As to the danger of the Shia; we created this monster in Iran with our meddling and with our thirst for profits for the oil industry. As Bush said, the Shia took control of Iran in 1979 to get rid of that corrupt tyrant (who we put on the throne) the Shah of Iran, and now we're beating the drums of war because they are building a nuclear device. As to the threats that they've been tossing those around since 1979, I feel that this is just warmed over rhetoric. In the past we've supported Sadam Hussein (thanks Donald Rumsfeld) in the 10 year war against them. With all our meddling in their affairs, is it any wonder that they call us the Great Satan? As to their threats against Israel, the Israelis can take care of themselves especially if it comes down to a conventional war against them. They are already preparing themselves for that eventuality. As to their nuclear weapon development, our best intelligence says that it will take them six to ten years to develop one. It probably would have taken them longer if our great ally Pakistan hadn't given them the technology and know how to build a device. It stands to reason, since we've been supporting the subjugation of their people in many ways for decades and has made us many enemies among them, it's time to take a new tact and join the Europeans and the UN in using diplomacy and aid to negotiate an end to their WMD program. Of course our saber rattling neo-con Administration hasn't been very good at that in the past, just look at Lebanon, Iraq and North Korea. Haven't we learned from those results that our heavy handed and imperialistic foreign policy doesn't work?
As far as the Shia in Iraq, we've essentially turned the Iraqi government over to them and the country is close to becoming a theocracy. In the Shia areas of Iraq the Muslim religious law, Shari'ah, is being enforced. The Iranians probably have much more influence in that Iraq than we do. If we don't end our occupation of Iraq the radical Shia militia that are aligned with Iran (e.g. those of Muqtada El Sadr), will eventually take over the Iraqi government.
As to the unrest in Lebanon and Gaza; Israel, with our help, created the radical organizations Hamas and Hezbollah with the heavy handed and forceful policies that they have pursued in the past. Those organizations along with al Qaeda in Afghanistan have won the hearts and minds of the people by providing humanitarian, medical and social service aid for the citizens of those countries in the areas where no other organizations or government services exist.
Bush states in his address, "We're taking the side of democratic leaders and moderates and reformers across the Middle East" and he said, "We're standing with Lebanon's young democracy against the foreign forces". Our allies in the region (supposed moderates), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are all ruled by either Kings or dictators and not by democratic leaders or reformers like Bush claims and we are propping them up just like we did with the Shah of Iran. Is it any wonder that the people of these countries hate us as we are complicit in their subjugation? In Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's government controls only a small part of the country around Kabul while warlords and the Taliban control the rest. I wouldn't call this a democracy, especially because all the powers in that country have denyed equal rights to the women. As far as our "standing with Lebanon's young democracy against foreign forces"; the Israelis were the foreign forces that decimated that country with weaponry supplied by who? The United States!! And who is helping the people of Lebanon rebuild? Hezbollah!!
Another small thing to throw into the mix about the B.S. coming out in this Rovian speech is about the claim that this administration has "stopped a number of al Qaeda plots". This claim is a bunch of hogwash. Examples of the plots that have supposedly been stopped are: 1) The day dreaming and psychotic planning of a addled group of idiots in a Miami warehouse that had neither the means nor an operational plan to carry out any terrorist action. 2) The apprehension of some individuals with a truckload of cell phones crossing into the US from Canada. Come to find out, the cell phones were NOT going to be used as detonators for bombs they were just going to be sold to people in the US for the "evil" purpose of communication. 3) An alert about a plan by a terrorist group that was going to blow up the tunnels under the Hudson River into New York City for the purpose of flooding lower Manhattan. The problem with this supposed plan is that for it to be successful water would have to be able to flow up hill.
The terrorist plots that were foiled in Britain were stopped because of good police work consisting of the use of informants, undercover law enforcement and good old fashion human intelligence work.
None of these plots were foiled because of Bush's so called "Terrorist Surveillance Program" which is really nothing but an illegal and unconstitutional domestic spying program.
I would hope that you get the message that I'm trying to convey here. That is;
Our foreign policy of using force; subjugation; occupation; imperialistic agendas; war profiteering; ignoring the needs of the populace; support for totalitarian governments; and exploitation of this area for the obscene profitability of the big oil corporations, while the people live in grinding poverty, without hope has been a failure. It is the stew of hate and animosity that has created the terrorists and the suicide bombers that are striking out against Israel and America.
The solution is to immediately withdraw from Iraq; use diplomacy to negotiate in good faith to cool the hot spots in the area; rebuild the areas that have been decimated by war and insurrection by using the local population and home country industries (not the war profiteers); start providing welfare, medical and social services to help the population pull themselves out of poverty; have the oil companies contribute a good share of their profits to assist in these rebuilding and social service efforts; and help bring democracy to the area by encouraging reform and by living up to our own moral and democratic values (including the elimination of the exploitation of the populace of the world by greedy multinational corporations) that were once the beacon of hope in this world.
More apropos quotes:
Sources:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendid=4493754&blogid=164907078
As far as the Shia in Iraq, we've essentially turned the Iraqi government over to them and the country is close to becoming a theocracy. In the Shia areas of Iraq the Muslim religious law, Shari'ah, is being enforced. The Iranians probably have much more influence in that Iraq than we do. If we don't end our occupation of Iraq the radical Shia militia that are aligned with Iran (e.g. those of Muqtada El Sadr), will eventually take over the Iraqi government.
As to the unrest in Lebanon and Gaza; Israel, with our help, created the radical organizations Hamas and Hezbollah with the heavy handed and forceful policies that they have pursued in the past. Those organizations along with al Qaeda in Afghanistan have won the hearts and minds of the people by providing humanitarian, medical and social service aid for the citizens of those countries in the areas where no other organizations or government services exist.
Bush states in his address, "We're taking the side of democratic leaders and moderates and reformers across the Middle East" and he said, "We're standing with Lebanon's young democracy against the foreign forces". Our allies in the region (supposed moderates), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are all ruled by either Kings or dictators and not by democratic leaders or reformers like Bush claims and we are propping them up just like we did with the Shah of Iran. Is it any wonder that the people of these countries hate us as we are complicit in their subjugation? In Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's government controls only a small part of the country around Kabul while warlords and the Taliban control the rest. I wouldn't call this a democracy, especially because all the powers in that country have denyed equal rights to the women. As far as our "standing with Lebanon's young democracy against foreign forces"; the Israelis were the foreign forces that decimated that country with weaponry supplied by who? The United States!! And who is helping the people of Lebanon rebuild? Hezbollah!!
The terrorist plots that were foiled in Britain were stopped because of good police work consisting of the use of informants, undercover law enforcement and good old fashion human intelligence work.
None of these plots were foiled because of Bush's so called "Terrorist Surveillance Program" which is really nothing but an illegal and unconstitutional domestic spying program.
I would hope that you get the message that I'm trying to convey here. That is;
Our foreign policy of using force; subjugation; occupation; imperialistic agendas; war profiteering; ignoring the needs of the populace; support for totalitarian governments; and exploitation of this area for the obscene profitability of the big oil corporations, while the people live in grinding poverty, without hope has been a failure. It is the stew of hate and animosity that has created the terrorists and the suicide bombers that are striking out against Israel and America.
The solution is to immediately withdraw from Iraq; use diplomacy to negotiate in good faith to cool the hot spots in the area; rebuild the areas that have been decimated by war and insurrection by using the local population and home country industries (not the war profiteers); start providing welfare, medical and social services to help the population pull themselves out of poverty; have the oil companies contribute a good share of their profits to assist in these rebuilding and social service efforts; and help bring democracy to the area by encouraging reform and by living up to our own moral and democratic values (including the elimination of the exploitation of the populace of the world by greedy multinational corporations) that were once the beacon of hope in this world.
More apropos quotes:
"May we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion" ~Dwight David Eisenhower
"Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace." ~Dwight David Eisenhower
"If you want total security, go to prison. There you're fed, clothed, given medical care and so on. The only thing lacking... is freedom." ~Dwight David Eisenhower
Sources:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendid=4493754&blogid=164907078
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