Pacifier

Very few people deny the fact that the USA supported a couple not so nice persons and organisations in the past. The point of view was "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", it was not important that those allies also violated human rights. As long as those allies did what the USA wanted them to do such violations were mostly ignored.
Most people see that as an error, and the recent events shows that they are somewhat right. The Taliban, which were supported by the US. turned against them, Iraq, once an ally, was the target of Gulfwar3.

So you could think that the USA learnt from those obvious errors, that they take the "chance to establish a new order" in middle east. A goal set by themself. But they seem to make the same errors again.
In Afghanistan they cooperated with the North-Alliance, a bunch of warloards mostly radical islamic, and now in Iraq they start to cooperate with the <a href="http://www.terrorismanswers.com/groups/mujahedeen.html">Mujahedeen-e-Khalq</a>. The MEK fights against the Iran (the enemy of my enemy is my friend), and was already supported by Saddam and was considered a "<a href="http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/2003/17065.htm">terroristic group</A>" before the war. They also helped Saddam to fight against the Kurd in northern Iraq in 1991.

The MEK is not a radical islamic group, the fight for a democratic Iran. To reach their goals theys bombed the iranian embassies in Bonn (Germany) and New York in 1992. The MEK also fights for sexual equality, but is based of a stalinistic-authority. Experts say that MEK has increasingly come to resemble a cult that’s devoted to Masud Rajavi’s secular interpretation of the Koran and is prone to sudden, dramatic ideological shifts.

The number of members is a bit unsure, the MEK say 30000, other sources say 10000 some even less.

(Pic: http://www.heise.de/tp/deutsch/speci...08/14708_1.jpg)


What do you think, is it wise to trust such groups again? Id the USA repeating some old errors here? Does that make this whole "war against terror" a bit pointless?

__________________
"It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I also cannot imagine some will or goal outside the human sphere. Science has been charged with undermining morality, but the charge is unjust. A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death
— Albert Einstein

Dragonlich

What you don't mention is that in the case of Afghanistan, the US *had* to cooperate with the Northern Alliance in order to defeat the Taliban. And that Northern Alliance isn't as bad as you claim it is. They may not be perfect, but it's a start.

Liquor Dealer

A lot of times it is simply a matter of the lesser of two evils. Often this country has supported a regime that appeared legit in the beginning and then turned into something else later. This country has been in a damned if we do damned if we don't position for a number of years. We have done things that brought condemnation that seemed like the right thing to do at the time. We have not followed up on things at times that have caused even bigger problems. If hindsight was foresight Castro would have died long ago. If hindsight was foresight the middle east would have been dealt with when it was a much more do able deal than it is today. World politics creates strange bedfellows. At time it makes me wish that we would just say to hell with the rest of the world's opinion and do what is right about a lot of things - turn the military loose and let the diplomats sort it out when the military is finished. Say what you will but the world would be a better and a safer place for everyone when it was finished - We want nothing other than what we have - we are even willing to share what we have with anyone that needs it - but I, speaking for the WE am damned tired of being crapped on by pissant governments from pissant little European (read Freench) cuntries (sic).

__________________
Life isn't always a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's more like a jar of Jalapenos --- what you say or do today might burn your ass tomorrow!!!

Grothendieck

I have to agree with LD on his first point (not his last ones!). Power and might are existing entities that have to be taken into consideration. Just as the US would not be such a dominating force if it did not have the military power it has, in the same way you have to make allies and "friends" with those who have power in a country when trying to bring peace.

What often goes wrong, I think, is that you get used to your so-called friends, which were needed in the beginning, and overlook their growing tendencies to misuse their power.

__________________
Didn't remember how intense love could be... Thank you B.

crewsor

Not like there are tons of model Democracy groups over there to choose from as far as backing a group for control. I guess you have to take what you can get.

__________________
We all have wings, some of us just don't know why.

The_Dude

i really dont think we'll do the eneny of my enemy is my friend deal anymore.

that was all aimed against the USSR, so we dont have a powerful enemy anymore

__________________
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

guthmund

__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.

Dragonlich

Of course we do! Or did you forget about the whole Islamic Fundamentalism thing? They're much more difficult to fight than that one big commie state; after all, they're everywhere, and aren't easy to attack because of that...

Easytiger

Do you mean "Is our children learning?"

Sorry, couldn't resist. Seriously, though, we will know the answer to this question within the next generation. Perhaps it's better to ask "What do our children need to know to make the future better than the present?"

BTW I'm a secondary school teacher. I think about this all damn day.

reconmike

We made friends with the Germans, japanese, russians, I am sure I could go on but I think I have made my point.

__________________
Where is Darwin when ya need him?