How Could We Let It Happen?

New York Post ^ | 9/12/01 | Andrea Peyser

[areafiftyone]

THE charred remains rained from the sky all day, pieces of lives scattered to the winds. Sheets of computer paper burnt around the edges. Charred business cards with names still legible. Employment histories turned charcoal brown. Shredded pages of newsmagazines.

[areafiftyone]

I wish a terrible death to whoever unleashed this.

I want my city back, you bastards

"Bastards" is too good a word for them! I want my city back too!

[A+Bert (Outta here)]

America lost a great deal yesterday. It is time to reflect on what we lost and why and how we can remain free and safe during this next century. We can't let Bin Laden or his ilk turn us into what he is.

[camle]

nobody on any of the planes had a gun to stop these guys.

[Common Tator]

Ronald Reagan used to say that no nation ever lost a war becuase it was too strong. Nations lose wars because they are too weak.

All populations are weak when they remove the means of defense. They say we will be safe if no one has a weapon.

They fail to understand that it is impossible to keep anyone who wants a weapon from having one. We can beef up the security as much as we want, and there will still be a way to defeat it.

For every defense there is an offense that will breach it. For every offense there is a defense that will prevail.

But there is one rule that should be apparent to anyone. The offenses are always invented before defenses are invented.

Yesterday the terrorists were successful becuase they took us on. Our airlines are all defense with no offense at all. That means the terrorists did not need to be conserned with defending themselves. They were free to spend 100 percent of their efforts on offense.

When you only use a defense, the offense always wins.

The fools in the media who screamed for a no offense protection system, are as guilty as a doctor that refused to use antibiotics and only used hygiene to fight infections. A medical system that only tried to prevent infection, and outlawed antibiotics to attack infection would see a lot of people killed.

We can not prevent the effects of terrorism by atempts at hygiene any more than we can defeat infection with hygiene.

[areafiftyone]

This is rage speaking here - We have been too complacent in our fight against terrorism. How many times does New York have to be bombed before we do something?

[A+Bert (Outta here)]

I realize that 90% of most reactions is rage. You should have heard me yesterday. A raving lunatic, by evening I settled down. It is good to let the steam off and I will not criticize anyone for doing so. It is so difficult to absorb what has happened.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-091201editorial.story?coll=la%2Dnews%2Dcomment%2Deditorials

Even the LAT has their war paint on...

"...America will react, but it must do so with certainty, not guesswork, and the resolve that goes with confidence. The nation's leaders will determine who is responsible and do whatever is necessary to make sure the threat is removed. Bush importantly vowed to find and punish not just the terrorists but their backers. The decision he and Congress have to face is whether the U.S. reaction will, as in previous terrorist attacks, concentrate on legal remedies or on military retaliation or some combination of both courses of action. In the case of Pan Am Flight 103, was it true justice only to bring two Libyans to court?"

[SullaFelix]

The Trade Center and the Pentagon were hit for symbolic reasons. The scum dancing around the streets are responding to this symbolism. We need a symbolic response.

I ask myself what the Romans would have done in a situation like this. When they finished off Carthage at the battle of Zama, they killed 450 thousand of the half million inhabitants, sold the 50 thousand remaining into slavery in the far corners of the world, and sowed the fields of Carthage with salt so nothing would ever grow there again.

Our response MUST be as symbolically memorable to the Arab world, or these attacks will continue. Our response must be calculated not only for retribution (which is very necessary) but also to deter any future action. So what to do.

First, stop all foreign aid to every Arab country (and maybe give it to Israel instead!). Kick every Palestinian out of Israel (and every non-citizen Arab out of the U.S. -- Let the Supreme Court find this to be illegal five years from now after they are all gone).

Second, bomb every known terrorist base, training center, etc. that American intelligence knows about, but that we haven't bombed to date because we might offend the international community.

Third, send a couple of cruise missiles into crowds of celebratory arabs in Middle Eastern Capitals.

Fourth, NUKE all arab military targets worldwide. Maybe NUKE their airports as well. If they can't use modern aviation responsibly, they shouldn't be allowed to fly at all.

Fifth, if you really want to make a statement that will stop all of this bullshit once and for all...

NUKE Mecca. Trust me, this shit would end.

[Eugene Tackleberry]

Mecca is in Saudi Arabia (as is Medina another Islamic holy site). Not sure that is the best target.

[vannrox]

.

.

PRESIDENT BUSH SPEECH 09-11-01 PARAPHRASED

We will identify who did this action. We will locate them. We will find out what government and country permits them to exist, either through direct or indirect support.

We will consider any country that helps them, even if it is through inaction, to be associated with these individuals. This was an act of WAR. We Americans will treat this as WAR.

The individuals whom did this directed this operation from a patch of land. Every patch of land is defined by a country. Once we identify that country, that country will experience the entire consequences of our anger. We will engage that country and the inhabitants of that country as enimies of the United States.

Because the United States is a member of NATO, all NATO allies are bound to participate with the United States against this country. If Congress determines that a state of war exists, the American people will support full operational activation of the nuclear weapons at our disposal.

The Premier of Russia has conviened with the President and has agreed to support the United States actions without question.

Is this shocking? haven't you heard this? Perhaps it is because you (any one not understanding the rage we Americans feel) do not understand the real consequences of this action. I don't know one American, not one, (and I live in Boston - Liberal Mecca of the Nation) who does not support Nuclear confliguration.

.

[Erboh]

Nuke Mecca and it would never end. If you feel that you're so strong that nothing could dampen your resolve to fight back, what makes you think that if you try the exact same tactics upon them that failed to work on you, that you'd be any more successful?

They attack you, it makes you hate them more, and encourages you to seek revenge on them. This makes them hate you even more, and encourages them to seek revenge on you. This makes you hate them even more, and... See what I'm getting at? Nations that live by the sword tend to die by the sword.

[DB]

I don't understand your position. Are you opposed to declaring war against Afghanistan if Bin Ladin did this? Afghanistan made Bin Ladin their defense minister... He is an officer of their government. He and his supporters declared war on America.

More Americans may have died yesterday than died on the beaches on D-Day during WWII.

[DB]

That depends. First, if "they" did do the deed then you declare war on them. Second, you end the war only after total victory. America has been in many wars in its past. War can bring an end to horrific situations. Just look at American history.

[DB]

I will say "partial" war is a recipe for disaster.

[A+Bert (Outta here)]

I am not suggesting anything except that our Gov't has the duty to respond in a fashion that will make all Americans proud and in our National Interest and for no other reason.

We have certain people attacking me who want it to be otherwise. Heck, being right isn't always popular.

[Erboh]

Just rushing off and killing randomly for the sake of revenge (as many people here seem to be advocating) will just perpetuate the problem. It'd convince ten times as many to go to the US and pull of similar attacks. When the US eventually retaliates, they will have to be *very* careful not to cause civilian casualties, or this will just spiral out of control.

The last thing the US wants to do is create something that would force them to send in ground troops, that would end in disaster. Just ask the Soviets how regular armies fare trying to fight in Afghanistan.

[DB]

I have no arguement with that.

[Knitebane]

And Medina. Maybe Qum too.

Knitebane

[Knitebane]

We have a much bigger sword and as of 9-11-01, we have the will to use it.

Knitebane

[DB]

What kind of "civilians" have their government and country provide safe harbor to the likes of Bin Laden?

It is precisely those people that allow this. They have declared war on us. War is not nice. What happened in NY is not nice. There are consequences. This war has to go to completion. Completion is until those that do these things either quit or are dead. Some things cannot be tolerated. That toleration has led to where we are now IMHO.