The War on Terrorism is a Farce!

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:07

This war on terrorism is nuts. I can see retaliation for the destruction of the World Trade Center, but a worldwide War on Terror? What hypocrisy.

I mean, look at the history of the US, we haven't been shy about using terror in the past. Our revolutionary past is filled with acts of terrorism (what, you thought tar and feathering feels nice?). Mobs gathered up tax collectors and tortured them before killing them (what do you think tar and feathering is), they massacred loyalists. And we claim moral superiority?

We decry killing of civilians in Israel... do we forget our own history? There were civilians we killed in Sherman's march towards the sea, the firebombing of Dresden, the massacres in Vietnam and Korea, and, most spectacularly, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But you say, this is war. What do you think Palestinians feel? They feel they've been in war with the Israelis since 1948. Why is their killing of civilians worse than our own?

We are being hypocrites on the world stage, by denouncing terrorism so strongly, yet sponsering it whenever we needed to defeat Communism. We've used terrorism to great results, so to declare war on it is patently absurd.

PS. This isn't a David-Floyd-My-Password-Has-Been-Stolen post. I actually believe this, and it has been building up.

PPS. You Euros aren't off the hook either. The terrorism that was done during the religious wars of the 16th and 17th Centuries and the terrorism during the Colonial Era was no better than what the United States has done since its founding.

Zylka · March 28, 2002, 22:13

Why don't you just make it official and tell everyone you support hamas?

Tuberski · March 28, 2002, 22:14

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
This war on terrorism is nuts. I can see retaliation for the destruction of the World Trade Center, but a worldwide War on Terror? What hypocrisy.

I mean, look at the history of the US, we haven't been shy about using terror in the past. Our revolutionary past is filled with acts of terrorism (what, you thought tar and feathering feels nice?). Mobs gathered up tax collectors and tortured them before killing them (what do you think tar and feathering is), they massacred loyalists. And we claim moral superiority?

We decry killing of civilians in Israel... do we forget our own history? There were civilians we killed in Sherman's march towards the sea, the firebombing of Dresden, the massacres in Vietnam and Korea, and, most spectacularly, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But you say, this is war. What do you think Palestinians feel? They feel they've been in war with the Israelis since 1948. Why is their killing of civilians worse than our own?

We are being hypocrites on the world stage, by denouncing terrorism so strongly, yet sponsering it whenever we needed to defeat Communism. We've used terrorism to great results, so to declare war on it is patently absurd.

PS. This isn't a David-Floyd-My-Password-Has-Been-Stolen post. I actually believe this, and it has been building up.

PPS. You Euros aren't off the hook either. The terrorism that was done during the religious wars of the 16th and 17th Centuries and the terrorism during the Colonial Era was no better than what the United States has done since its founding.

Um...who were we at war with when the planes hit the towers?

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:15

I thought that might have been obvious

.

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberski
Um...who were we at war with when the planes hit the towers?

Who were we at war with then Pearl Harbor was bombed?

Tuberski · March 28, 2002, 22:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Who were we at war with then Pearl Harbor was bombed?

And what happened after? We went to war.

So why should the WTC be any different?

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:21

Yes... we should... and we did..

But why are we in the Phillipines? And the War on Terrorism can be used for justification for expansion of the war in Columbia.

We aren't just going after Al Quada here.

Jac de Molay · March 28, 2002, 22:23

Who were we at war with then Pearl Harbor was bombed?

so you still equate Hiroshima and Nagasaki with acts of terror?

3000 of ours dead? I say the gloves are off and it's time to open up the Can of Whoop-as$, hypocrisy or no. If anything we've been too timid, smiling too often and putting away the Big Stick.

Dave

Kyle · March 28, 2002, 22:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yes... we should... and we did..

But why are we in the Phillipines? And the War on Terrorism can be used for justification for expansion of the war in Columbia.

We aren't just going after Al Quada here.

Because Abu Sayef (SP?) has two Americans held hostage and supposedly have links with Al Qaeda.

Zylka · March 28, 2002, 22:24

I say we beat them down with a large trout

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:25

DD: That's fine! But don't tell me that we are doing this on some moral highground. If we want to go whup ass... then say that is what we are doing... not because we want to 'make the world safe' from terrorism.

DarkCloud · March 28, 2002, 22:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yes... we should... and we did..

But why are we in the Phillipines? And the War on Terrorism can be used for justification for expansion of the war in Columbia.

We aren't just going after Al Quada here.

That is the point.

It is to wipe out terrorism everywhere.

I too think that it is a farce- the United States should assist India in their war against the terrorist seperatists.
It should also assist Spain with the Basques if Spain asks.

Etc.

It should be more global than the US merely beating up on its enemies.

Kyle · March 28, 2002, 22:29

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkCloud

That is the point.

It is to wipe out terrorism everywhere.

I too think that it is a farce- the United States should assist India in their war against the terrorist seperatists.
It should also assist Spain with the Basques if Spain asks.

Etc.

It should be more global than the US merely beating up on its enemies.

Neither has asked for our help.

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:30

Quote:

It is to wipe out terrorism everywhere.

And like I said, that is hypocritical.

Kyle · March 28, 2002, 22:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Quote:

It is to wipe out terrorism everywhere.

And like I said, that is hypocritical.

No, because the examples you gave were in US history, not US present.

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:33

So?

Doesn't make it less hypocritical.

Do as I say, not as I did.

And I bet the CIA has been planning/doing terrorist acts against our enemies

Kyle · March 28, 2002, 22:39

We have no control over what our ancestors did. Because if that were the case, we'd have to label Germany hypocrits if they try and develop any kind of 'power.'

I don't know Imran, if I didn't know better, I'd say this is an attempt at a troll.

Jac de Molay · March 28, 2002, 22:40

Quote:

DD: That's fine! But don't tell me that we are doing this on some moral highground. If we want to go whup ass...

I never implied a moral highground, only a ground of necessary vengeance in our selfish interest pure and simple. And I dont exonerate ANY sovereign nation for the sins of its past. Bush's rhetoric and Euro-whining aside, there is some necessary butt-kicking against the heavy-hitter terrorist groups and Saddam.

Will it win the war against this abstract notion of Terror? Probably not, but it feels REAL good to be sweeping some scum into the dustbin of history along the way

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 22:51

Quote:

I never implied a moral highground

Nope, but Bush and the administration did.

Quote:

I don't know Imran, if I didn't know better, I'd say this is an attempt at a troll.

You don't know any better.

Quote:

We have no control over what our ancestors did. Because if that were the case, we'd have to label Germany hypocrits if they try and develop any kind of 'power.'

Germany would be hypocrits if they said someone ELSE couldn't develop any power. If they developed power then they'd be doing what they did before, which isn't in any way hypocritical.

DinoDoc · March 28, 2002, 22:55

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
PS. This isn't a David-Floyd-My-Password-Has-Been-Stolen post. I actually believe this, and it has been building up.

It would make more sense that that way though.

BTW, what are you decrying? The rhetoric or the targets?

Kyle · March 28, 2002, 23:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

You don't know any better.

Okay then, this is a troll and not worth anymore time.

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 23:07

Quote:

Originally posted by DinoDoc
BTW, what are you decrying? The rhetoric or the targets?

They are linked in a way. I mean the rhetoric has led to the expansion of targets (because Bush wanted allies for his effort). I mean if he said it was a war of retaliation against Bin Laden and the Taliban, he could have gotten support and there would have been no expansion of this 'hot' war.

DinoDoc · March 28, 2002, 23:08

Anyway, since this was meant as a serious post I'll deal with it as such. To work.

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
And we claim moral superiority?

Yes, and we are quite justified in doing so. Suffering a devestating, unprovoked attack on your civilian population tends to give that perk to you.

Quote:

We decry killing of civilians in Israel... do we forget our own history?

Of what relevence are the examples you listed to the Mideast Conflict? Or have you learned that it is standard practice in the US army to send in suicide bombers to murder a group of teenagers?

Giancarlo · March 28, 2002, 23:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Kyle

Neither has asked for our help.

Spain can handle the ETA, we don't have a 70,000 Member Civil Guard for nothing!

Imran, what kind of person are you? It seems like that you have no consideration for the people who were killed on september 11th. I want the US to wipe out every single terrorist out there who thinks they can bring down the western world. This must be accomplished by all means.

DinoDoc · March 28, 2002, 23:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I mean the rhetoric has led to the expansion of targets (because Bush wanted allies for his effort).

Expansion of targets does tend to happen though when trying to destroy a global criminal organization. Rhetoric or no rhetoric.

Imran Siddiqui · March 28, 2002, 23:13

Quote:

Yes, and we are quite justified in doing so. Suffering a devestating, unprovoked attack on your civilian population tends to give that perk to you.

Yes, against Osama, but what justification does that give for increasing the money we give to fight rebels in Columbia (who engage in terrorism from time to time). What does that have to do with perhaps going into Georgia to destroy rebels there?

Quote:

Of what relevence are the examples you listed to the Mideast Conflict? Or have you learned that it is standard practice in the US army to send in suicide bombers to murder a group of teenagers?

The founders were in charge of tarring and feathering of British tax collectors. That is torture and murder. Not much worse that suicide bombers. And can you prove that Palestinian suicide bombers were military?

Quote:

Imran, what kind of person are you? It seems like that you have no consideration for the people who were killed on september 11th. I want the US to wipe out every single terrorist out there who thinks they can bring down the western world. This must be accomplished by all means.

And and you want the US to have no allies, and no friends. You want the US to be like the Roman Empire and conquer... I reject that notion.

Giancarlo · March 28, 2002, 23:18

Quote:

And and you want the US to have no allies, and no friends. You want the US to be like the Roman Empire and conquer... I reject that notion.

Oh my goodness... when did I say that? Where did that come from?

The US to have friends must rid this world of *******s who think they can kill innocent civilians. This includes the following:

Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, Saddam Hussein, and every other terrorist group in every part of the world.

cia · March 28, 2002, 23:21

What seems to have been overlooked is the fact that all of the atrocities committed by the US were during wars we joined or were asked to fight in against one or more countries. Terrorists such as these are international. The swear no allegiance. So worldwide the war is. Of course, the US can just declare war on all the countries terrorists hide/operate in instead