we remove the majority of the jihadists' leverage over govermental policies in places like Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Pakistan, et al.
I'm certain that John isn't the only one that's happy I'm not running the show. Hell, I don't want the job. I think Bush has handicapped himself by being too willing to compromise but that's also his trademark. Those who think his leadership is lacking are preaching to the choir. OTOH, no one seems to have a better idea. Any other person sitting in the Oval Office would be faced with the same cost/benefit analyses and would be stuck with the same difficult decisions, knowing full well that no matter which course is chosen, some will be up in arms.
If I was stuck running the country, the biggest difference would be my lack of concern for public opinion. I would just do the damned job and go home after my four years. Ya don't like it, you try to do a better job of it.
Bitching is easy, whether it's about what we're doing, what we will do or what we have done. Making the call and being held responsible for it is a whole other ball game. Signing up for a job where you know you'll be reviled by almost half the country takes bigger balls than most folks have.
I can accept what we're doing, because I accept that this is how the country works. We vote and we reap the benefits. Every single one of us needs to suck it up and express our beliefs with our votes. In the meantime, we need to support the men and women in uniform who are doing their jobs by working to get the job done so they can come home. Each of us has ideas about what needs to be done to get them home but those ideas need to be expressed where they make a difference. Whatever you think needs to happen, call your senators and representative and give them an earful.
Bitching about how our country is wrong for what we're doing and how our soldiers are dying in vain weakens our troops and strengthen the folks trying to kill them. Morale is important when your ass is on the line and bad morale makes for soldiers who aren't at their best at keeping themselves and their buddies alive. The troops need to know that we're in their corner that we want them to get 'er done and come home. They need to know that we recognize them as the heroes they are.
That's a lil more than my $.02 worth but you can keep the change
Timothy
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RE: One or Two Iraq Questions - 
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