world trade center

GrantMO · Sep 15, 2001

Re: Kelvin--Know this

I don't know about the rest of you but I am so glad that President Bush has chosen people like Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and John Ashcroft to give him advice. Someone mentioned they wished the elder Bush was in power but I bet W is getting advice from the old man. After all, the guy was director of the CIA for a while. I'm confident these men and those under them can come up with something that will work. From their statements it seems to me they understand the gravity of the situation.

DarinRay · Sep 16, 2001

Re: Kelvin--Know this

Kelvin don't be sorry because I was just trying to uplift this forum with a positive note of support. You weren't necessarily being negative but I probably didn't word it that good in the first place. My bad! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Darin

cowboydoc · Sep 16, 2001

Re: US Response to Terrorism

I agree with you Bird. We already poured billions into Afghn. when they were fighting with Russia. We have have poured billions into the other arab countries as well. The whole middle east WAS built up with "petrol dollars" in the 60's and 70's which primarily we helped them setup and get started. It is incredulous that someone who knows what happens over there thinks that this can be stopped with money and talking. This isn't a moral, ethical, or monetary issue with them. They hate us, to them this is a holy war, and it's been going on for thousands of years. To think that a few shiny roads and buildings are going to make this situation go away is, unfortunately, just not going to happen. I wish it would too but it won't. Look at how long we have already been talking, buying, and negotiating with these people for peace. If it was as simple as throwing money at it and infrastructure there would have been peace a long time ago.

cowboydoc · Sep 16, 2001

You're playing right into their hands Todd. You mention fingerprinting, phone tapping, etc. That is no longer freedom or privacy. I'll live with the threat of terrorism and lay my life on the line to go and patch up the men overseas who fight against them or fight myself before I'll give up one ounce of my freedome. This country is not based on a society of no freedom, it is based on a society of freedom. For what you're saying we would have to rewrite most of the constitution and life would be pretty much like a communist state where you don't have any say about what the govt. does to you in the name of security. NO thank you I'll fight. Long lines and security at airports, that's fine. But take away my personal freedoms? I'd just as soon take my chance with the terrorists.

HR_Mutt · Sep 16, 2001

No More US $$ going over there to be used against us at a later date. As mentioned previously, it won't work. They want to attack a Bull they'll get the Horns!

God Bless America

regards
Mutt

RPM · Sep 16, 2001

Re: I ECHO your sentiments!

Wouldn't be the first or the last time that Reuters or other news-wires has mixed the facts up in the heat of the moment. Perhaps what they mean is that the Taliban leaders can't read or write English. That would not surprise me at all.

cp1969 · Sep 16, 2001

Fingerprinting, phone tapping, and other security measures punish us, not them.

I've said this before, their ability to wage war upon us has been possible only to the extent that Western civilization has made it so. Western agriculture and technology have relieved them from the burden of feeding themselves so that they have the time, energy, and desire to attack Western countries.

I can't help thinking that if you cut that off, destroy every bit of infrastructure that you can, and make sure that no one else resupplies it, most of these Islamic countries will be nothing more than deserts occupied by nomadic goat herders. Feeding themselves will become a full time occupation, not going overseas to obtain flight training.

toddler · Sep 16, 2001

cp1969 and Richard,

You seem to have forgotten that this entire attack could be done with less than 100 people. There are radical moslem groups in Germany, Canada, and guess what, the USA. Accept that. If you go attack the Islamic countries, you'll simply push a few more people in other countries towards supporting them.
Does that scare me, nope. I'm not scared that encroachment into our right to privacy will lead to the loss of our freedoms. As a law abiding citizen of the United States, I have very little to hide. I also have the right to vote, as does every other US citizen, should it go too far. So the fear of McCarthyism (sp), or going too far is minimal for me. If we go to far as we did with our fear of communism, then we'll correct it as we learn. Your fears about loss of personal freedoms may make it impossible to make terrorism more difficult. That fear, helps them. They're not trying to make us a militant state, they're trying to make us dead, and they're laughing that our very freedoms make us vulnerable. Israel has accepted that fact, how many of their planes have been hijacked? Their terrorists live next door to them. And yes, I'm aware they also take military actions, but do you think an Israeli citizen would be horrified to find out their phones had been tapped because someone thought they might be involved with terrorists in the most minimal way?
Todd

ERNIEB · Sep 16, 2001

<font color=blue>how many of their planes have been hijacked? </font color=blue>
In terms of hyjacking I have been told that El Al is one of the most safest airlines to fly on.
<font color=blue> Their terrorists live next door to them</font color=blue>
The Palestinians live next door. The Palestinians throw rocks, Israel returns gun and mortar fire. The Palestinians use a car bomb, Israel returns air strikes. It that situation, I'm not sure who is what.
This war on terrorism, is it to be just centered on the middle east? How about groups like the IRA. Have we not had people right here in the good ole USA who have given aid and support to that group?

Ernie

cp1969 · Sep 16, 2001

Accept that? No thank you, if you mean that that is a situation that is going to continue in the future.

As far as attacking the Islamic countries--Let our actions cause people to declare their allegeance, one way or the other! I like the suggestion I read earlier, about an Arab-American regiment or division. Let's find out who's side their really on.

You may not like what you're reading on this board, but so far you have made no suggestion as to what to do, other than maintain the present course of action, which means a 'surgical' cruise missile strike at some nebulous target. News flash!!!!! That policy is what got us where we are--it obviously doesn't work, and now is the time for far more drastic measures so that it won't happen again.

If you think there are people in the Mideast teetering on the brink of supporting the US but would be lost by collateral damage, I think you are sadly mistaken. Their allegiance is with the Islamic countries.

No one wants to kill innocent people. By the same token, I damn sure don't want any more innocent Americans killed by fanatics and if killing a hundred thousand of their innocents prevents one of ours from being killed, I'm not sure I would be against that.

It IS a time to show compassion--toward your fellow Americans, first and foremost, by supporting whatever action it takes to stop terrorism once and for all.