[thechat] Justice, was Chomsky, was Michael Moore's message

[Scott Dexter]

> >I've been waiting for you to identify some. Will you please?
> 
> 
> In order to defeat terrorism, we would have to look at it roots, what 
> drives intelligent, educated people (these guys were neither insane 
> nor stupid) to complete such a hideous task.  And with an 
> understanding of that, we could move ahead and eliminate whatever it 
> is that feeds its.

While this sounds good, how do you deter terrorist action while you
"look at its roots?" How do you do that, exactly? Ask a terrorist to go
to coffee at Starbucks so you can pick his brain? Offer a handshake?
Share a bowl with, "Dude, we so had that WTC thing coming?"

As passionate as you in believing we do the Right thing (and do it now),
they are in making sure we're dead. Which timeline is shorter?

A US global policy of laissez-faire wouldn't do shit. It would be a
green light.

I believe that while short-term surgical action is necessary (and
demanded by a heinous act of war, don't think for a second this wasn't
an act of war), I also agree that there are some wrongs that can be
righted in the long term. BUT, we can't just turn the other cheek on
this one. Hell Fucking No.

> 
> Certain pundits have suggested that the best way to defeat terrorism 
> in places like Afghanistan would be to help rebuild that broken-down 
> country, so that the support for terrorists is weakened.

Are you in accord with this? Stop the hand waving and the emotion
spewing and be concrete.

So we rebuild it, by supporting which side? --and pissing off which
side? Do we make friends of today's terrorists only to breed new ones
tomorrow? How do you help a country in severe civil disarray without
making enemies?

> 
> I think many many paths could be explored.  But this would take time, 

Name them.

> strategy, a refocusing.  Instead of being a world cop, the US could 
> be a model of global consciousness, of ethical behavior.

<knee jerk>Is it ethical to let the Taliban treat their women so?</knee
jerk>

Please identify action items that we can use to demonstrate this. I want
nitty-gritty. --I have yet to see any.

> 
> But the fact is that the US is not willing to be honest with itself.

Thanks, but I'm not asking for more rhetoric.

> 
> We are a horribly indoctrinated nation, where corporate interests 
> define both domestic and foreign policy.  Human life and dignity are 
> secondary to the pursuit of wealth.

One could take this as justification for the attack. Those responsible
for the planes crashing into the heart of Capitalism are fighting for
what they believe is human life and dignity. Do you support what they
did? Their motives?

> 
> What goes around comes around.

So we had it coming?

> 
> Paradigm shift is difficult.

Especially when you start with "many many paths" and through some hand
waving identify only one.

Do you have a list? I really want to know what these other avenues are.

Thanks
sgd