Look what I saw flying today!

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Originally Posted by Crumpp

Study history, wars begin only because one side thinks they can prevail in the use of violence.

Peace is maintained through power.

Bravo! You get it. Nations get attacked when the other side, whoever it is, perceives a weakness....whatever that might be, That weakness can be lack of military strength, lack of economic strength, lack of security, lack of "will", etc..

Small nations can attack large nations in some way if they think the larger nation is unwilling to respond. Or if they can commit the attack without getting caught.

There were changes in US policy on terrorism since the Reagan years.

Reagan would send planes to blow you up, if some of your family got killed, eh. He was perceived as a "warmonger" and liable to do anything when provoked...it worked.

Bush I basically carried on the same mindset, but he wasn't seen as being as "crazy" as Reagan. He decided to not kill all the soldiers on the Highway of Death and not to continue on to Baghdad to take out the real cause of the first Gulf War. Reason? He didn't want to turn world opinion against the US. So, we had to go back and finish the job about a decade later.

Clinton decided that terrorism and attacks on US interests were going to be treated as a "legal issue". He passed on the opportunity to take out Osama. He failed to respond to the USS Cole bombing. You hit us, we might respond with a very measured response...if we feel like it. Our military was gutted and our troops under supplied. Human intel was cut back (expensive) in favor of electronic intel (cheaper). We were relaxed. This mind set lead to 9/11.

After 9/11, our stance changed. Terrorism was longer viewed as a legal matter, it was now viewed as an act of war. We would go after any organization that supported terrorists. We would go after any nation that gave them money or comfort. They didn't have to be directly tied to the act itself. It put the world on notice....if you poke the lion it might attack.

Now, with Barack Husein Obama (notice the name, race, and lineage of our current president when you accuse us of hate), we are back to the Clinton doctrine. We are trying to make nice with the world, even those who despise us. Any act of terrorism or attack on US assets (or threat) is seen as a legal matter. We are pulling troops out of Iraq and turning that country's security over to the Iraqi government...whether or not they remain free depends on how willing they are to fight for freedom because it doesn't come without a fight. We have set the date of July 2011 to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan. All the terrorists have to do is wait it out and walk back in.

Yeah, I know, America is the Great Satan. I wonder how the women in Afghanistan are going to feel about going back to being property when we leave. But, after all, it's their country and they can run it how they see fit, right? That's just one example of course. I'm glad our critics think there is nothing wrong with stoning or denying women a vote (or driving a car or being seen in public).

I submit that there is evil in the world. And there is good. And there is gray....but not everything is gray. I say the radicals are evil.

One thing you all can be sure of: don't count on the US right now. If you are an ally...and I use that term loosely because we understand your dislike for us....you cannot count on our assistance if you need it and request it. We don't have it to give really and our leadership is trying to be seen as more "friendly" in the eyes of the world. So presently we have neither the means nor the will.

However, I am equally sure that we can't count on any other countries to come to our aid either, so it all works out. You all have neither the means nor the will either.

What could change our current mindset? Another 9/11. The anniversary is tomorrow, btw. Those that hate us can sit back, give a little laugh, and revel in their firm knowledge that "they brought it on themselves". Those that don't completely hate us should dig up some videos of people flinging themselves out of the World Trade Center for the express ride to the bottom floor rather than burn.

On this side of the Atlantic, many have forgotten that day and what led to it. Not all as you can tell, but many.

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