OT: Big Daddy Amin Dead at 80

[General Woundwort]

Originally posted by TerranC:
It's a global conflict. It's not a global war. You say as if all those events are the works of one organization (In your case, the militant islam culture), while it isn't. All those events you mentioned are the works of different Groups, all with different agendas.

1)I won't quibble over the 'conflict' vs 'war' wording. If by 'war' you mean the formal declarations and patterns that hold when two nations go to war, I may grant your point. But the jihadists did, after a fashion, 'declare war' on us, in a summit in 1998. And 9/11 proves you can get thousands killed in a "conflict" nowadays, just as easily as you could in an old-fashioned "war".

2)I never said they were one organization. But bear in mind that they share a common ideology (strict Islam), overlapping goals (overthrow of non-Muslim govts and establishment of sharia law), and in many cases the same bankrollers (the Saudi Wahabbis). And in the article I referenced, it was pointed out that the jihadists are just as hostile to 'moderate' Muslims as they are to us.

This is no Global war, comprising the "coaltion of the willing" and militant islam. What we are in right now is a flurry of militant activities, that have a common theme; violent action against the governments that "oppress" them and it's supporters, where the biggest supporter of those governments just happens to be the United States.

Unless you factor in the global and terrorist dimension of this conflict, you're going to miss the whole point. Or are you so anti-american that you are blind to this dimension?

That is the stupidest statement I've ever heard; That criteria includes Israel, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Libya, among others; Israel, being america's ally, can't be touched, Attacking North Korea is suicide without China's approval, Attacking Libya will only anger arabs more, and attacking Saudi Arabia will do nothing more than push the world into WW3.

As for Israel, you don't see them sending their young men and women disguised as Arabs into Arab towns to blow themselves up. I am amazed at the restraint the Israelis show. I'd have gone over to the offensive long long ago.

Secondly, yes, all those other nations qualify. They are hostile to Western interests and have developed, tried to develop, or are developing WMD. This is the fruits of America's A) being focused on Russia for too long, and B) being so complacent in the 1990's about worldwide developments. Outright military attack is a Last resort, but in a "conflict/war", it does occasionally have to happen. The current administration here is not going to stand by and let these nations prepare for a WMD-style 9-11. If it was Ottowa that had been hit, not NYC, how pacifist would *you* be right now?