Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 16:20:35 -0400 From: Technical Information <tech_info@threespace.com> To: FreeBSD Chat <chat@freebsd.org> Subject: What is it good for? (was "Helping Victims of Terror") Message-ID: <4.3.2.7.2.20010922153752.017f8b18@threespace.com>
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I could respond to all the individual points that were made, but I'd be here all day, and I really want to install my fresh new FreeBSD 4.4-RELEASE before the weekend is over. ;-) First of all, I think that everybody agrees that what happened in the U.S. on September 11th was atrocious. I think that every government except Iraq's made official statements to that effect. Secondly, I don't think that anybody wants a full-blown war. That would mean the loss of bloodshed and life for everyone involved including the U.S., and I really don't believe that we're the warmongers that we're often made out to be in other places. Finally, I think that everyone agrees that some sort of response from the U.S. is necessary or at least well within our rights. And that seems to be about where the agreements end. Some think that the U.S. is being the bully here, using its superior military power in an attempt to coerce a smaller nation into giving up one of its citizens. There have also been cries that the U.S. completely hypocritical for being largely oblivious to the tragedies of other countries and then decrying September 11th as one of the darkest days in the past 50 years. Others, like myself, think that the U.S. has already shown considerable restraint with its use of military force. Remember, it has already been 11 days since the incident as I write this, and there has been NO OFFICIAL MILITARY ACTION WHATSOEVER. (Motion, but not action.) The destroyed plane, bombed embassies, the Cole bombing--and now this. It has escalated well beyond the point of a response, and I think most other nations would already be firing shots by now. Afghanistan's hand waving about how they have bin Laden contained have gotten old. (I question how the Taliban can know this when their only means of communication with him is radio...but his communication with the outside world is cut off, right?) So now they're in a position where they're told to assist the U.S. and turn over bin Laden or suffer the consequences of having the U.S. go *through* them to get to him. No, it's not an enviable position, but I don't think they're inculpable in this situation. As a kid I used to hang out with guys who shoplifted, so it couldn't really come as any surprise to me when I found myself in the back of a police car for something I hadn't directly been part of. You are the company you keep. Let's just hope that this doesn't become a war or a widespread global conflict. Like I said, I think we all agree on that part. --Chip Morton To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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