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Date:      Thu, 27 Sep 2001 01:11:43 -0400
From:      Technical Information <tech_info@threespace.com>
To:        FreeBSD Chat <chat@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: Helping victims of terror
Message-ID:  <4.3.2.7.2.20010927000022.017ede48@threespace.com>
In-Reply-To: <20010926124042.B1370@lpt.ens.fr>
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Well based on this I suppose your imagination and mine are about on par, 
because you haven't really proposed anything that I haven't already thought 
of.  And I assume that our leaders are probably well aware of the same.

And I suppose that's the difference in our lines of thought.  Your fears 
are based on the notion that the U.S. is eventually going to employ some 
heavy-handed, self-serving tactics that will destroy Afghanistan if not the 
whole region.  And though I don't believe your fears are unfounded, I, on 
the other hand, am encouraged by the restraint and use of diplomatic 
channels to date.  (15.5 counter-strike free days and counting.)

I think that #1 (below) will happen in due time; I haven't seen any 
indication that the U.S. has asked for any other nations troops/arms in #2 
(though some have been offered by other nations); and I think the American 
public would agree with #3.  (These people who serve in the military do 
have families that want them home.)

I'm just giving a little more credit to our leaders right now than you are, 
I suppose.  But only time will tell at this point.

--Chip Morton



At 06:40 AM 9/26/2001, Rahul Siddharthan wrote:
>OK, so you can't imagine any other form of action than what I described.
>Hopefully the people making the war plans have better imaginations.
>
>How about this (it probably won't please everyone still, but it will
>make a big difference from past history and won't offend too many
>people either).
>
>1.  Publish the proof you (the US) claim to have, against Bin
>     Laden/Taleban, as justification for an attack.  Don't just keep saying
>     "We know he's guilty but we're not going to tell you why."
>
>2.  Attack with your own troops.  Don't use and arm local gunmen and
>     militia.  Don't take part in civil wars.  Just do what you want to do,
>     no more.
>
>3.  After it is all done and you have got bin Laden and his
>     associates, *withdraw*.  Don't hang around where you aren't wanted.
>     Don't try and support some unpopular puppet regime thinking it is in
>     your own interests.  It's not.  And while you're about it, withdraw
>     from all the other military installations in the middle east and
>     around the world, too.  Do that right now, it will be viewed very
>     positively and bin Laden's major grudge against the US will be gone.
>
>Yes, this will be a long process.  Anything will be a long process,
>except carpet bombing and flattening the whole country.  (I hope
>that's not what you want.)  Yes, it will mean lives of American
>soldiers.  Well, I happen to think the lives of a few hundred American
>soldiers aren't more valuable than the lives of a few hundred thousand
>Afghan civilians.  Besides, the soldiers chose that life; the
>civilians didn't.
>
>- R


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