THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: In Our Name

The Daily Telegraph ^ | February 15, 2003 | The Daily Telegraph

[MadIvan]

Today, thousands of people will converge on London to join in the Stop the War march. Among them may be readers of this newspaper, whose opposition to Anglo-American intervention in Iraq is based on moral objections, or on concern about the possible consequences for this country.

Such scruples deserve respect. Most of the speakers who will set the tone for this march, though, have rather different motives, chief among them hostility to America. Those who are by no means anti-American, but who disapprove of George W. Bush, may find themselves uncomfortable in the company of those who see America as the fount of all evil. It is to such people, who still have open minds, that the following points are addressed.

• One of the marchers' slogans is: "Not In My Name". What do President Bush and Tony Blair propose to do in our name? They intend to protect the world, and themselves, against the threat of chemical, biological and nuclear attack by Saddam Hussein; to liberate the people of Iraq, who have suffered more under Saddam than anybody else; to overthrow the most dangerous of the regimes that sponsor international terrorism; and to uphold the authority of the United Nations by enforcing the disarmament of Iraq. How many of the marchers disagree with these aims?

• Many people ask: "What has it to do with us?" They may feel that this is America's war, not ours. They are wrong. Iraq threatens everyone, Britain as much as America, with its weapons and the terrorists it sponsors. Saddam's successful defiance of the international community has emboldened other "rogue states", such as North Korea, to menace their neighbours. Tony Blair is right to be wary of following Chamberlain's line when Germany annexed the Sudetenland in 1938 - "How horrible, fantastic, incredible it is that we should be digging trenches and trying on gas-masks here because of a quarrel in a far away country between people of whom we know nothing."

• Will today's protesters spare a thought for the victims of September 11? At that time, there was a spontaneous wave of support for America that, in Britain, was almost unanimous - with the exception of some of the leaders of today's march. Allied leaders, including those of France and Germany, pledged solidarity with America in the war against terrorism. Saddam's reaction was to exult in the mass slaughter of Americans. Now that Osama bin Laden has openly aligned himself with Saddam, it is hard to ignore Iraqi support for terrorists, including al-Qa'eda. How many protesters can honestly reply "yes" to the question: would I be marching against war today if the attacks on September 11 had been, not on New York and Washington, but on London?

[Becki]

So were Kamakazi pilots. But that was as an act of war. Their culture was not based on this, nor was their leadership.

I am afraid that is what we are dealing with now. In simple terms, it's us or them.

Becki

[Becki]

The world's greatest newspaper stands with you, as do the decent people in this country.

God Bless the decent people in England. And God Bless you especially, Ivan!!

Becki

[patriciaruth]

Howdy, y'all! Talk to you again after we admit the war has started.

[nwrep]

You said:

It was- after all- our continued military presence in Saudi Arabia after the first Gulf War which spawned the creation of Al Queda.

You should stop blaming this great nation for acts of evil committed against us by our enemies. If you think we brought Sep 11 on ourselves, please answer the following questions:

1) What did we do to deserve our Embassy in Iran being stormed and our citizens held hostage in 1979?

2) Why did they bomb our marine barracks in Beirut in 1983?

3) Why did they bomb Pan Am Jetliner 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1987?

4) Why did they bomb the World Trade Center in February 1993?

5) Why did they bomb Khobar towers in 1997?

6) Why did they bomb our embassies in Africa in 1998?

7) Why did they bomb the USS Cole in 2000?

Stop blaming the greatest nation on earth for its enemies. Open your eyes and see the evil present in our enemies. This is pure evil, known since ancient times, and we need to stomp it out.

[Pinch]

>Communist suicide bombing was very common in the thirld world.

Really? Must not have been very successful. What is the motivation for something like that? No 70 virgins awaiting them in paradise. No eternal life from Allah. Imaging trying to motivate your faithful with this..."Well guys...you see...you need to blow yourself to bits and take out as many of the bourgeoisie that you can to prove our point".

[Lando Lincoln]

Tonite I feel that, save for brave leadership in the US and UK, the world has taken leave of its senses. Where is the sanity, the rational thought? We have a tyrant who is mocking the world - all the while determined to destroy the civilized portion of it. Meanwhile, France, Germany, Russia and a host of others would choose to believe this butcher over the likes of GWB, Blair, Powell, etc. I just can't comprehend it!

[Cindy]

"ARE THEY FOR US OR AGAINST US?" (Updated Daily.)

[Burkeman1]

I don't pretend to know the motivation. I simply know that in Cuba, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Loas, China, Russia, and all over the world thousands of people blew themselves up in suicidal attacks on whatever target and for whatever reason. Do you care to dispute that? Are you saying the suicide bomber is unique to Islam and was never used before? I think some Viet Nam and Korean war vets might dispute you on this as well- as say- History itself.

[Burkeman1]

Actually ritual suicide was very much part of Japanese culture and is still practiced today though without official sanction. For example- it is not uncommon for a Japanese businessman or official to be exposed as corrupt to committ suicide (in America they would deny it, claim to be a victim, and make false counter accusations.)

[Allan]

The world's greatest newspaper stands with you, as do the decent people in this country.

World's greatest newspaper is no exaggeration.

I wish Freepers were more familiar with this newspaper.

I spent a year in England, and I was continually amazed
at the high quality of the writing in the Daily Telegraph.

The foreign reporting was extraordinary, excellent serious analyses, as well as sidesplitting humour, especially in the parliamentary reports.
(This was in the last staggering days of the Callaghan era).

Reading it each morning was the highlight of the day.

(Oh yes, there was another paper that wasn't too bad
I think it was called 'The Times')

[Pinch]

I'm not necessarily disputing that. All I am saying in my studies of history that particular tactic of ideological terrorism has not been a common thread. You always hear of the motorcycle driving by with a grenade or two tossed into a cafe - from a historical perspective rarely have I read of the "thousands" of homicide bombers you speak of coming from the non-Islamic side of the house. But perhaps my studies have not been as detailed as your knowledge.

[Burkeman1]

Nothing could condone the acts of 9/11 and the murder of 3000 innocents.

But when you stick your nose into a vipers den then expect to be bit.

Most of your questions have nothing to do with the proposed war at hand.

But answer me this. If a Serb started shooting congressmen at the foot of the Capitol building after a session would you wonder why he did it? Of course it is wrong but would you seriously wonder why after we bombed his country for 78 days from 15,000 feet, supported a bunch of Narco- Islamic terrorists, and destroyed and split his country from it's historic starting point?

Do you think 9/11 was just becauuse they "hate our freedom"? Our policies have nothing to do with it?

[Dan from Michigan]

The Telegraph. My favorite newspaper. Only the Telegraph's Ambrose Evans-Pritchard had the guts to cover Klinton's Mena scandal.

[Becki]

Ritual suicide, yes. Hari kari is cultural, and is considered preferable to shame. It is a way of saving face. It is done personally, as alone as possible, and without causing harm to anyone else. The inherent emotion is shame.

However, they are not practicing hari kari in the Middle East. They are practicing war. There is no shame. Rather, there is glee. Their purpose is to take out as many innocents as they can, and the easiest way is to strap yourself with explosives, nails, rat poison and feces and blow themselves up. This is not a mentality that will respond to reason. It will not respond to inspections and it will not respond to containment.

When the Kamakazis took out after our ships, we didn't wait for them to hit the ships. We didn't send in inspecters to prove they had planes and pilots. We didn't ask the government to disclose the locations of the airfields. We blew them out of the sky. And then we went and blew up all of the airfields we could find before they could take off. I suggest we use the same tactic now. It worked before.

Becki

[Burkeman1]

Sappers- that is the name they were called. In Viet Nam they were a menace and in North Korea. They would run or drive into American held positions with bombs on their backs. The same was true in every bush war during the Cold war. In Russia and China the same was true during both their revolutions and in WWII.

[Becki]

This is so cool! Thank you for your efforts.

This one is now bookmarked.

Becki

[Becki]

Containment would be difficult when the focus point of the movement is exported under the rubric of a religion.

You are so right! That is how they got this far, and especially why they have been able to operate here for so long. The trouble is, it's a Pandora's box to deal with it under the label of Religion. I think that is why President Bush is taking pains to make sure that he doesn't alienate them as a religion. It is a thin line to walk, but he has done it well so far.

Becki

[Burkeman1]

You are a very sincere and very up on current events. Why do you think 9/11 occured?

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for the excellent timeline. I have just bookmarked it for those who don't know about al Qaeda and those who post miss information about al Qaeda to confuse their long time hatred of America/Americans.

[Grampa Dave]

You might want to go to this link for some damning evidence about al Qaeda and how the Clintoons knew about them. (link)

You and Wallaby might want to compare your notes. Thanks again for this time line.