Update on the war against "Al-Qaida"

[AndyMarquisLIVE]

40 dead in Indian embassy blast in Afghan capital

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in the deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said.

The massive explosion detonated by a suicide bomber damaged two embassy vehicles entering the compound, near where dozens of Afghan men line up every morning to apply for visas.

President Hamid Karzai condemned the bombing and said it was carried out by militants trying to rupture the friendship between Afghanistan and India.

The Afghan Interior Ministry hinted that the attack was carried out with help from Pakistan's intelligence service, saying that "terrorists have carried out this attack in coordination and consultation with some of the active intelligence circles in the region." The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said Pakistan condemned the attack and terrorism in all forms.

The embassy is located on a busy, tree-lined street near Afghanistan's Interior Ministry in the city center that is protected on both ends by police checkpoints. Several nearby shops were damaged or destroyed in the blast, and smoldering ruins covered the street. The explosion rattled much of the Afghan capital.

Shortly after the attack, a woman ran out of a Kabul hospital screaming, crying and hitting her face with both of her hands. Her two children, a girl named Lima and a boy named Mirwais, had been killed.

"Oh my God!" the woman screamed. "They are both dead."

And I thought we erradicated al-Qaida.

Hmm....

I guess we still haven't caught Bin Laden...

or Ayman al-Zawahiri...

Oh, what's this place? "Afghanistan." Any of you ever heard of it?



Good job Bush; thanks for keeping your eye on the prize. I feel so much safer now knowing al-Qaida's been eradicated and Saddam is gone from power.

 

[Pete]

And I thought we erradicated al-Qaida.

Hmm....

I guess we still haven't caught Bin Laden...

or Ayman al-Zawahiri...

Oh, what's this place? "Afghanistan." Any of you ever heard of it?



Good job Bush; thanks for keeping your eye on the prize. I feel so much safer now knowing al-Qaida's been eradicated and Saddam is gone from power.

What is your point exactly?

 

[Lenny]

What is your point exactly?

His point is hidden under that strategically positioned ball cap he wears in all his photos.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

His point is hidden under that strategically positioned ball cap he wears in all his photos.

That's one thing about younguns, they have no patience. Some of us have heard of Afghanistan, even been there Andy. I agree we should have perhaps sent some troops from Europe, Okinawa or Korea there to assist.

The real problem with past mistakes made by our government was not taking Bin Laden out when he was handed to us on a platter in 2000. So you can rail all you want about how this administration screwed up the war on terror. Just realize there's plenty of blame to go around.

 

[Bann]

That's one thing about younguns, they have no patience. Some of us have heard of Afghanistan, even been there Andy. I agree we should have perhaps sent some troops from Europe, Okinawa or Korea there to assist.

The real problem with past mistakes made by our government was not taking Bin Laden out when he was handed to us on a platter in 2000. So you can rail all you want about how this administration screwed up the war on terror. Just realize there's plenty of blame to go around.

And at the same time, it's not like any war was perfect,(not the right word,probably) right? Things have gone wrong and not as planned in every major conflict ever in the history of man.

One thing's for sure. This country has not had a major attack in 7 years. And that's a fact. We're not going to keep it that way if we treat terrorist activity like a police action - like a previous administration who shall remain nameless did. And I believe we do have George W. Bush to thank for that.

 

[itsbob]

Good job Bush; thanks for keeping your eye on the prize. I feel so much safer now knowing al-Qaida's been eradicated and Saddam is gone from power.

Apparently they need your help.. do you need directions to the local recruiting station?

Tell them I sent you, they'll hook you right up and get you to Afghanistan so you can show them how to do it right!

 

[Bann]

Apparently they need your help.. do you need directions to the local recruiting station?

Tell them I sent you, they'll hook you right up and get you to Afghanistan so you can show them how to do it right!

It's not just a job - it's an adventure!

 

[Pushrod]

Where in the heck did you get the information that this had to do with al-queda or Bin Laden? Do you have any idea at all what you are ranting about?
In your all-knowing wisdom, what would you be doing different?
I really think you have some growing up to do boy.

 

[ImnoMensa]

Suicide bombings are done by crazed religious freaks.

You cannot stop a madman or woman who decides they want to die and take a lot of innocent people with them.

 

[Larry Gude]

Yes...

Suicide bombings are done by crazed religious freaks.

You cannot stop a madman or woman who decides they want to die and take a lot of innocent people with them.

...you can. You can retaliate against the things he believes in. You can let it be known that an act of war against you will result in war against them. You can threaten their faith, their shrines, their temples, their homes, their towns, their people with death and destruction if that is what they wish to bring to you. You can make it their choice.

The problem is that this is what we have done to them for two generations now; threaten and attack their faith, their way of life, their families, all of it. We have a profoundly ugly way of looking at this as though that is all they are; homicidal maniacs that just woke up one day and decided to kill innocents.

Note from the response I get from this post how unwilling we are to even consider just what it is that drives them to such desperation let alone address it.

 

[Lenny]

...you can. You can retaliate against the things he believes in. You can let it be known that an act of war against you will result in war against them. You can threaten their faith, their shrines, their temples, their homes, their towns, their people with death and destruction if that is what they wish to bring to you. You can make it their choice.

The problem is that this is what we have done to them for two generations now; threaten and attack their faith, their way of life, their families, all of it. We have a profoundly ugly way of looking at this as though that is all they are; homicidal maniacs that just woke up one day and decided to kill innocents.

Note from the response I get from this post how unwilling we are to even consider just what it is that drives them to such desperation let alone address it.

Or you could take the Klintonian tack and do nothing. OK, you could lob a cruise missile into the mountains.

 

[Larry Gude]

They...

Or you could take the Klintonian tack and do nothing. OK, you could lob a cruise missile into the mountains.

...say we are their enemy because we support corrupt regimes that rule them. We do. They say it is a sacrilege and offense to their faith when we have armies in their lands. They say we are corrupt and decadent and that we export these things to their lands and people through our economic power.

Now, are we right to do this things anyway? Are there any rules that we should abide? Or, is this a simple matter of whatever we do is right and anyone who doesn't think so is wrong?

BTW, Clinton did fail to get bin Laden. He just didn't need to invade two nations absorb 35,000 KIA and WIA and spend a trillion dollars to do it.

 

[Lenny]

Read

...say we are their enemy because we support corrupt regimes that rule them. We do. They say it is a sacrilege and offense to their faith when we have armies in their lands. They say we are corrupt and decadent and that we export these things to their lands and people through our economic power.

Now, are we right to do this things anyway? Are there any rules that we should abide? Or, is this a simple matter of whatever we do is right and anyone who doesn't think so is wrong?

BTW, Clinton did fail to get bin Laden. He just didn't need to invade two nations absorb 35,000 KIA and WIA and spend a trillion dollars to do it.

What Went Wrong? by Bernard Lewis

The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright

It might come in useful for you.

 

[This_person]

...you can. You can retaliate against the things he believes in. You can let it be known that an act of war against you will result in war against them. You can threaten their faith, their shrines, their temples, their homes, their towns, their people with death and destruction if that is what they wish to bring to you. You can make it their choice.

Larry, don't you think this is what they perceive we've already done, and thus made it their choice to kill themselves and others in what they perceive is retaliation back?

In this post, you say our choice is to let it be known we will kill all those who attempt to kill us, thus making their death their choice. But, in your next post, you claim that's already been done, and that they hate us for good reasons.

What we may export is our choice. What they import is their choice. They hate the messanger because they choose the message? I don't buy it as a realistic, acceptable argument.

The problem is that this is what we have done to them for two generations now; threaten and attack their faith, their way of life, their families, all of it.

By living our own lives as we see fit? I mean, how do we attack their faith, their way of life?

We have a profoundly ugly way of looking at this as though that is all they are; homicidal maniacs that just woke up one day and decided to kill innocents.

I don't think most people think they just woke up this way one day. I think we realize that they perceive they're defending themselves. The problem is, we DO think they're attacking INNOCENTS, not someone who is actually attacking them first.

My perception is that we do nothing to hurt these people that they don't ask for and take willingly. It's like someone buying drugs and then blaming the drug dealer for the product they bought themselves. Our religious ideals, freedoms, etc., may be intoxicating and lucrative, but they're the purchaser. They don't take the product, they don't have a problem.

Note from the response I get from this post how unwilling we are to even consider just what it is that drives them to such desperation let alone address it.

How would you address it?

 

[Larry Gude]

...

Has anyone besides me read bin Laden's declaration of war against us?

How do you ever defeat an enemy if you don't even know their motivation?

 

[Lenny]

Has anyone besides me read bin Laden's declaration of war against us?

How do you ever defeat an enemy if you don't even know their motivation?

Why, yes. Yes I have (in an English translation, that is)


But you can put as much credence in his "justification" as you can an NObama speech. Read The Looming Tower

 

[Larry Gude]

Ok...

Why, yes. Yes I have (in an English translation, that is)

...me, too.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

...you can. You can retaliate against the things he believes in. You can let it be known that an act of war against you will result in war against them. You can threaten their faith, their shrines, their temples, their homes, their towns, their people with death and destruction if that is what they wish to bring to you. You can make it their choice.

There was a time when countries knew, if they attacked the United States, there would be retaliation. We were attacked repeatedly, but the administration in power decided to treat the attacks as a police matter. Folks just got more bold, as there wasn't much on their part, to lose. 9/11 was the result.

The problem is that this is what we have done to them for two generations now; threaten and attack their faith, their way of life, their families, all of it. We have a profoundly ugly way of looking at this as though that is all they are; homicidal maniacs that just woke up one day and decided to kill innocents.

Much of that is a result of their wishes to wipe Israel off the map. Israel fought two wars started by Arabs and kicked their butts at a great loss of Israeli lives. The conflict has been going on for years and WE DIDN'T START IT. Our country has supported Israel's right to exist, and that's enough in the Arab world to condemn us. When youngsters are taught to hate from the day they're born, doesn't matter much what the parent's motivation to me. They attack, we retaliate, until they finally get the message. And if they don't, they cease to exist in the world's productive societies.

Note from the response I get from this post how unwilling we are to even consider just what it is that drives them to such desperation let alone address it.

They've told us what drives them to such desperation. Just listen to them. But from my perspective, NO THANK YOU! I don't want my family and I to live under Sharia law, and their lack of tolerance for other faiths says all I need to hear. Live and let live. You attack me or mine, there will be hell to pay.

 

[Larry Gude]

I would...

How would you address it?

...mind our own business. We don't belong in Afghanistan. We don't belong in Iraq. We trade with people who are willing to trade with us and we deal with them based on that. I would like to think that I would not have an energy policy that is predicated on dependence.

 

[cwo_ghwebb]

Has anyone besides me read bin Laden's declaration of war against us?

How do you ever defeat an enemy if you don't even know their motivation?

Their motivation is not relevant. They can state their reasons for being your enemy all they want.

If someone takes a swing at me because I insulted his family, does it really matter when I take him out?

If someone takes a swing at me because he doesn't like my clothing, does it really matter when I take him out?

If someone takes a swing at me and I don't have a clue why, does it really matter when I take him out?

All that does matter is that I protected myself and took the dumb azz out.