Posted on 09/26/2001 6:45:13 AM PDT by Brian_Baldwin
MSNBC just ran the notice on their rolling banner headlines, "Powell may let Taliban remain in power if they turn over Osama bin Laden".
I suppose we will hear a lot about how Powell only said "may" and not "will". Fine. Doesn't matter, because even if he said "may", well, then this "may" not be a war on terrorism.
The Bush Administration has said many things regarding this war on terrorism, things about accountability for those who harbor terrorists, but the same Bush Administration through Powell has said that the war on terrorism will be conducted in the same way as the war on drugs.
Speaking of the war on drugs, one of the Taliban's primary sources of hard currency funding comes from Afghan poppy production and distribution of heroin.
So much said for the war on drugs which hasn't been very effective against the Afghan heroin trafficking which has been funding the Taliban. And if we are going to fight the war on terrorism in the same way we are fighting the war on drugs, we've already lost the war. If MSNBC sources are correct in what Powell is saying, he is saying all the wrong things and giving the wrong signals to the Taliban and the Islamic terrorists throughout the world -- and if Powell is going to let the heroin dealing Taliban remain in power simply because they turn over the bearded dead body of Osama bin Laden, then we've lost the war against those who did this to our people, and we've certainly lost the war on terrorism. By the way, I didn't know that heroin trafficking was part of the Taliban Muslim religion. Have any of those Islamic clerics in Indonesia made any comment on this?
Yeah, if it was like WWII where the enemy was an identifiable country with an army and navy and whatnot. That won't work here. If we tried to do an "Ashcanistan" right off the bat, it would get a lot of our FRIENDS mad at us. Did you hear where Rumsfeld said that the terrorists are in 50 to 60 different countries? Think we can invade them or politically twist their arms all at once? This is more like stalking deer.
I too wish they would go in and bomb that country off the map. But for the most effective outcome at the least risk to our military he will look at all options.
If you have opposing forces already well-versed in the Afgan terrain and fighting on that terrain, they are the most effective ones to do the fighting for us. To assist them in taking over that country would save our military lives, would be less damaging on the refugees trapped there and would prevent the claims of Americans joyfully killed innocent lives. This is not to say special forces would not be helping them and in doing so, finding out what Bin Laden has there.
Not as glamous as an all out bombing but probably a lot more effective for the long haul if successful. If not successful - you bomb the daylights out of the country.
I truly hope so.
The point about there being a demand for drugs and not a demand for terrorism makes the arguments that they are the same collapse like the house of cards.
There is no way Bush is going to fade out on this war. He has seen and heard far more than we have about what was done and what the future plans are. These attacks are on him, his family, the people of his beloved country and freedom. Why would he weaken in protecting it? To do so means destruction of all.
Remember, Bush is sly as a fox with a steely resolve - no one will know what he is going to do until it is done. Remember the tax cut? Remember the election? He was calm and unworried while all the hassle over the election. With China he did not rush to act but utilized all methods to work out a solution - but we got the solution. We got the tax cut, he won the election.
This is the leader you want. He is not worried about putting out an image, a press statement, political points or rattling sabers - he wants our freedom intact, safety for Americans and wants to do it as God would want it done. This means he has to be willing to look at all sides, all methods and as far as possible protect innocents. Yet - he will get the job done because he knows terrorism is going to be pulled out by the roots. Don't sell him short and have a little faith in this president. We have been blessed by God to have him - let him work and get the job done.
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