“Substance”:
“Almost 100% of the time, we found that suspected terrorists turned out to be innocent civilians.”
(Via Sleeper Cell.)
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thabet
Islam News @ NYT- Women’s Rights in Mideast:
- Driving Miss Saudi: Young women in Riyadh try to balance Islam and modernity as the stunted desert kingdom makes progress in “Saudi Time.”
- A Dispute on Using the Koran as a Path to Jesus: “The Camel Method” for preaching to Muslims has prompted controversy among Southern Baptists.
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Sabrina Bucholz 11:29 pm on July 4, 2009 Permalink |
interesting video. never heard of this blogger, though. his other posts seem a bit radical. but maybe radicalness is what the times demand?
thabet 12:13 am on July 5, 2009 Permalink |
Yes, we live in times in which opposing the barbarities of war and empire are seen as “radical”.
Buzz Kill 1:14 pm on July 5, 2009 Permalink |
And, as you point out, the US Mil has a responsibility to act morally. However, areas that harbor enemy combatants, civilians in and around these areas are compromised. How do you solve that problem?
The Taliban (militants) own just as much responsibility (or more) for the innocent civilians who get harmed or killed in the battle.
There can be no safe harbor for criminals.
thabet 12:17 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink |
I completely agree. I don’t like their stupid ‘fans’ based in the UK or the Gulf. Theirs is an ugly religion.
I don’t understand what this means anymore within the context of Afghanistan. And I don’t think our political masters do either.
What exactly are American and British servicemen, and countless Afghans, dying for? What does ‘defeating the Taliban’ look like? Installing a different set of murderous warlords in Kabul? Wiping out half of Helmand?
Buzz Kill 1:36 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink
Anything remotely resembling Al-Qaeda must be contained, constricted and destroyed.
Annihilated in the ugliest possible manner.
thabet 6:17 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink
Absurd.
Buzz Kill 8:22 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink
Should the USA negotiate with Al-Qarda. Come to some agreement and charter about not killing 1000s of civilians and causing billions in damage?
Absurd is not an answer. It is a posture.
An impractical posture.
thabet 12:53 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
Heh. You’re so angry, it is showing in your spelling.
Calm down.
This is not about Al-Q (which does not require massive armies to fight it, but some intelligence).
This is about what the the West is doing in Afghanistan. What exactly are the aims and objectives of the US et al? It has been eight years. All I have seen are lots of dead Afghans, some dead Western troops, and a neoghbouring country (which actually shares a lot of the blame) struggling with its own demons.
You haven’t told me the ‘end game’ in Afghanistan, which isn’t really a surprise. It’s not your fault. It’s just no one really knows anymore why our troops are dying, and why lots of Afghans are being blown up by massive bombs.
Buzz Kill 12:59 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
Don’t project.
I wrote that in a perfectly calm state.
Best I remember.
I am a poor typer in all moods.
Getting irate?
The end game in Afghanistan will be the same end game as Palestine. Sweep the existing terrorists out (specifically in Waziristan) and allow self-determination to vote war lords and new terrorists back in.
That’s democracy.
thabet 2:45 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
Heh. Well that showed me
(I ignored the red squiggle because I thought it was complaining about my ‘u’ in neighbouring!)
Palestine? Waziristan?
Yeah, they all look alike…
Your last comment actually sums it up. We’re fighting and killing for one set of thugs against another set of thugs. This should not be our fight.
thabet 2:54 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
Btw, I thought Stephen Walt made a good point here:
Buzz Kill 3:20 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
This is too simplistic. There is an obligation to punish terrorist acts. I realize that there is sub-text and sub-sub-text to this but I think everyone understands the PR problem of not atleast appearing to be smokin Bin Laden out and bringin’ em back to face justice.
The basic game is: Provoke Goliath with guerilla assaults and then hide among them and destabilize the population by insecurity and inability to provide safety.
If Obama does not appear to be a hard ass on terrorism, the right-wing hawks gain some advantage in polls.
thabet 5:10 am on July 7, 2009 Permalink
See the article by Rory Stewart I linked to.
Buzz Kill 1:10 pm on July 5, 2009 Permalink |
The Bush / Cheney Regime was an abomination. I hope they are prosecuted and history records their crimes. The USA and its people are accountable.
But “Substance” was an answer to the jaded view that the USA cannot change and Obama and Bush operate with the same MO. Congressional hearings like the one linked are a little unthinkable just a year ago. THAT IS substance. Change you can measure.
I cannot atone for the crimes of our nation. I can only vote for and pressure my representatives for change. I believe President Obama represents real change from the policies of the recent past.
thabet 12:23 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink |
I think part of the problem is liberals (Westerners) delude themselves into thinking we have any real control. We have limited say in what the powers that be decide. If that.
Buzz Kill 1:30 am on July 6, 2009 Permalink |
Being one of those liberals, I don’t think the statement that ” I can only vote for and pressure my representatives for change…” indicates an assumption of empowerment.
On the other hand, the media is quite persistent in attempting to sway public opinion, hide or emphasize specific events and facts, etc.
Bush/Cheney were probably the apex of “F-U America, We’ll do whatever we want.” Still, they went to great lengths spinning tall tales of WMD in Iraq, yellow cake, aluminum tubes, al-qaeda connections. Seems like a waste of energy for a government that has nothing to fear from its populace.