[California Patriot]

Well, we aided the Afghan mujahiddin in the 1980s, with excellent results.

Rigidly following rules like this is pointless. Each case must be viewed afresh.

The peacenik quotient on this thread is a little surprising. It's as if y'all have forgotten what the hell communism was, and is.

[monday]

"The peacenik quotient on this thread is a little surprising. It's as if y'all have forgotten what the hell communism was, and is."

We haven't forgotten, but then we haven't forgotten that it is almost impossible to force people who are determined to live in slavery to be free. Ultimately it is Nepalis who must decide what form of government they want. We cannot make that decision for them.

If we attempt it, we risk the danger of driving them into the arms of communism. Remember Vietnam? The harder we fought, the more determined the Vietnamese people became that communism was what they wanted. It's only now, twenty five years later, after a new generation has grown up, that Vietnam is slowly turning capitalist once again.

You cannot force people to be free. It is a lesson they must learn on their own.

[Teacher317]

We've got major operations in two other nations, and problems brewing in two more... and you want to race out to Nepal, which has no military value whatsoever?

Maybe you harbor some odd affinity for the "containment" doctrine of 2 generations ago, but in case you hadn't noticed, it's not really needed anymore. There are less than 5 communist nations on earth, and one is reforming via its economy, and one is simply waiting for its octagenarian dictator to pass on. The rest of the globe keeps slowly progressing towards democratic reforms.

(There were 21 Democratic nations on earth less than 100 years ago. Now there are 120+. Containment is not exactly a major concern.)

[LexBaird]

Well, we aided the Afghan mujahiddin in the 1980s, with excellent results.

The establishment of Al Queda and the Taliban, for example?