Another Must Read
 

This Salon letter is fantastic, everyone read, should be interesting to see what poeple have to say..

My personal view...
 

Where does it say that we as a nation have to answer to Bin Laden and/or every crackpot who doesn't agree with our actions in the mideast or anywhere else for that matter?

Osama Bin Laden doesn't represent any government other than himself and parallel interests in the Taliban (but not the Taliban themselves) and the PLO (which is a quasi-government at best).

He and others need to get it into their thick heads that Israel is there to stay and the US is supporting them.

I think that many in the middle east and other Third World countries hate us for what we have out of jealousy and an inability to go out and secure those things for themselves. I have little sympathy for the oppressed people who knuckle under to the first sign of hostility from some group promising an end to their troubles without examining the issues and promises as welll as the track record of involved parties.

The US doesn't want to occupy any territory. We don't want to force our form of government on anyone. We are not "imperialists". We are a victim of bad press. The reason we help other countries set up democratic forms of government similar to our own is that this is what those people want. They see our success as a nation and as a people and want this for themselves. All they have to do is go out and get it. But there are others who will force themselves upon the masses and that problem will have to be overcome. The US has been known to aid these oppressed masses to overthrow their unelected masters and do as they will electing their own representatives.

It is only our Constitution that allows such claptrap as David Alford wrote in Salon and a few students on campuses nationwide to spout anti-American slogans and preach peace when peace hasn't worked and the time for negotiations is past. The US has turned the other cheek for too long and we're fresh out of cheeks.

It's now time to kick butt and take names. If that makes us a "bully", then so be it. It's long past time for us to be a bully if that is our intention, which it isn't.

This has been my opinion only.

Disclaimer: I am a right-wing military man and proud of it.

Brian