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Tuesday, March 18, 2008
That which is al Qaeda by any other name . . .
. . . will kill just as brutally.
Amidst all the discussion of Saddam and al Qaeda, we are forgetting that Osama and his allies had several groups with several names. Among the largest of them was Ayman al-Zawahiri's Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
Guess which organization happens to be on the list of organizations Saddam considered "friendly elements"?
Yup, Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
Posted by D.J. McGuire on March 18, 2008 in International Politics | Permalink
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Its understood that Saddam was a criminal by all human standards. he always was. Even when Rumsfeld was shaking his hand because it suited US interests to do so. But now it seems a "forever war" suits their interests. Actually a forever war suits the path to fascism just as well...what a coincidence.
Posted by: JC | 19-Mar-08 6:54:13 AM
JC,
"Even when Rumsfeld was shaking his hand because it suited US interests to do so."
What would your policy have been given Saddam's brutal reign and Iran's hostile regime?
They were at war with one another at the time. I think it was Kissinger who said that it was a shame that both sides couldn't lose.
Please tell me what your policy towards each would have been.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 19-Mar-08 7:03:02 AM
Saddam attacked three countries and supported any stripe of terrorist that suited him at the moment. But Iraq was 'peaceful' under Saddam, liberal fascists couldn't hear his victims scream, he had absolute power over the populace he owned - exactly what left leaning people want.
Listen to a liberal fascist talk about a person's choice of automobile, they would have SUV drivers drawn and quartered if they could - which is something Saddam could and did do to his people, that kind of power over people is why leftists admire Saddam so much, he had what they desire so desperately.
Posted by: philanthropist | 19-Mar-08 9:29:21 AM
To counteract the lie that depictions of Muhammad are not allowed, here's a link to a website that has many depicitons of Muhammad.
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_full/
Posted by: set you free | 19-Mar-08 11:37:46 AM
Well said philanthropist!
Posted by: jema54j | 19-Mar-08 2:16:28 PM
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Posted by: Paulo | 19-Mar-08 3:24:31 PM
h2o273kk9
You pose an interesting question. Is it moral for the US to have chosen sides in that conflict at all? I don't think so. That being said, I have to wonder why, since they were their to rescue Kuwait anyway, why they didn't take out Saddam at that time? They certainly had a better justification then, as Saddam was openy aggressive and crossing borders militarily.
Actually, none of it seems to make much sense at all.
Posted by: JC | 19-Mar-08 5:23:42 PM
JC,
"That being said, I have to wonder why, since they were their to rescue Kuwait anyway, why they didn't take out Saddam at that time?"
Fair question but hindsight is 20/20 or so I'm told. I'll bet Phil Donahue and friends would disagree with you.
"Is it moral for the US to have chosen sides in that conflict at all? I don't think so."
I could respond to this in many ways. Of course, everyone has their own moral beliefs so I can't fault you for believing as you do.
However, let me point something out and then ask another question. The US didn't interfere all that much. The overwhelming military hardware came from France, Russia, and China. Remember, it was MIGs, AK-47, Exocets, etc. that we've been hearing about.
My question is this, had the US just sat back uninterested and let one side take over the over (for example Iraq beat Iran), what would have stopped Saddam from using his newly found oil reserves to cause more problems in the region if not the world? Look what he did without winning?
At what point, should the US/we step in to stop a rogue regime?
Same goes for Iran? Isn't there a morality in letting 2 bullies tear each other apart so that the innocent child next door can walk to school safely while the bullies are otherwise engaged?
And let's not forget Russia's involvement. Should we just standby while the USSR circled for the kill. They had Afghanistan. They managed to get the Shah out of Iran (US ally), Iraq was a huge friend. They wanted a fresh water port and a stranglehold on oil which would cripple their foe, the US.
This really was a geopolitical chess match although it wasn't a game. The stakes were high. Still are.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 19-Mar-08 5:42:59 PM
h2o273kk9
"And let's not forget Russia's involvement. Should we just standby while the USSR circled for the kill. They had Afghanistan. They managed to get the Shah out of Iran (US ally), Iraq was a huge friend. They wanted a fresh water port and a stranglehold on oil which would cripple their foe, the US."
True.
I'm a citizen of the US and Canada, living in Canada and I've always been pro west.
As I've gotten older however I've had to wonder at the (seeming) policy of supporting dictators like Noriega, Shaw Pahlavi, The House of Saud and presently Musharraf. It is my belief that this support is based on financial as opposed to political concerns. When the financial aspect is jeaprodized the party being supported is ousted in the name of promoting democracy. Where is the morality in that? Perhaps I've become a little cynical but its hard not to see it if you're looking for it.
The US have always been the good guys to me.
I just happen to feel that the left and the right have lost touch with American "values". This is not a criticism of the American people, I think they're great. But they are spoonfed (in my view) what Hitler rightfully called propoganda morning, noon and night. Not to mention that it is breaking the US economy very rapidly now.
So are we on the right path?
Time will tell.
Posted by: JC | 19-Mar-08 6:09:18 PM
JC,
I appreciate what appears to be a very honest, thoughtful assessment on your part.
My response isn't very different from my first. When it comes to supporting dictators, it doesn't make me happy. However, what is the alternative?
You know the Left loves to support its own dictators and that always results in the deaths and poverty of hundreds of millions.
Do you really believe Bush went into Iraq for the money? Or as I do, he really was scared witless because this world is getting smaller by the minute and the crazies are going to do something simply terrifying one of these days that will crash the whole damn system, however imperfect it is?
Are we being spoonfed propaganda? Yes, all sides. However, I think the most effective propaganda war being waged is the one saying the US has lost its way. That its all about the money, etc.
I still believe in the basic but flawed decency of certain types of people in the US. And as I see it, the alternative group gaining control of all that raw military and economic power is just too horrible to contemplate.
I wish you luck. You sound like someone who really cares for all the right reasons.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 20-Mar-08 2:40:23 AM
h2o273kk9
It is my sincere hope that I am wrong about many things I've come to believe. And you make some very good points.
I hope that we are in a phase and not a trend, so to speak. Yes I prefer that access to the raw materials, the lifeblood of society, be in the hands of the west and we can not undo what has been done. I believe that in the end the true nature of western values will once again shine and that all of our liberties will be restored "in law". It may be a little archaic, but I'm a great believer in the US Constitution and the wisdom therein. All I can do in the mean time is promote those values and hope and pray for the onset of a more peaceful planet where our leaders have the wisdom to choose the correct path. Thanks. :)
Posted by: JC | 20-Mar-08 6:47:50 AM
JC,
Agreed. You are welcome.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 20-Mar-08 6:49:45 AM
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Posted by: Paulo | 21-Mar-08 11:25:33 AM
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