Theos-Talk Archives (March 2003 Message tt00128)

Come one Bart,

don't be so selective. If you take as criteria:
a) the breaking of promises - then there is not a single country in the western world
which has not done so in the last 25 years, America included. And if we include UN
resolutions, Israel has broken what, how many of them?
b) the weapons sales as inevitable basis for a future conflict - again let me remind
you that America too, has sold its share of killing technology to Saddam Hussein, the
Afghani rebels, The Iran-Contra-gate affair, to horrible tyrants in South and
Middle-America etc. etc.
c) Selectivity when it comes to weapons of mass destruction What about Isreal's
nuclear stockpile, or America's immense amounts of chemical and bacteriological
weapons which it has used and tested on its own civilians in the past? Which country
by the way was it that was the only country till now used the atom bomb on civilian
targets? To end the war and save the lives of the G.I's, as consensus will it, or to
test and flex a muscle against Russia? Who can tell? North Korea by the way is a far
greater threat than Irak will ever be. Those Al Samud misslies, I don't see them
flying to Washington. At best, immensely souped up, they would reach a European
target. Yet we do not live in this constant, self induced trauma of War on terror.
America, the most powerful nation on Earth is afraid of what? Irak? Saddam Husein? Do
we really believe that?

So what is America doing now? Buying poor countries, putting them on the payroll of
Uncle Sam, which the average American doesn't even know where to put on the map, in
order to raise enough votes in the UN. A sad step for such a great nation.

Now I assume you will not admit to any of the above, let alone give it some room for
thought - which I think is part of the European frustration. We see history in a
different perspective, I suppose.

The people here in Europe - amongst others me - are not disgusted by America, no, we
are disgusted by the selective memory and opportunism in the geopolitical game. We
know what war is like, having had two world wars. America would have had my voice had
it but been to rid Irak of a tyrant. But no, ten to twenty years ago that was not an
option. Why? This holier than thou attitude simply does not pan with wanting to be the
one who is morally right. I am not against America, I think it is a great and
beautiful country with a great people - it is unfortunately currently in the grip of a
terror - and this challenge to overcome it is the growth process. If the American
people grow - they will be a magnificent example for the rest of us. If their leader
instead chooses to plunge us all in a sea of fear - well, I guess you know the
outcome. Then fear will rule us all. And we have seen plenty of that in Europe.

Kind regards,

Theo

Bart Lidofsky wrote:

> Erica Letzerich wrote:
> > But Bush seems already decided to attack independent
> > of the United Nations resolution.
>
> Probably. Unless Saddam Hussein either resigns, or actually keeps the
> promises he's been making for the past 12 years, while the U.N. keeps
> giving him ANOTHER last last last last last last this time for real last
> last we're serious last last last chance. While countries like France
> and Germany break their own promises by selling Hussein materials for
> weapons development, in return for billions of dollars in concessions,
> at the expense of the Iraqi people. While Iraqi's continue to get
> slaughtered by the thousands (hell, at least it isn't hundreds of
> thousands any more). While Arab counties continue to sponsor terrorists,
> while claiming, "It isn't US. It's just those people we're paying and
> training. But they have nothing to do with US."
>
> And let's not forget one factor. Israel. Which has nuclear weapons, and
> a Mutually Assured Destruction strategy. If terrorist activity does not
> stop, if a weapon of mass destruction gets used against Israel, the
> nukes will come flying, destroying the Middle East oil supply and
> bringing civilization to a grinding halt (the dream of those who have
> been organizing the peace marches, if you read the literature of their
> parent organizations; they really believe that a Communist paradise will
> arise from the ashes).
>