Posted on 09/22/2006 9:25:45 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Radnor - Rudy Giuliani spoke at Radnor High School in Delaware County on Wednesday. Sponsored by the World Affairs Council, the former mayor of New York City outlined his understanding of how the War on Terror began, how it will continue and what's at stake if America gives up.
"Somewhere, someplace, people are planning to do it again," he said in regards to the Sept. 11th tragedy, "This is a lot more of a psychological war."
One of the biggest mistakes, Giuliani insists, that Americans can make is believing that the War on Terror began after the tragedy. The mayor stated that the conflict with Islamic terrorism goes further back than 9/11 or even the bombing of embassies and the USS Cole in the 1990s or the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It goes back to the 1960s.
Giuliani described world reaction to terrorist attacks such as the 1972 Olympic hostages in Munich, Germany and the hijacking of the Achille Lauro in 1985 as "defensive." The terrorists involved in the Achille Lauro specifically were arrested by Italian authorities, but released two hours later in order "to save Italy from [future] terrorist attacks."
Because there was "no real reaction or reaction out of fear," it legitimized terrorism, Giuliani argued and sent the message that "if they do terrorism, they'll succeed, and gain access to the bargaining table."
People also made the mistake that terrorism was the product of Western injustice. Giuliani said that this was "an analysis of us rather than an analysis of them ... a projection of our thinking." How else would Yassir Arafat, a renowned terrorist, win a Nobel Peace Prize. "Was anything more absurd?" Giuliani asked the audience.
While America and the world treated terrorism as a criminal matter and reacted defensively to Islamic terrorists, "President Bush realized the fact that they had declared war on us." If America was to seize the offensive, "We would be more secure, [but] not perfectly secure, if we go on the offensive ... It's the only way we're going to stay safe."
Giuliani urged the audience that America is up against more than just Osama bin Laden or al-Qaida.
"It's not one organization or one person... They're all separate groups, there are many of them, they don't always work together... but there's a unity of purpose - they hate us. They hate what we stand for."
Specifically, they hate our freedom of religion: "Everyone has to be Muslim." They hate our freedom for women: "Women were killed in Afghanistan for showing too much skin."
Giuliani compared the position that some politicians and partisans make by emphasizing that America should focus only on Osama bin Laden or al-Qaida to how the Department of Justice would fight organized crime by focusing on only one family. He said that while authorities took out one crime family, rival crime families prospered, and the cycle of organized crime continued.
The solution, Giuliani said, is to focus on all terrorist groups and support states simultaneously.
Giuliani did not downplay the threat of Saddam Hussein and his regime.
"...the threats we would be facing is even greater... He would have been more powerful if he was still in power," he said.
For those who didn't think Iraq is a central front on the war on terror, Giuliani said the terrorists disagree. "Why are so many terrorist groups pouring so many resources into Iraq?" he said.
Coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq help deter other state sponsors in terror, Giuliani said. He pointed to how Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi decided to give up his nuclear ambitions. "Why did Gaddafi do that? It wasn't like it was a conversion of St. Paul," Giuliani joked, "I think he said to himself, 'I'll make a deal.'"
Giuliani discussed how military power is the only true bargaining chip in the War on Terror. "Whenever America is reluctant or unwilling to use power, you got nothing. Ronald Reagan ended communism because they were afraid of him," he said. "He use to get criticized so much by the New York Times and liberal media," especially for labeling the Soviet Union as the "evil empire."
The increased military spending during the 1980s, Giuliani reflected, was necessary in order to defeat the Soviet Union by bankrupting the power. The Soviets "realized that he wasn't going to stop until he spent them into oblivion," he said.
Peace is achieved, "through strength, not weakness That is how we have to deal with terrorism," Giuliani said.
Giuliani outlined the long term strategy for the War on Terror, which involves understanding the real root causes of terrorism. Terrorists come "out of regions in the world where there are repressive governments and repressive people."
"The reason they have miserable lives has nothing to do with you or me or Israel. The people of these countries are taught to blame their problems" by projecting them onto Israel and the United States, Giuliani said.
In the long run the United States must, whenever feasible, replace repressive governments in the world with accountable, democratically-elected ones. It won't happen everywhere but America must do it where we can, he said.
Giuliani contended that the present condition of violence in Iraq was worse under Saddam Hussein, the only difference is that the Iraqis voted in their elections in high turnout when the New York Times predicted low turnout.
While there are still sectarian violence, Sunnis and Shiites gathered together and formed a new constitution in hopes of protecting majority rule while respecting minority rights. "That is how you create a peaceful world," Giuliani said.
Giuliani ended his speech by asking the audience why there hasn't been a terrorist attack on America since September 11th. He also said that we ought to "prepare ourselves for the fact that we will have another terrorist attack" at some future juncture. Every municipality in America should have an emergency plan in place, because the terrorists will try something new - something American authorities have not contemplated.
Giuliani believes that terrorists will try to attack remote places in America next instead of just big cities.
"Your guns were useless on September 11,2001".
"The Muslims will take your guns from you".
As a rhetorical exercise I can argue either side of it. Your gun is not upper most in his mind. That's all. It's not even on the radar right now, but every four years you guys go crazy and we end up with silly photos of guys like Kerry this last time around in hunting costumes trying to beat their chest and win your vote. Rather silly really. But I got a good laugh out of it.
I'm not a "chest beater".
Thing is, Kerry thinks I am, and you seem to, as well.
Maybe you are not capable of understanding, doesn't matter, best you learn to deal with it. RKBA is not on the bargaining table.
If you want to give up something to save the world, find something else.
READ MY POST. The candidates are the chest beaters! Sigh..........
One of Rudy's great strengths is to take extremely complex issues and explain them so they are understood by everyone. Never patronizing, never pontificating, he speaks to people with respect, and they respond accordingly.
Yup! That is exactly correct. Rudy is one with normal people just like Bush.
I understood where you were coming from, it is just that many people buy into the theory that gun owners are trying to compensate for some personal shortfall of masculinity, and for the most part they are wrong. Kerry was putting on an act he thought would impress me, but it was condescending, arrogant, and stupid. Hell, I never put on a costume to hunt, sometimes I wore the same things I wore to church.
Hey, you are talking to a Redneck, who lives in an old singlewide, on a hammock, in a swamp. Do I sound stupid?
How is my spelling and punctuation?
If you believe that Rudy is the man, best you get his Yankee Butt cleaned up and presentable, before the election, get his bad habits all cured, and then come back and talk.
I'm not worried about that tactic, it looks like the ploy will be, "vote for Rudy, or be responsible for Hilary". Rudy possibly could win that way, but one way or the other, we would have no further leverage in support of RKBA, and I would expect both parties to abandon all pretense from then on, and turn the gun grabbers loose. I will not discount the value of my vote that way, it is the only voice I have.
Just a few moments ago, I recieved an email from NYC. Rudy was too busy to attend the pro RKBA rally yesterday. I may be too busy to vote for him, when the time comes. I may have a fishing trip planned with a big bunch of friends.
You are aking me to "bend over", I am asking Rudy, and you, to stand up, for the Bill of Rights!
Best not try to stick the "Bambi killer" label on me, BTW, it won't fit. I have the ability to hunt or fish when I need food, never had the ability to pay someone else to do it for me, and eat, while pretending that my food has never been alive. You have not yet claimed to be a vegetarian. Will that be next?
These are MY animals.
http://www.pbase.com/tsiya/root
http://photobucket.com/albums/v244/tsiya/
Spare me your drama.
Spare us your RINO baloney!
You should come out and admit that your stance on RKBA is no different than Diane Feinsteins. I wouldn't agree with you, but, I could respect your honesty.
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