Watching as Iraq burns.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by bobabode

Most were Saudi nationals, none were Iraqis, had al queda shown their faces in Iraqi territory they would've been hung from the nearest lamp post. Your reasoning is flawed, completely. I might agree with some of what you've posted around here but this post ^ is not supportable.

So, why didn't we attack Saudi Arabia?

Dave

[Bigerik]

Originally Posted by Charles

Let me guess...you're one of them???

Chas

Nope.
Not even close.

I don't have to agree with a position to understand it.

[Bigerik]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

So, why didn't we attack Saudi Arabia?

Dave

I'm sure that had nothing to do with it.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Nope.
Not even close.

I don't have to agree with a position to understand it.

I'll try not to underestimate you in the future.

My salutations,

Chas

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

So, why didn't we attack Saudi Arabia?

Dave

Because we couldn't. They stunk, but they were about the only "friends" we had over there.

But we could damn well invade Iraq, and then sit there looking across the border like a bear watching a chicken coop.

Chas

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Nope.
Not even close.

I don't have to agree with a position to understand it.

But captain canuck would I bet!

Funny Avatar.

[neophyte]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

Nope.
Not even close.

I don't have to agree with a position to understand it.

precisely

We didn't attack Saudi Arabia, but we did have a massive military presence there from 1990, when we sent 500,000 troops to squat in their country, and withdrawal didn't occur till until 13 years later. Bin Laden cited this occupation as one of the primary reasons for the 9/11 attacks. We don't have to agree with this, or like it, but not acknowledging it is the very definition of boneheadedness.

Nobody on this planet besides many, if not most, Americans think the USA is the center of the universe. It simply is not their reality, and until we show a little respect for other perspectives, the strife with other cultures will persist, and probably escalate.

[Twodogs]

Originally Posted by neophyte

precisely

We didn't attack Saudi Arabia, but we did have a massive military presence there from 1990, when we sent 500,000 troops to squat in their country, and withdrawal didn't occur till until 13 years later. Bin Laden cited this occupation as one of the primary reasons for the 9/11 attacks. We don't have to agree with this, or like it, but not acknowledging it is the very definition of boneheadedness.

Nobody on this planet besides many, if not most, Americans think the USA is the center of the universe. It simply is not their reality, and until we show a little respect for other perspectives, the strife with other cultures will persist, and probably escalate.

So we have to respect cowards?

[Bigerik]

Originally Posted by Twodogs

So we have to respect cowards?

Calling someone a coward also depends on a point of view. Different cultures see it in different ways. Plus it is usually used as a label to put someone else down. In war, labels do no good at all.

It was just said here that the Taliban are cowards because they hide amongst women and children to do their attacks. Yet those cowards are killing and hurting a lot of our folks. Do we have to like them? No way. But we sure as heck better respect them, otherwise we will keep losing our boys to them.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by neophyte

precisely

We didn't attack Saudi Arabia, but we did have a massive military presence there from 1990, when we sent 500,000 troops to squat in their country, and withdrawal didn't occur till until 13 years later. Bin Laden cited this occupation as one of the primary reasons for the 9/11 attacks. We don't have to agree with this, or like it, but not acknowledging it is the very definition of boneheadedness.

Nobody on this planet besides many, if not most, Americans think the USA is the center of the universe. It simply is not their reality, and until we show a little respect for other perspectives, the strife with other cultures will persist, and probably escalate.

Gawd.

Maybe we should have just backed Saddam and let him control the whole damn Middle East amd just bought our oil from him. Wouldn't that have been a text book example of "Realpolitic"?

At the time, I thought it was a pretty good idea. But at the time, my overview of international politics, among other things, were pretty simplistic.

I know one thing...our buddies the Saudimites would have thought that it was a shit for brains idea. Along with every other swinging dick country which had a vested interest in the Middle East.

Which pretty much means everybody.

And let's not forget the international banking cartel, which we are all beholding to.

Saddam was the turd in the punchbowl. Nobody wanted us there, we didn't want to be there (although I'll get an argument on that one), but we were the only plumber in town who could guarantee that shit would once again flow downhill.

It's a rotten game, always has been, and it always will. But as long as there are two of us "enlightened" homo sapiens and one lousy can of pork and beans, some poor bastard is going to get his throat slit.

Chas