Comments on: Al Qaeda May Be Plotting Holiday Attacks

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[pakaal]

OK RonnieHM, you have a good weekend too.

[pakaal]

As for forcing our culture on them, I think it's safe to say that iraq's new consitution wouldn't stand a chance in this country.

Well, we're mixing up culture and politics here - as well as which way the culture is going. Sure, dividing up the US into ethnic subdivisions wouldn't work. Neither did dividing according to slave ownership but we had to fight a war over that one. And I for one am not happy with the 3 region system being set up. Who came up with that idea anyway?

[ronniehm]

It's Friday. This is not how I hoped to spend it, so I'm going to go. You know, I think within a few decades, there will probably be an all-out war in that area, and future scholars will wonder why we didn't try to "impose" democracy on them when we had a chance. I don't know. It's just a gut feeling. Nothing more. Have a good weekend.

[j-whitman]

Talk tomorrow,, I'm missing too much news

[pakaal]

H*ll yes, I'm frustrated. And I can see you are too. I hate Muslim threats against us. And to an extent, sure I felt the GOP - well, no, not the whole group, there are plenty of good people there, maybe I'll stick to the PNAC cabal surrounding Bush 43 - was part of the problem. I think their policies were and are really oversimplified. I mean, I read that Rumsfeld actually told the strategy team of military leaders NOT to come up with a post-war plan for Iraq. The Marshall plan was an incredibly detailed strategy, and it worked because we knew who we were dealing with and we knew what the plan was.

It seems to me that common-sense wasn't used in the plan for Iraq, and that we've caused a swell of hatred towards the US because of it.

[j-whitman]

Ronnie,, Guess what ?? Iraq's constitution will be thrown out when we leave..

[j-whitman]

Ronnie,, In my travels, I've seen people from all over the world want the exact things we do, food on thier tables, schools for thier children, health care,, above all they want government to stay out of thier lives & other countries to stop attacking thiers... It's our FOREIGN POCICIES NOT OUR FREEDOMS THEY HATE

[ronniehm]

pakaal, my response to your question about forcing evolution on them was that we assumed they were already evolved. As for forcing our culture on them, I think it's safe to say that iraq's new consitution wouldn't stand a chance in this country.

[ronniehm]

"I'm an old Regan man,, you know, "I won't hold your youth against you""

Yes, I remember from the last time you asked me my age.

[pakaal]

Neocolonialism is simply defined as one nation imposing a political and cultural system upon another, no? For better or worse, after toppling Saddam, Bush attempted to force his understanding of "Democracy and Freedom" onto the Iraqi people. I said:

"...force evolution on them. World political police."

Your response:

As I said, if Bush had been correct that iraqis were already evolved, then yes.

I think a "yes" on that means Neocolonialism. (conditional on their being evolved, I'll give you that, but heck, if they were "evolved" in the way you want, they wouldn't have needed our help anyway.)

[ronniehm]

pakaal, don't you ever read a headline about muslim threats and just start screaming, I AM SO SICK OF TRYING TO HELP THESE PEOPLE WHO WON'T HELP THEMSELVES!

... or is that just me?

Ok, maybe you had a similar thought about the GOP. It's frustration.

[j-whitman]

Ronnie,, No, I'm not attacking you,, I'm an old Regan man,, you know, "I won't hold your youth against you" & my favorite "Trust but verify".

[j-whitman]

Ronnie,, In every problem country now is where colonialism existed, they have learned from experiance not to trust the West.. Now every American has learned our own President can't be trusted, what does that tell others ??

[ronniehm]

"HOW OLD ARE YOU?"

Why? Are you hoping to attack me personally instead of my opinions? Spare me.

[pakaal]

See, now THAT'S the RonnieHM I talked with about mail-in votes. Sorry, I misjudged your response.

[ronniehm]

"Neocolonialism"

I said nothing like that.

[ronniehm]

"For some reason, I don't think it makes you feel better at all. "

It does. I am desperately trying to see some sign of ... something. I don't know what. Just something. I'm tired of seeing poll results that say most of them thing terrorism is justified.

[pakaal]

RonnieHM!

"And it's up to us to walk in, topple Saddam, and force evolution on them. World political police." As I said, if Bush had been correct that iraqis were already evolved, then yes.

Neocolonialism, great! And I thought after the British came to their senses two centuries ago that we might have stopped being so arrogant as to say we know better than anyone else how the world should run, and that we should run it all.

[j-whitman]

Ronnie,,, HOW OLD ARE YOU?

[pakaal]

"Well, that makes me feel a little better."

For some reason, I don't think it makes you feel better at all.

What would make you feel better RonnieHM?