just a matter of opinion
by John at 9/03/2004 04:31:00 PM
I guess.
George Bush, 9/2/2004:
"Our strategy is succeeding. Four years ago, Afghanistan was the home base of al-Qaida, Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups, Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist fundraising, Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, Iraq was a gathering threat, and al-Qaida was largely unchallenged as it planned attacks. Today, the government of a free Afghanistan is fighting terror, Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders, Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests, Libya is dismantling its weapons programs, the army of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom, and more than three-quarters of al-Qaida's key members and associates have been detained or killed. We have led, many have joined, and America and the world are safer."
MSNBC, 9/2/2004:
"Of the roughly 2,929 terrorism-related deaths around the world since the attacks on New York and Washington, the NBC News analysis shows 58 percent of them — 1,709 — have occurred this year.
George Bush, 9/2/2004:
"Our strategy is succeeding. Four years ago, Afghanistan was the home base of al-Qaida, Pakistan was a transit point for terrorist groups, Saudi Arabia was fertile ground for terrorist fundraising, Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, Iraq was a gathering threat, and al-Qaida was largely unchallenged as it planned attacks. Today, the government of a free Afghanistan is fighting terror, Pakistan is capturing terrorist leaders, Saudi Arabia is making raids and arrests, Libya is dismantling its weapons programs, the army of a free Iraq is fighting for freedom, and more than three-quarters of al-Qaida's key members and associates have been detained or killed. We have led, many have joined, and America and the world are safer."
MSNBC, 9/2/2004:
"Of the roughly 2,929 terrorism-related deaths around the world since the attacks on New York and Washington, the NBC News analysis shows 58 percent of them — 1,709 — have occurred this year.
In the past 10 days, in fact, the number of dead has risen by 142 people in places as diverse as Russia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Israel. On Tuesday, the number of civilians killed by terrorists totaled 38 — 10 at a subway entrance bombing in Moscow, 16 in a bus bombing in Israel and 12 Nepalese executed in Iraq.
Moreover, the level of sophistication is increasing. Terrorism experts point in particular to the attacks apparently carried out by Chechen rebels during that 10-day period. The rebels, whose top military commanders have been Arabs, are operating at a whole different level."
Sounds like george Bish thinks were close to turning a corner with the oranges too.
"I believe in the transformational power of liberty: The wisest use of American strength is to advance freedom. As the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq seize the moment, their example will send a message of hope throughout a vital region. Palestinians will hear the message that democracy and reform are within their reach, and so is peace with our good friend Israel. Young women across the Middle East will hear the message that their day of equality and justice is coming. Young men will hear the message that national progress and dignity are found in liberty, not tyranny and terror. Reformers, and political prisoners, and exiles will hear the message that their dream of freedom cannot be denied forever. And as freedom advances -- heart by heart, and nation by nation -- America will be more secure and the world more peaceful."
I don't think Bush was talking about change over night. In fact, he implied the exact opposite:
"America has done this kind of work before — and there have always been doubters. In 1946, 18 months after the fall of Berlin to allied forces, a journalist wrote in the New York Times, "Germany is a land in an acute stage of economic, political and moral crisis. [European] capitals are frightened. In every [military] headquarters, one meets alarmed officials doing their utmost to deal with the consequences of the occupation policy that they admit has failed." End quote. Maybe that same person's still around, writing editorials. Fortunately, we had a resolute president named Truman, who with the American people persevered, knowing that a new democracy at the center of Europe would lead to stability and peace. And because that generation of Americans held firm in the cause of liberty, we live in a better and safer world today."
As I'm sure you know, it took quite a long time for the Berlin wall to fall down and for freedom to finally spread to Eastern Europe. Had we not been steadfast, all of Europe might have fallen to Communism instead.
Did you read the MSNBC article, Jeff?
I won't quote the whole thing here, because that would be wasting space, but I will requote GWB's line "We have led, many have joined, and America and the world are safer." [my emphasis]
Also, Spain was part of Bush's coalition until they got blowed up. Is it fair to go back in time and retroactively remove them from the coalition now? And how about terrorism in Iraq? Preventing that, I think, is certainly our responsibility (and until June 28, the Geneva Convention said it was).
Many nations are participating in the fight against terrorism that are not part of Bush's coalition to fight Iraq (just about all of them, actually, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Afganistan, three nations mentoned by GWB last night as fighting terror). I think it is disingenuous to conflate the two or hold the position that Bush's coalition against Iraq supercedes the larger fight.
I think you are all missing the big picture, or ignoring it. Fundamental to solving everyone else's problem with Muslim extremists, as well as our own, is the removal of its underlying breeding ground. When people are oppressed, hopeless, and desperate, they can be brainwashed into thinking it's God's will to blow up a school full of hundreds of children. The people creating these terrorist monsters are not interested in liberty, just like Jeff stated. Their interests would be best served by keeping their followers oppressed and hopeless. If oppressed people instead tasted what freedom and hope for prosperity really meant, then fundamentalist Islam has lost its army. They lose their perfect society of 1000 years ago.
Have you ever asked yourself why is it these Arab nations never seem to do any real sort of public works for their suffering brethren in Israel, Chechnya, etc? Why do they give $ for suicide missions, but won't help build infrastructure, give them jobs, a way of life? Why don't they have their own "Peace Corp" for fellow Muslims? The answer is they don't share our values of human dignity, human rights, and liberty. The Saudi royal family, Iranian ayotollahs, and the rest in that region can only maintain their power by continuing to oppress their people and continue to try to divert the anger of their people at Israel and the US.
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