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Knowing your enemy
Washington Times ^ | October 16, 2005 | By Clifford D. May

Posted on 10/15/2005 11:40:32 PM PDT by Jim Robinson

For more than a generation, a war was fought against the United States. Most Americans, however, didn't know it. And even those who did may have been puzzled about whom we were fighting.

The war began in 1979, after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini came to power in Iran and his followers, chanting "Death to America," seized our embassy in Tehran and took our diplomats prisoner. But we did not interpret that to mean we were at war with Iran.

In 1983, members of the same movement bombed our embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, killing hundreds. But we did not see ourselves at war with Hezbollah or its sponsors.

In the 1990s, adherents of the same ideology -- totalitarian, supremacist, antidemocratic -- attacked Americans repeatedly: office workers in New York City, diplomats at embassies in Africa, military personnel in the Middle East. And in 1996, a wealthy Saudi exile published what he called a "Declaration of War Against the Americans."

But even as we suffered these attacks, we did not acknowledge a war was being waged. In fact, most Americans believed they lived in a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity. There was even a "peace dividend" to be spent.

The horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, were a wake-up call -- but the nation remained groggy. Since hijacking planes and crashing them into in the World Trade Center was an act of terrorism, we set about to fight a "war on terrorism" -- as though there were no movement driving terrorism and no ideology justifying violation of the age-old taboo against intentionally murdering women and children.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 21stcenturycrusades; 911; alqaeda; bush; carterlegacy; gwot; hezbollah; hizbullah; iran; iraq; islam; islamofascism; jihad; osambinladen; september112001; terrorism; terrorists; war; waronterror; whywefight; wot; zarqawi
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To: MJY1288

I do my part.


21 posted on 10/16/2005 12:04:28 AM PDT by bobbyd (Damn, I've been tagged.....)
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To: bobbyd

God Bless ya!


22 posted on 10/16/2005 12:05:59 AM PDT by MJY1288 (Whenever a Liberal is Speaking on the Senate Floor, Al-Jazeera Breaks in and Covers it LIVE)
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To: MJY1288
God Bless ya!

That's all I want and all I got.

Thanks

23 posted on 10/16/2005 12:08:29 AM PDT by bobbyd (Damn, I've been tagged.....)
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To: FairOpinion
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was the guest of FRANCE.
Was it a deal between Cater and France to get Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini out of France w/o getting the Iranians in France mad and upset w/France. Some food for thought. An it backfired on Cater.
24 posted on 10/16/2005 12:09:48 AM PDT by Don_Ret_USAF ( OWN A GUN "Better to be judged by Twelve than carried by Six.")
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To: Lokibob
"... We have declared a war on terrorism, when in fact it should be a war on Islam..."

Exactly, in WWII we did not declare war upon blitzkrieg.
25 posted on 10/16/2005 12:10:25 AM PDT by fallujah-nuker (Open Borders: The RINOcracy waging class warfare against American wage earners)
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To: Jim Robinson
"We will either achieve victory over the human race or we will pass to the eternal life." "

As of 9/12/01 more and more Americans seem to have forgotten. Tick..tick..tick...

26 posted on 10/16/2005 12:11:00 AM PDT by Mark (Proven scientific experiment: The NY Times flushes easily down the standard toilet.)
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To: Jim Robinson

"Never give in. Never retreat. Never surrender!!"

Winston Churchill

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.

You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs -- victory in spite of all terrors -- victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

-- First address to the House of Commons as Prime Minister
May 13, 1940

I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necesary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government -- every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, weshall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until in God's good time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

-- Address to the House of Commons
June 4, 1940


27 posted on 10/16/2005 12:14:16 AM PDT by fallujah-nuker (Open Borders: The RINOcracy waging class warfare against American wage earners)
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To: FairOpinion

Yes and now his son is considering a run for congress. Someone needs to tell him that sometimes it isn't possible to overcome your roots


28 posted on 10/16/2005 12:14:34 AM PDT by kublia khan (Absolute war brings total victory)
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To: Don_Ret_USAF

Know this is out of this thread. But wasn't Ho Che Min also a guest of FRANCE ONCE until he could return to VN.


29 posted on 10/16/2005 12:15:27 AM PDT by Don_Ret_USAF ( OWN A GUN "Better to be judged by Twelve than carried by Six.")
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To: Jim Robinson

History repeating itself?

Many of the world's nations were at war in Europe and the Far East for quite some time until December 7, 1941 when the "sleeping giant' was stirred from its slumber.

The party in power at that time? You got it.

History speaks for itself and repeats itself as needed to bring a new awareness to the precariousness of our survival as a nation and a civilization.

Whether we choose to listen is up to us as a people.

Whether we win again is not even an issue.

When we finally decide to take the fight to the enemy is all that matters.


30 posted on 10/16/2005 12:15:36 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: MJY1288

Not sure if that is THE JimRob, but MJY1288, esp with the phrases he is using, sounds a lot like Sean Hannity... if so... you're a great American.... hehe doubt it though...


31 posted on 10/16/2005 12:16:48 AM PDT by Schwaeky (The Republic, will be reorganized into the first American EMPIRE, for a safe and secure society!)
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To: Cindy

Thank you for the links.


32 posted on 10/16/2005 12:18:23 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: NormsRevenge

You're welcome Norm.


33 posted on 10/16/2005 12:20:45 AM PDT by Cindy
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To: Mark

" . . . more and more Americans seem to have forgotten."

Yeah, there were at least four of them on the Mall yesterday.
Their names are, Ignorance, Apathy, Stupidity and Hatred.

They also go by the names of, Calypso Louie, jj, Fat Al and Julianna Malveaux.


34 posted on 10/16/2005 12:22:45 AM PDT by leadpenny
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To: Lokibob
We have declared a war on terrorism, when in fact it should be a war on Islam

I haven't been here in months ..... Damn glad to be back. Thanks again Jim.

Now, repeat after me...

We have declared a war on terrorism, when in fact it should be a war on Islam

Islam is a cult.

35 posted on 10/16/2005 12:30:38 AM PDT by bobbyd (Damn, I've been tagged.....)
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To: bobbyd; Lokibob
Now, repeat after me...

eeerrr....lokibob

36 posted on 10/16/2005 12:36:11 AM PDT by bobbyd (Damn, I've been tagged.....)
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To: Lokibob
"We have declared a war on terrorism, when in fact it should be a war on Islam. Make no mistake, they want us to convert to their religion, and there is no room for negotiations. "

Apparently, there are some others out there in the ethersphere, who understand that the war that we are now engaged in, is not a simple war on some local insurgents, but a continuation of the Crusades, I.E., a fight of the Christian world against the mooslims.

Sadly, I believe that the mooslims have already won in many European countries, and the US might wind up having to fight France, possibly Spain, possibly others.

37 posted on 10/16/2005 12:40:21 AM PDT by de Buillion (Perspective: 1880 dead Heroes in 3 yr vs. 3589 abortions EVERY DAY , 1999, USA.)
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To: Jim Robinson
Thank You Jim, Mr. Robinson.

I don't know you, you don't know me. But I for one, would like to hear more from you about the Free Republic.

Thank You for your contribution

Wolf
38 posted on 10/16/2005 1:42:08 AM PDT by RunningWolf (tag line limbo)
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To: Jim Robinson

There is nothing new under the sun, alas. Each generation must come to truth the hard way. But, in each, there is a light-bringer, a teacher, a herald, a communicator.

Thank you, Jim Robinson. You have provided all of the above, yet have encouraged others to bring light into the encroaching darkness.

All I can think of is a poem.. and I could post it here, but you all ought to google it, really.

Put in "On Dover Beach", by Matthew Arnold.


39 posted on 10/16/2005 1:54:34 AM PDT by jacquej
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To: Jim Robinson
"What do you leave behind?" (excerpt)

The other day, Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad told Lisbon’s Publica magazine that a group of London Islamists are ‘ready to launch a big operation’ on British soil.

‘We don’t make a distinction between civilians and non-civilians, innocents and non-innocents,’ he said, clarifying the ground rules. ‘Only between Muslims and unbelievers. And the life of an unbeliever has no value.’

The cleric added he expected to see the banner of Islam flying in Downing Street. ‘I believe one day that is going to happen. Because this is my country, I like living here,’ he said. ‘If they believe in democracy, who are they afraid of? Let Omar Bakri benefit from democracy!’

Mark Steyn, writing in Middle East Information Center, 5.2.2004.


40 posted on 10/16/2005 1:59:22 AM PDT by Watery Tart (Honey, does this burqha make me look fatwa?)
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