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| 12/24 |
| 2005/3/6-7 [Politics/Foreign/MiddleEast/Iraq] UID:36549 Activity:moderate |
3/6 What have the Americans ever done for us?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,19269-1510003_1,00.html
\_ This kind of sums up the fundamental problem with most "pro-" or
"anti-American" arguments--it's either "you're a bunch of fascist
pigs", without paying attention to the good aspects of fascist
piggery, or "love it or leave it, they saved us from Hitler", which
flies in the face of the idea of being able to criticize a nation
on its bad aspects, no matter how good the overall picture (yes,
Ilya, I know, total war and all, don't start pleeease.) -John
\_ Even a Bald Eagle will poop on your windshield wussy
\_ Well, there's the aquaducts...
\_ Taleban: great move, kudoes! Oh, wait, the Taleban are coming back?
Um, wtf?
\_ Most likely the Taliban are not coming back:
http://tinyurl.com/4cso7 (yahoo news)
Iraq: Yay, no more Saddam Hussein! Oh, wait, what's with this
insane surge in suicide bombings, stil no steady electricity,
and a religious-dominated new slate of parliamentatians?
Libya: Yay, the negotiations we've been working on since 199x have
finally borne fruit.
Syria: ??? What did the US do in Syria? Oh, you mean the popular
uprising against Syria in the wake of the bombing of a
popular Lebanese politician? Hm, did the Americans bomb his
car?
Egypt: Yay, elections! Wait, did the Egyptians say they're going to
abide by them?
Saudi Arabia: See Egypt, with more oppression of women.
Israel/Palestine: Um, the US killed Arafat?
\_ You seriously believe this?
\_ Of course not. After all, he's
dead, isn't he?
\_ Of course not, because the CIA is
not that competent.
\_ "It was always the express goal of the Bush Administration to
change the regime in Baghdad, precisely because of the
opportunities for democracy it would open up in the rest of the
Arab world."
Really? 'Cos they sold it to us as him being an imminent threat,
what with those weapons of mass destruction and all.
\_ "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no
doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some
of the most lethal weapons ever devised. ...
The danger is clear: Using chemical, biological or, one day,
nuclear weapons obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists
could fulfill their stated ambitions and kill thousands or
hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country or any
other. ...
Before the day of horror can come, before it is too late to
act, this danger will be removed." -Dubya, 3/17/03
\_ "Now, there are some who would like to rewrite history --
revisionist historians is what I like to call them." -GWB |
| 12/24 |
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| www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,19269-1510003_1,00.html The Times and The Sunday Times electronic paper The Times and The Sunday Times electronic paper Gerard Baker March 04, 2005 What have the Americans ever done for us? Gerard Baker ONE OF MY favourite cinematic moments is the scene in Monty Pythons Life of Brian when Reg, aka John Cleese, the leader of the Peoples Front of Judea, is trying to whip up anti-Roman sentiment among his team of slig htly hesitant commandos. Reg reluctantly acknow ledges that there may have been a couple of benefits. But then steadily, and with increasing enthusiasm, his men reel off a litany of the good t hings the Romans have wrought with their occupation of the Holy Land. By the time theyre finished theyre not so sure about the whole insurgen cy idea after all and an exasperated Reg tries to rally them: All right , but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public o rder, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system, and public health, what h ave the Romans ever done for us? I cant help but think of that scene as I watch the contortions of the an ti-American hordes in Britain, Europe and even in the US itself in respo nse to the remarkable events that are unfolding in the real Middle East today. Little more than three years after US forces, backed by their faithful Br itish allies, set foot in Afghanistan, the entire historical dynamic of this blighted region has already shifted. Ignoring, fortunately, the assault from clever world opinion on Americas motives, its credibility and its ambitions, the Bush Administration set out not only to eliminate immediate threats but also to remake the Midd le East. In the last month, the pace of progress has accelerated, and fr om Beirut to Kabul. Confronted with this awkward turn of events, Regs angry successors are a sking their cohorts: What have the Americans ever done for us? Orrible bunch, they wer e All right, the Taleban, I grant you. Knocked off one of the nastiest dictators who ever lived and gave the whole nation a chance to pick its own rulers. I just heard Egypts going to hold free presidential elections for the f irst time. The Palestinians and the Israelis are talking again and they say theres a real chance of peace this time. New ringtones Get the very latest ringtones for your mobile - choose from our large ran ge of pop, classical, TV and movie greats ......................................... The Sunday Times Enterprise Network Case studies, information, advice, events and exclusive offers for middle market businesses online ......................................... |
| tinyurl.com/4cso7 -> story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20050307/wl_nm/afghan_omar_dc Slideshow: Afghanistan Taliban spokesmen have said attacks will resume once the harsh Afghan win ter is over. But Major General Eric T Olson told a news conference in Kabul that the Taliban lacked cohesion and were a fading force in the southern and sout heast provinces that had been their strongholds. "We believe that this spring there will be a number of factors combined t o make this so-called spring offensive much less effective and much less er scale than we've seen in the past in Afghanistan," said Olson. Olson, who last month warned US policymakers against cutting troop leve ls in Afghanistan because the Taliban and al Qaeda posed a grave threat, now sees a "dramatic decrease" in the number of attacks. President Hamid Karzai's government will soon announce an amnesty offer t o rank-and-file Taliban fighters, Olson said, and he expected the number of diehards to dwindle further by the time parliamentary elections are held later this year. The elections were due in April or May, but are now expected to be delaye d until September. Many saw the Taliban's inability to mount an effective threat to last Oct ober's presidential election as a sign the movement was a spent and demo ralized force. Olson said about 30 fighters, described as mid-level in the Taliban, had surrendered to US-led forces recently. Karzai has said his government is in contact with Taliban members and the amnesty offer will not extend to Mullah Omar or up to 150 of his most h ardened followers. Omar's whereabouts remains a mystery, said Olson, but the US general wa s convinced that wherever he is, Omar no longer exerts control over the Taliban. "It seems very clear to us, given the disjointed and uncoordinated effort that the Taliban has been able to launch, that those types of leaders, Mullah Omar specifically, are not exercising an effective command and co ntrol over Taliban operations in Afghanistan." He put this down to the success of US-led forces in both combat operati ons and in winning over support from local communities, leaving the insu rgents isolated. Nearly 1,100 people including militants, civilians, aid workers, and gove rnment and foreign forces have died in Taliban-linked violence since lat e 2003, when the guerrillas stepped up their campaign of violence. Republication or r edistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the pri or written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any error s or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon . |