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bingle · 04-21-2003, 10:47 AM

I personally thought for a long time that Iran was going to be next: You would see a lot of articles in the news demonizing them, accusing them of harbouring terrorists and having weapons of mass destruction, as well as pointing out what a horrible leadership they live under. Now I'm not sure, it may be Syria is next in line.

As far as stopping terrorism goes, however, it seems to me that bombing countries into the stone age and then installing US-friendly regimes and supplying them with weapons is *exactly*what got us 9/11. Maybe instead of trying the same thing over and over again, we should take a new approach.

Look at what we're doing in Iraq, so far. Installing American military dictators against the will of the people, generating huge protests, while all the time ignoring the important social problems faced, including the post-war power vacuum that allowed looting and crime to go unchecked.

Now the Iraqis see us as invading, occupying infidel forces. When the younger generation grows up, remembering their little brother or sister who was killed in the bombing by the US, what are they going to think? They certainly aren't going to feel love for the great Satan, they're going to see us as the source for all of their problems. That sort of thinking is what gets buildings blown up.

If, instead, we treated Afghanistan and Iraq more like post-WWII Japan, we would be setting them up for a much better time. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar! Setting up an Alaska-like trust for oil revenues, dividends going as cash directly to the population, rather than into the hands of corrupt government officials or US companies, would make the region incredibly more stable and friendly. Concentrating our efforts on restoring the peace to a torn nation, rather than standing by while criminals rob the people (they sure don't think we're doing it for their benefit now). Giving reconstruction contracts to Iraqi companies, or at least other countries, rather than allowing a handful of politically-connected US companies to snap up the best jobs.

Sorry, I guess that turned into a rant about our ill performance in post-war Iraq rather than the "next step". But perhaps the next time, the American people won't swallow the tale of "Liberation, and weapons of mass destruction".

04-21-2003, 10:47 AM	#53 (permalink)
bingle Crazy Location: California	I personally thought for a long time that Iran was going to be next: You would see a lot of articles in the news demonizing them, accusing them of harbouring terrorists and having weapons of mass destruction, as well as pointing out what a horrible leadership they live under. Now I'm not sure, it may be Syria is next in line. As far as stopping terrorism goes, however, it seems to me that bombing countries into the stone age and then installing US-friendly regimes and supplying them with weapons is exactlywhat got us 9/11. Maybe instead of trying the same thing over and over again, we should take a new approach. Look at what we're doing in Iraq, so far. Installing American military dictators against the will of the people, generating huge protests, while all the time ignoring the important social problems faced, including the post-war power vacuum that allowed looting and crime to go unchecked. Now the Iraqis see us as invading, occupying infidel forces. When the younger generation grows up, remembering their little brother or sister who was killed in the bombing by the US, what are they going to think? They certainly aren't going to feel love for the great Satan, they're going to see us as the source for all of their problems. That sort of thinking is what gets buildings blown up. If, instead, we treated Afghanistan and Iraq more like post-WWII Japan, we would be setting them up for a much better time. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar! Setting up an Alaska-like trust for oil revenues, dividends going as cash directly to the population, rather than into the hands of corrupt government officials or US companies, would make the region incredibly more stable and friendly. Concentrating our efforts on restoring the peace to a torn nation, rather than standing by while criminals rob the people (they sure don't think we're doing it for their benefit now). Giving reconstruction contracts to Iraqi companies, or at least other countries, rather than allowing a handful of politically-connected US companies to snap up the best jobs. Sorry, I guess that turned into a rant about our ill performance in post-war Iraq rather than the "next step". But perhaps the next time, the American people won't swallow the tale of "Liberation, and weapons of mass destruction".