US Cowards?

by Kent 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  waiting

  Howdy,

  And I enter quietly because (after 30 yrs jw woman) I don't know much about different countries nor politics.

  But! (being a woman - you knew that one was coming) yesterday on CNN, there was a documentary of a 1/2 Palestinian (1/2 some other nationality) reporter visiting her homeland with cameramen, and talking with Taliban leaders.

  First of all, the main Taliban leader said that if the world didn't want to see women executed in a football stadium on tv.....then they should have help building an appropriate place for executions - because they had help building the football stadium.

  But, he was adament, the executions would continue and would be public. It was their law - and no, it didn't bother him to play football on the field after they cleaned up her blood.

  The Taliban is understandable to me - just totally non-acceptable to me. However, Palestinians do have a ancient culture - the reporter remembered an ancient library with wonderful gardens and thousands of books. Her father had pictures of it with men standing around the water and flowers. She went back to that town, the libary and books were gone, nothing but sand.

  I think HS made some good points. I'm so grateful for all the discussion, as it helps widen my thinking to see different sides. But I'm sorely tired of the usa being pissed on for being a world power. Part of the reason that we have a "C21st" is because of the first world governments - for the good they do and the mistakes they make.

  We could be sand like most of Palestine.

  waiting
• 

  roybatty

  Where is an Arab better off? One who is born in Israel or one who is born in Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Pakistan, Iraq, or Iran? At least in Israel they can become a citizen and have a voice in their government. Kind of ironic that "freest" place in the mideast for an Arab who to live is in Israel.

  Israel, the only true democratic country in the mid-east.
• 

  Rex B13

  Good job at hitting the nail on the head.

  BTW, maybe you should have nailed Kent for starting in with his usual anti-American, leftist hypocrisy?
  Later,
  Rex
• 

  Oldhippie

  hillary_step,
  Interesting points you make about the culture class that exists between Islam and the West. An article in the Austin American-Statesman by staff writer Bill Bishop had this to say: "The terrorists attack wasn't so much an act of war against the United States as it was an assault on the modern world." He went on to say that as nations modernize and urbanize, their power base becomes centralized in political systems rather than religion and conflicts inevitably ignite. Quoting Ronald Inglehart, a University of Michigan political scientist, "economic failure and national humiliation" in the continuing conflict with Israel has fed the fundamentalist movement in the Muslim world.
  It just seems to point out that it will be very difficult if not impossible for reason to prevail in these conflicts. I do not like the alternative, however there may be no choice.
• 

  Kent

  Hi Amazing
  

  If you mean Israel, I find it difficult to view them as terrorists. They do not, to my knowledge export their conduct to other nations. There are no Israelis who crash planes or car bombs into nations that support the PLO.

  
  Your knowledge seems to be sheer ignorance. They don't crash planes, no. Instead they are fireing rockets into refugee camps and appartment complexes, which has nothing to do with any military. It's appartments for ordinary Palestinians, old people, women and children.

  If you feel you need a whole plane to make all Hell breake loose inside an appartment, I suggest you visit the West Bank, and say hello to a US rocket fired by an Israeli terrorist in a US Helicopter!

  Or, you may sit and watch the US disaster on your television, when suddenly a US made Tank comes roling through the wall, killing anyone in the room.

  That's no terrorism, is it? Don't tell me it's God's will - I have puked more than enough today.

  Yakki Da

  Kent

  I need more BOE letters, KMs and other material. Those who can send it to me - please do! The new section will be interesting!!

  Daily News On The Watchtower and the Jehovah's Witnesses:
  http://watchtower.observer.org
• 

  Kent

  Farkel;
  

  Add up the square miles of real estate occupied by Arab nations on this planet. Then add up the square miles of real estate occupied by Israelis on this planet. This little exercise should convince you that the Palestinians don't exactly have no place else to go.

  
  So fuckin what? I never said there was no place else to go - except for the fact Palestine is THEIR country. Why the fuck can't the Americans get the hell out of New York? There should be more than enough place in the Rockies!

  Yakki Da

  Kent

  I need more BOE letters, KMs and other material. Those who can send it to me - please do! The new section will be interesting!!

  Daily News On The Watchtower and the Jehovah's Witnesses:
  http://watchtower.observer.org
• 

  msil

  Is it time for the FBI to give Kent his cavity search yet?
• 

  Andee

  Great points made on this thread.
  
  Farkel,

  If they didn't have any oil, no one would give a shit about them and couldn't care less if they spent eternity killing each other.

  Maybe difficult for us to admit, but it's the dead on truth. Do you think we would have rescued poor little Kuwait from that Bad Ole Saddam if it weren't for the oil?

  OldHippie,

  It just seems to point out that it will be very difficult if not impossible for reason to prevail in these conflicts. I do not like the alternative, however there may be no choice.

  I happened to catch a program on MSNBC Saturday Night. A documentary called "Abandon All Hope". This film maker went into Afhganistan to interview prisoners captured by the Northern Alliance. The journey to get there was scarey enough, however the interviews with the prisoners were chilling. This prisoners, all muslim, and from various parts of the middle east would unhesitatingly "die for Islam".
  They believe they are guaranteed entry to heaven. Considering the life they live now, that would certainly be a big improvement. Having little or no education, they are taught that America, along with our allies, is the reason for everything evil in the world. The enemy of Islam. We are responsible for plight that many of their fellow Muslims live in. With nothing to counter this teaching, and the frustration that desperate poverty brings, they answer the call for jihad with enthusiasm. To be a martyr is to bring honor to ones family. There just is NO reasoning with them.
  Their beliefs are completely ingrained.

  I just hope we have the perseverance necessary to minimize terrorism in the long run.

  Andee
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  hillary_step

  Hello,

  Let me illustrate the point I am trying to make regarding the cultural and ideological differences between Western and Eastern thinking and how ignorance of these differences harms both camps.

  The Afghanis are refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden. The US are insisting that he must be handed over or else they will take him by force, or destroy him in the attempt. To a strict Muslim, and most Muslims are strict in devotion however much they claim to be moderates, the act of handing this man to ‘infidels’ is an impossibility for them to accept theologically. It would contravene one of the most fundamental doctrines of Islamic law, that of showing hospitality to strangers - remember, not a choice to them religiously but an edict. Imagine saying to one of the GB, unless you force one of your people to drink this cup of blood, we will kill you all. There is very little difference in application. The Afghanis will not hand the man over because they cannot hand him over under Islamic law. Even the Pakistanis and Saudis, despite their veneer of posturing would not hand him over if he were to slip over the border, they do want him in their own nation, because they would then have to face this huge doctrinal problem.

  The US consistently fails in its Foreign Policies to understand the thinking of its enemies. Mossad could attend to bin Laden very quickly, but they are enjoying seeing the Arab world in confrontation with the West. Why? Because they understand the thinking of the Arab mind, they recognize the inability of the Eastern mind to accept the voluntary presentation of a Muslim to a Christian as a 'sacrificial goat'. They have the best intelligence in the world, perhaps only bettered by the French. Israel is well aware of what it will gain from a US sabre in the Middle East.

  Many agendas are playing out right now, and I fear that the US is playing the part of the patsy. They need to allow these proud and rigid people a way to save face while developing their own goals. This can only be achieved through a bright diplomatic service. Unfortunately clued in diplomats have never been the strength of US Foreign Policy, most seem not to be able to get John Wayne out of their minds, at least, until the body bags begin to appear in numbers that are unacceptable.

  To an Arab, to die as a soldier for Islam is the highest privilege possible, to a Westerner to die for his country is an acceptable evil...for a good cause...and for a short war….well, up to a point!

  HS
• 

  El Kabong

  COWARDS?????
  Here....Look at a "Coward" in the face.

  

  How Dare you!!!!!!